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For the past 18 years, the U.S. military enforced the "Don’t Ask, Don't Tell" policy, which prohibited openly gay individuals from serving. However, it also prohibited discrimination, harassment, or outing of those serving in silence. With the policy repealed and the military now open to gay service members, can those discharged under the former rules return to service?
The answer is yes, they can try, but there’s no guarantee. Around 14,000 service members discharged due to their sexual orientation aren’t getting automatic reinstatement. They’ll need to apply just like any civilian and meet the same entry requirements. Physical fitness tests, just like the ones they passed the first time, are mandatory, and they will be evaluated based on the same criteria as everyone else seeking to join the military, according to the Pentagon.
To successfully rejoin, they’ll need to prove they meet the military’s current needs and possess the relevant skills and qualifications that the armed forces are looking for now.
At first glance, this stance might seem unfair. These individuals were discharged due to a discriminatory policy—shouldn’t they be allowed to reclaim what they had earned, including their position and rank? However, considering the rigorous mental, physical, and emotional demands of military service, offering blanket reinstatement may not be the most practical solution. As Alexander Nicholson, the executive director of Servicemembers United, the largest organization of LGBT troops and veterans in the U.S., pointed out to the New York Times, 'You have to think long and hard from a policy perspective whether you want to put somebody who’s been out 5 or 10 years back into the same billet just because an injustice was done.'
