Today is
Memorial Day here in the US.
Last night,
I listened to a radio program in which the host brought up a little-discussed
point: When “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was
in effect, many LGBT members of the Armed Forces received “other than
honorable” discharges. According to this
host, there are estimated to be about 50,000 such former service members here
in New York City alone.
As some of
you know, getting an other-than-honorable discharge has all sorts of
consequences. It can prevent you from
getting certain jobs. Worse yet, it can
prevent you from getting certain services you might need from the Armed Forces
as well as city, state and the Federal government. And, although nobody has an exact number,
nobody doubts that at least some of those veterans are homeless as well as
jobless as a result of their discharges.
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