Can Gay Military Veterans Still Qualify For Honorable Discharges?

22 Feb Can Gay Military Veterans Still Qualify For Honorable Discharges?

Notwithstanding past discrimination against LGBTQ+ service members in the US military, homosexual veterans of the armed forces can still get an honorable discharge. 

2011 saw the end of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) policy, which prohibited openly gay persons from joining the military. Since they were dismissed from duty under the DADT policy, active-duty soldiers may now be eligible to have their honorable discharges improved.

Veterans who believe they were dismissed primarily for their sexual orientation can file a request to the Board for Correction of Military Records (BCMR) with supporting documentation in order to have their discharge improved. The BCMR will examine the request and decide if an upgrade to honorable is necessary and whether the discharge was justified.

It is worth noting that even with an upgraded discharge, LGBTQ+ veterans may still experience negative effects on their post-military careers, such as difficulty accessing certain benefits or discrimination in hiring. 

However, an honorable discharge is an important step toward recognition and justice for the discrimination LGBTQ+ service members face. 

Do you agree that LGBTQ+ service members still have to go through a lot of discrimination, primarily because of their sexual orientation? 

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