Opening Segment
The Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy which lifted a ban on homosexuals in the U.S military, but made them keep their sexualities a secret, leading to mental health issues.
Context
This policy was established on October 1st, 1993 by former president, Bill Clinton. Roughly 80,000 members were discharged due to the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (or DADT) policy. Additionally, multiple members of the military were discriminated if they were openly admitting to being part of the LGB community. On September 20, 2011 the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy was lifted, by former president Barack Obama. Even though DADT was repealed, the aftermath is left. People who tries to join the army, were rejected and it ruined hopes and dreams of many people who were dedicated to invest time to serve our country.
Task
The Department of Defense will use websites and social media in order to spread awareness about the DADT policy and the effects it had on former homosexual veterans. By doing so we hope to encourage members that were discharged to apply for an upgrade to honorable status, although it may be a long and difficult process. The appeal for the discharge upgrade can take over a year; the veterans must provide evidence for their sexual orientation, must produce documentation from their service which may be decades old, and often need a lawyer to get through the process.
Discussion
Discrimination against any LGBTQ+ member is at an all-time high. Members are still being treated differently and not given same advantages as heterosexual military members. This means that members of LGBTQ+ should receive extra benefits for all the emotional/mental strain they go through to serve our country.
- Around 4,000 more people would have been retained per year If the DADT policy would not have been passed.
- The US and Turkey were the only NATO members that did not allow gays and lesbians to openly serve in the military at that time (around 2010).
- “Since its establishment in 1994, the ‘Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell’ policy has cost the military between $290 million to more than a half a billion dollars. The military spends an estimated $22,000 to $43,000 per person to replace those discharged under DADT”
Closing Segment
Motivating or encouraging others to support more rights for members of the LGBTQ+ community that are part of the U.S. army can really help out those who were scarred by the DADT policy.
