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Go And Get Yours: Gay Service Members to Get Full Separation Pay

Posted by on Jan 7, 2013 in Politics | 1 comment

In case repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell wasn’t enough for LGBT members of the armed forces– and it wasn’t– y’all can go and get yours tonight now that the Pentagon agreed to give full discharge pay to service members discharged under DADT.

That’s so nice, but BRAKES! You mean not only did we discharge people for being gay, we didn’t pay them fully afterward?! Turns out gays are only worth half of their straight brothers and sisters in the military. It’s estimated that the Pentagon withheld $2.4 million from about 180 gay and lesbian veterans. That’s about 13 Grand each as the numbers currently stand; however, more than 3,000 service members could benefit from today’s ruling.

WHAT?

Have I been on an island for the past forever? Am I being Punk’d? Really, Pentagon? Am I being Punk’d? How was this not a news story before now?!

But put ‘em up for the ACLU, which, on behalf of Lead Plaintiff Richard Collins and many others, won a class action lawsuit that will entitle service members to collect full
separation pay. You can go and get yours if you meet the following criteria:

  • Discharged after Nov. 10, 2004.
  • Discharged because of sexuality.
  • Discharged involuntarily.
  • Discharged honorably.
  • Served six or more years in the military.
“This means so much to those of us who dedicated ourselves to the military, only to be forced out against our will for being who we are,” Mr. Collins said in a statement. “We gave all we had to our country, and just wanted the same dignity and respect for our service as any other veterans.”

Mr. Collins, go and get yours!

What do you think about the Pentagon finally giving full discharge pay to gay service members? Is this the natural, lengthy step to follow the repeal of DADT or is this a WTF-this-was-happening-all-along moment for you, too?

 

(Via NYT, Photo Via Gayrva)