Massachusetts has initiated a new statewide review board to assist Bay State veterans discharged from the US military under its former “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that targeted LGBTQ+ service members. The board is tasked with helping them become eligible for state-based benefits, according to MassLive.com.
Reports MassLive:
Gov. Maura Healey on Wednesday swore in the five members of a new statewide review board charged with assisting Massachusetts veterans who were discharged under the U.S. military’s former “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
The Veterans Equality Review Board has been tasked with providing an application process for Bay State veterans who received an “other than honorable discharge,” under the former policy, which targeted LGBTQ+ service members, and recommend their eligibility for state-based benefits.
In a statement, Healey said the panel’s creation represented a “historic milestone for Massachusetts veterans, service members, and their families,” because it emphasizes the state’s “commitment to righting the wrongs of the past and supporting LGBTQ+ veterans who have served our nation with pride and honor.”
Read the complete MassLive.com story here.
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