February 6, 2011

Now that Congress has approved repeal of the ban on gay men and lesbians serving openly in the armed forces, a Wisconsin congresswoman is urging the Defense Department to reconsider the less-than-honorable discharges issued to some soldiers under the policy.

In a letter to Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Representative Gwen Moore, a Democrat, said veterans who had received “other than honorable” discharges because they are gay were being unfairly barred from access to medical care and other military benefits.

“Even after we have ceremoniously repealed ‘don’t’ ask, don’t tell,’ we know there are still consequences,” Ms. Moore said in a statement to The Caucus. “For some gays and lesbians, the policy might as well have been – don’t ask, don’t tell, don’t provide veterans the benefits they earned.”