The Pentagon on Monday reached a legal settlement with more than 35,000 LGBTQ veterans for failing to grant them honorable discharges after they were barred from serving because of their sexual orientation, reported CBS News.
The settlement must still receive approval from a federal judge.
The Department of Defense in June asked to dismiss the lawsuit, claiming the proposed class action could not move forward because the five veterans who filed it in 2023 had not first requested changes to their discharge paperwork through a process established by the agency.
A Pentagon policy known as "Don't ask, don't tell" that was adopted in 1993 during the administration of Democratic former President Bill Clinton, barred openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual people from military service and allowed for the "other than honorable" discharge of LGBTQ people who revealed their sexual orientation.
About 14,000 people were discharged from the military under the policy, which was repealed in 2011. More than 20,000 others had been discharged since 1980 because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation, according to the lawsuit.
"When I was discharged because of my sexual orientation, I felt that my country was telling me that my service was not valuable — that I was 'less than' because of who I loved," Sherrill Farrell, a U.S. Navy veteran who was a plaintiff in the case, told CBS News.
"Today, I am once again proud to have served my country by standing up for veterans like myself, and ensuring our honor is recognized."
Information from Reuters was used in this report.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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