Where the Reparations At?

To be placed over wound, STAT!

Way to go to the lame-duck senate for repealing the 17-year old discriminatory policy of DADT! The day would have been sweeter with the passage of the Dream Act; after all, queers aren't the only aliens in this nation. For all the celebrating, though, there's little talk about what the repeal means now, and what will happen for all those affected by DADT.

It seems to me that the repeal of DADT should come with a comprehensive reparations package for those discharged under DADT (regardless of whether they outed themselves or were outed by fellow service members). These women and men were potentially looking forward to being career service members, but with their discharge their lifeplan changed.

Here are five suggestions:

1. Compensatory pay from discharge date to present (taking into account possible promotions that would have been offered along the way)

2. Healthcare for life (to be extended to partners and children). Physical and mental.

3. The reinstatement of all veteran services (such as they are).

4. A place/a monument in the Pentagon and in Washington honoring the service of all discharged service members.

5. A special service medal for enduring discrimination from their own military while in the line of duty. Time to say sorry in a substantive way, America.

Any other ideas? Put them in the comments below.