Gay Troops Ousted Under 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' to Get Back Pay
- Religion Today
- Published Jan 10, 2013
![Gay Troops Ousted Under 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' to Get Back Pay](https://i.swncdn.com/media/700w/crosswalk/resource/areas/crosswalk/resources/images/defaultimages/article-large-landscape.png)
The federal government has agreed to pay $2.4 million to dozens of gay troops who were discharged and denied full separation pay under the pre-2011 "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, according to a new court settlement, USA TODAY reports. The class-action lawsuit was spearheaded by the American Civil Liberties Union and filed in 2010 on behalf of about 181 gay troops who were honorably discharged for violating the military's ban on gays serving openly in uniform. The government agreed to provide full back pay -- an average of about $14,000 per former service member. Service members are typically entitled to separation pay when leaving the military; for years, however, the Pentagon maintained a policy of granting only half the standard separation pay amount for troops who were honorably discharged for being open about their sexual orientation.