Getting Discharged

Getting discharged under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) can range anywhere from swift and non-eventful to drawn-out and seriously traumatic. The experience of each servicemember who is discharged under DADT depends not only on that servicemember’s personal circumstances, but also on the unit in which he or she serves and the knowledge and professionalism of the command. While there is no typical discharge experience, per se, there nevertheless are numerous commonalities among experiences. Seeking information, advice, and, if needed, legal assistance can be a significant help and comfort during the process of being outed, investigated, and/or discharged under DADT.

Servicemembers often want to begin by simply reaching out to someone who has “been there” before and who knows what they’re going through. Servicemembers United has established a very effective initiative called the Troop-to-Vet Connection Network to put active duty troops who are worried about DADT in touch with recent veterans who have been through similar experiences, up to and including discharge.

For those in need of legal advice and assistance related to investigation or discharge, Servicemembers United encourages active duty troops to contact a staff attorney at Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a free legal aid organization, by calling 202-328-3244 (extension 100) or by emailing legal@sldn.org.