Over 800 US military veterans released under 'don't ask, don't tell' policy receive honorable discharges

The Pentagon announced on Tuesday that more than 800 military personnel who had been discharged under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy have had their service records upgraded to honorable discharges . This policy, which was in effect from 1993 to 2011, prohibited LGBTQ troops from openly serving in the US armed forces and led to the discharge of thousands of service members who disclosed their sexual orientation.

The announcement comes as part of broader efforts by the US government to rectify decades of discrimination. The roots of this issue date back to 1951, when Article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) criminalized consensual same-sex activity.

Former President Bill Clinton ’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy modified this stance in 1993, allowing LGBTQ personnel to serve as long as they did not disclose their sexual orientation. However, it was not until 2011 that Congress fully repealed the policy, allowing for open service by LGBTQ members in the military. Additionally, in 2013, the UCMJ was updated to decriminalize consensual same-sex activity, narrowing the scope of Article 125 to cover only nonconsensual acts.

The move to upgrade discharges is part of a review initiated last year by defense secretary Lloyd Austin. The Pentagon estimates that approximately 13,500 service members were discharged under “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Of those, many were issued less-than-honorable discharges, which stripped them of military benefits such as educational assistance and impacted their civilian employment prospects.

By upgrading more than 800 discharges, the Pentagon said that 96% of the affected personnel now have honorable discharges. However, not all of the 13,500 discharges required review. Some service members were already discharged, while others did not serve long enough to qualify for benefits or were not eligible for upgrades due to other violations.

Defense secretary Austin reaffirmed the Pentagon’s commitment to honoring all who have served, saying, “We will continue to honor the service and the sacrifice of all our troops — including the brave Americans who raised their hands to serve but were turned away because of whom they love. We will continue to strive to do right by every American patriot who has honorably served their country.”

This decision also aligns with President Joe Biden’s recent move in June to issue pardons to service members convicted under repealed military policies, further illustrating the government’s efforts to undo the damage caused by historical discrimination.