PARENTHOOD AND THE MILITARY
Stacy (not her real name) called in distress. She has been having serious, sometimes incapacitating, health issues and her husband’s command was bullying him to sign papers saying who would care for their kids in the event of deployment. The command said he couldn’t…
Entry Level Expanded
Sometimes we get calls from military members who, after several years in, are hoping to be discharged for “failure to adapt.” Previously we would explain that by itself, failure to adapt was only a basis for discharge during the first six months of active duty. Now failure to…
Military Myths
Servicemember is told by a military medical provider: "We would send you to the medical board for disability consideration except you don’t have enough time left on your contract." Fact: The Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) can begin at any point in a persons…
New 988 phone number to assist people in mental health crisis
Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis now has an easier way to get help. By dialing or texting 988, people can gain immediate access to a trained mental health crisis counselor and, if necessary, a crisis mobile response team.
Military Members Face Impact of US Supreme Court Decision on Abortion
The recent Supreme Court decision on abortion creates inequalities that include service members' access to abortion...
VA Benefits for LGBTQ+ Veterans
On September 20th, 2021, the tenth anniversary of the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, VA assistant secretary for public affairs, Kayla Williams delivered a statement regarding benefits eligibility for LGBTQ+ Veterans who where discharged under the Don't Ask…
Pentagon to Mandate COVID 19 Vaccine for Military Members
Following the recent full FDA approval of the Pfizer Vaccine, Pentagon officials have said they will require all military service members to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. In a memorandum dated 24 August 21, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered branch secretaries to…
Delays Obtaining Military Records
A lot of people have contacted the GI Rights Network with frustrations about delays in obtaining military records from the National Archives (NPRC) which currently posts its status as: “The National Personnel Records Center is Closed - Except for Emergencies” …
Supreme Court and the Military Transgender Ban
There have been some questions about Monday's Supreme Court decision banning employment discrimination against LGBTQ persons and its impact on the military transgender ban. It appears that while Monday's decision does not directly overturn the ban, it gives reasoning and…
“Selective Objection” and “Conscientious Objection”
The military defines conscientious objection in terms of a religious or moral opposition to participating in war. Some people contacting the GI Rights Hotline fit in this category and we assist them in applying for discharge. Most of the these people we work with successfully…