Senator Anna M. Caballero Issues Statement as Author of SJR 6, a Resolution to Remedy ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ Policies that Harmed LGBTQ+ Military Personnel and President Biden’s Announcement to Pardon Thousands of Gay Military Veterans
Thursday June 27, 2024
For Immediate Release
Contact: Elisa Rivera
Elisa.Rivera@sen.ca.gov (559) 264-3070
Senator Anna M. Caballero Issues Statement as Author of SJR 6, a Resolution to Remedy ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ Policies that Harmed LGBTQ+ Military Personnel and President Biden’s Announcement to Pardon Thousands of Gay Military Veterans
Sacramento: Senator Anna M. Caballero (D-Merced), released the following statement today following her committee presentation on SJR 6, an important bill to denounce the historic discrimination against LGBTQ+ military personnel created under the U.S. Military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy. SJR 6 passed the Assembly Military and Veterans Affairs Committee this week and heads to the Assembly floor for a vote.
“SJR 6 calls upon the United States Congress and President to create an effective remedy to address the “other than honorable” and “dishonorable” discharges issued under the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy that negatively impacted LGBTQ+ members of the military and to restore the benefits they are entitled to. Under the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, if a member of the military identified as a member of the LGBTQ community, it could lead to a “dishonorable” or an “other than honorable” discharge.
Members of the military that received these discharges lost access to their military benefits such as health care, college tuition assistance, employment opportunities and retirement benefits.
Between 1994 and 2011, the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy under the Department of Defense led to the discharge of more than 14,000 service members.
Additionally, prior to the Don’t ask Don’t Tell policy, the United States Department of Defense established policies that penalized military members and resulted in the discharge of gay, lesbian, and bisexual members irrespective of service to the country and good military standing. During the 1980s, more than 17,000 military members were dismissed from their duties due to their sexual orientation.
President Obama repealed the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy in 2010, which allowed members to serve openly without fear of discharge and created a process for discharged members to amend their status through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The review process to grant benefits to a member wrongfully discharged is on a case-by-case basis. Veterans require an advocate to gather and submit documentation for the VA’s review, including service records, incident details, supporting evidence and performance evaluations. The current process to upgrade the status of discharged veterans is unnecessarily burdensome, adding complexity to an already strained relationship; forcing veterans to revisit a difficult time in their life can create an emotional barrier for many.
In many cases, reengaging with the Department that discriminated against them could worsen trauma and amplify feelings of shame, anxiety, and anger.
SJR 6 urges the President and Congress to establish a straightforward process, provide legal aid and rectify the wrongful discharge or misclassification, ensuring they receive the benefits which they are entitled due to their honorable service in the military.
I applaud President Biden, who just this week announced that he would use his clemency authority to grant a pardon to thousands of service members convicted under the Uniform Code of Military Justice’s former Article 125. I agree with the President who said that we have a sacred obligation to all of our service members, including our brave LGBTQ+ service members and we must right this historic wrong.
We must ensure that our service members receive the benefits that they are entitled to and that their records be rectified so that they can live their lives free from shame.”
June 3, 2024 (Senate Floor)
(Senator Caballero) SJR 6 – ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’: Discharge Characterizations
June 25, 2024 (Assembly Military and Veterans Affairs Committee)
(Senator Caballero) SJR 6 – ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’: Discharge Characterizations
June 25, 2024 (Assembly Military and Veterans Affairs Committee)
April 22, 2024 (Senate Military and Veterans Affairs Committee)
April 22, 2024 (Senate Military and Veterans Affairs Committee)
Jonathan Willet, U.S. Air Force Veteran, Testifies in Support of SJR 6.
Senator Anna M. Caballero represents the 14th Senate District, composed of majority portions of Merced, Fresno and Madera Counties.
* Senator Anna M. Caballero serves as the Interim Representative for the Salinas Valley and San Benito County until 2024 when a newly elected Senator will assume the district
###
