Lawmakers want oversight of Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" discharge review
CBSN
A group of Democratic lawmakers wants to know more about steps the Pentagon is taking to restore military honor and benefits to LGBTQ+ veterans who were dismissed because of their sexual orientation, asking for oversight of the process in a new letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
Last September, the Pentagon announced it would begin "proactively" reviewing the discharges of LGBTQ+ veterans who were kicked out of the military before 2010, when the policy that banned gays and lesbians from serving openly, known as "don't ask, don't tell," was repealed. This means that these veterans would not have to apply for the upgrade themselves, a process that both veterans and experts say is often unsuccessful without the help of a lawyer.
The Pentagon's announcement came after a year-long CBS News investigation that revealed thousands of LGBTQ+ veterans were still carrying less-than-honorable discharges and were deprived of their full veterans' benefits including VA loan programs, college tuition assistance, health care and some jobs.
