Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated, "After a year of exceptional work, the Military Department Review Boards directed relief in 96.8% of the 851 cases that they proactively reviewed," emphasizing the significant impact of the review process on the lives of former service members discharged under DADT.
President Biden remarked that the Department of Defense is "righting a historic wrong" by upgrading the discharges of military members previously separated under the discriminatory Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy.
DADT, enacted in the 1990s, prohibited gay and bisexual individuals from openly serving in the military, forcing many to conceal their identity to avoid discharge.
An estimated 14,000 service members were separated under DADT with less-than-honorable discharges, limiting their access to important benefits from Veterans Affairs, which include crucial assistance with home loans, tuition, and health care.
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