Numerous deceased LGBTQ+ military personnel in the United States are granted posthumous recognitions.
The U.S. military previously had a resistant attitude towards accepting LGBTQ personnel, leading to dishonorable discharges for those who openly discussed their sexuality. This was enforced under the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy. However, these former soldiers are now being retroactively awarded honorable discharges.
Washington's Department of Defense revealed that it has upgraded the service records of over 800 military personnel, officially acknowledging their contribution to the U.S. military despite their sexual orientation. This move is intended to rectify the past discrimination against LGBTQ soldiers.
The U.S. military prohibited homosexual activity until 1993. Afterwards, President Clinton introduced the "Don't ask, don't tell" (DADT) policy, permitting LGBTQ soldiers to serve as long as they did not disclose their sexual orientation. This policy was eventually replaced in 2011, allowing all LGBTQ soldiers to serve freely. In 2021, U.S. President Biden announced plans to grant pardons to soldiers convicted under repealed military policies.
The "Don't ask, don't tell" policy led to the dismissal of numerous soldiers before they could receive honorable discharges. This meant they missed out on military advantages such as educational assistance, and it might have negatively affected their prospects of employment or loan applications. In response to this, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered a comprehensive review of cases involving soldiers who may have been impacted by this policy.
The Pentagon projects that a total of around 13,500 soldiers were let go from the military due to the "Don't ask, don't tell" rule. After the review, more than 800 soldiers have been reclassified and found to have been honorably discharged, representing 96% of the affected service members.
The introduction of the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy by President Clinton allowed the U.S. military to maintain LGBTQ soldiers, but under the condition of secrecy about their sexual orientation. The U.S. military, under the leadership of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, later conducted a review to address the impact of this policy, leading to the reclassification and granting of honorable discharges to numerous former soldiers who were previously dismissed due to their sexual orientation.
