Upgrading discharge characterizations
The discharge characterization for Veterans discharged under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) or previous policy should accurately reflect the character of their service. This is not always the case.
Service members who were discharged under DADT generally received an Honorable or General Under Honorable Conditions discharge based on their service records. However, a service member discharged for a “Homosexual Act” that involved a so-called “aggravating factor” might have been given an Other Than Honorable (OTH) discharge characterization. Most of the factors on the list (such as acts involving minors, prostitutes or coercion) constituted unacceptable behavior and should have resulted in an OTH. But there were two “aggravating factors” that did not inherently constitute misconduct and that should not necessarily have resulted in OTH discharges. These were acts committed openly in public view (e.g., holding hands at a restaurant) and acts committed on base or on post (e.g., a quick hug while being dropped off).
In addition, the Navy and Marine Corps gave those discharged for “marriage” or “attempted marriage” an OTH, while in the Army and the Air Force, members discharged for same conduct received Honorable or General Under Honorable Conditions discharges, based on their service record.
Service members discharged under the pre-DADT policy were very likely to receive discharges that were less than Honorable. Less than Honorable discharge characterizations can have lifelong consequences, such as limiting the Veteran’s access to the GI Bill or Veterans Administration healthcare. Former service members who received a less than Honorable discharge characterization that is not reflective of their service are eligible to apply to have that discharge upgraded to mirror their service.
All branches of the military consider Veteran to have a strong case for a discharge upgrade if they can show their discharge was connected to sexual orientation, or mental health conditions, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); traumatic brain injury (TBI); or sexual assault or harassment during military service.
LGBT Veteran Care Coordinator (VCC) Program
The LGBT Veteran Care Coordinator is a clinician who assists LGBT Veterans in navigating through the VA healthcare system, provides community resources, and facilitates LGBT Veteran programs. The LGBT VCC also serves as a point of contact, source of information, advocate, and problem-solver for LGBT Veteran-related healthcare issues at Truman VA and associated CBOCs.
The Truman VA LGBT Veteran Care Coordinator is Beth Hager-Harrison-Prado, LCSW; she can be reached at 573-814-6000, ext. 53493; by email at m.e.hagerharrisonprado@va.gov; or via secure messaging in My HealtheVet (for Veterans).
Concerns and/or Complaints
If you feel you are not being provided with compassionate care at Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, we encourage you to make your concerns known to your healthcare provider and/or the Patient Advocate.
If you have any questions or concerns that are not about a specific Service Line, please contact the EEO Manager, at 573-814-6316, or Beth Hager-Harrison-Prado, LCSW, LGBT Veteran Care Coordinator/EEOC LGBT Program Manager, at 573-814-6000, ext. 53493.
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December 01, 2021 at 04:57AM
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LGBTQ+ Information | VA Columbia Missouri Health Care - Veterans Affairs
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