Pentagon to Grant Honorary Discharges to Thousands of LGBTQ Veterans

The U.S. Department of Defense is considering granting honorable discharges to gay and bisexual veterans affected by past military policies. This move follows a settlement in a class action lawsuit addressing the constitutional rights violations of these service members. The change could enable veterans access to military benefits.

The U.S. Department of Defense may soon grant honorable discharges to over 30,000 gay and bisexual veterans who were barred from military service due to their sexual orientation, as revealed in recent legal filings. This potential shift comes as part of a proposed settlement in a class action lawsuit that claims these veterans' rights to due process and equal protection were violated, though the department refutes any wrongdoing.

The 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy, active from 1993 to 2011, prohibited openly gay and bisexual people from serving in the military and led to discharges that were 'other than honorable' for those who disclosed their sexual orientation. Under the terms of the settlement, filed in San Francisco federal court, the Defense Department plans to establish a new, streamlined process allowing veterans to have their discharge status revised to honorable and their orientation information scrubbed from their military records.

Chelsea Corey, an attorney with Haynes Boone involved in the case, highlighted that such discharges signified intentional discrimination, barring affected veterans from receiving healthcare, educational aid, and other benefits. The settlement, which awaits approval from U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph Spero, could open doors to long-denied benefits for many veterans. As of yet, the Defense Department has not issued a statement on the matter.

(With inputs from agencies.)