The U.S. Department of Defense has announced that nearly all military members who were forcibly separated under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy have now been granted honorable discharges. The controversial policy, implemented in 1994 during President Bill Clinton’s administration, prohibited openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual individuals from serving in the military. Service members were not allowed to disclose their sexual orientation, nor could they be questioned about it.
DADT was initially introduced as a compromise to allow LGBTQ+ Americans to serve, though it still led to the discharge of many service members once their sexual orientation was discovered. Over 13,000 individuals were separated from the military under the policy, with nearly 2,000 receiving less than honorable discharges.
Advocacy groups, including Human Rights Watch, criticized DADT as a form of blatant discrimination. The policy was ultimately repealed on September 20, 2011, under President Barack Obama. Reflecting on the change, Obama stated that gay and lesbian Americans could now serve openly without hiding their identity, marking a significant shift in military inclusion.
The Defense Department reported that more than 96% of service members who were separated under DADT have now been granted an honorable discharge. These service members are also eligible for veteran benefits, including healthcare, education assistance, home loans, and military burials.
Christa Specht, director of legal policy at the Pentagon’s Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, urged those who believe their military records still contain errors or injustices to come forward and request corrections. "They have a high chance of success," Specht said, especially for those whose records date back to before DADT’s implementation.
The shift is seen as a significant step toward correcting the wrongs done to LGBTQ+ service members, many of whom faced career-ending consequences due to the policy.
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