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Allen West “We are watching our military readiness being decimated”

via @AllenWest on Facebook“So let me get this straight (pun intended), the same folks who thought the 1% COLA was too high now want to restore veterans’ benefits to LGBT discharges?”

Written by Allen West
The same folks who voted to cut the 1 percent Cost of Living Adjustment for retirees and service-disabled retirees (because we were costing the government too much) now want to retroactively provide benefits to those previously discharged under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.

According to a report in Stars and Stripes by Matthew M. Burke, “A bill that would upgrade the service records of gay, lesbian and bisexual troops discharged due to sexual orientation and open the door to veterans’ benefits has been introduced in the Senate and referred to the Armed Services Committee for review, officials said. The Restore Honor to Service Members Act was introduced Jan. 30 by Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. The bill mirrors one introduced in the House in June by Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., and Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis.”

Should it pass, the bill would instill the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell into law. All service members who were discharged because of their sexual orientation would then receive a “timely, consistent and transparent” review, and those who served honorably would see their records upgraded. This would open the door to benefits.