Restoring Dignity: Honoring Service, Righting Wrongs

Later this year will mark 14 years since the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) — a policy that forced lesbian, gay and bisexual service members to choose between serving their country and living openly. For nearly two decades, DADT institutionalized silence and shame, stripping thousands of courageous individuals of their military careers, their benefits and their dignity.

Among them was Anthony Woods, a West Point graduate, Bronze Star recipient, and exemplary soldier who was discharged under DADT despite two combat deployments to Iraq. Years later, he brought that experience and purpose to his role as Maryland’s secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families, as he championed support for all who serve —including military families on the homefront. He served with distinction until recently stepping down, and I’m deeply grateful for his leadership and the lasting impact he’s made on our state.

But the injustices of our military discharge system did not end with DADT. For decades, service members struggling with the invisible wounds of war — post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI) and military sexual trauma (MST) — were often punished rather than supported. Instead of receiving treatment and compassion, many were discharged under less-than-honorable conditions that carried lasting consequences: denial of health care, housing assistance, GI Bill education benefits, and more.

PTSD and TBI are not signs of weakness; they are service-connected injuries that can profoundly affect cognition, behavior and emotional well-being. Military sexual trauma, which affects both women and men in uniform, leaves survivors grappling not only with the trauma itself, but too often with disbelief or retaliation when they come forward. For too long, these experiences were used as grounds for discharges that left veterans without the resources or recognition they deserved.

While the federal Department of Veterans Affairs has taken important steps to allow for discharge upgrades in these cases, Maryland’s process had not fully caught up. That’s why I was proud to sponsor and pass Senate Bill 491 (cross-filed by Delegate Nick Allen, himself a West Point graduate) during the 2025 legislative session. Maryland already allowed veterans discharged due to their sexual orientation or gender identity to request reconsideration of their eligibility for state benefits. Senate Bill 491 expands that opportunity to include discharges connected to PTSD, TBI, MST and other now-recognized injustices.

This bill brings Maryland in line with federal policy, but more importantly, it helps ensure that every veteran has a fair shot at the support and respect they’ve earned. Senate Bill 491 is about righting past wrongs and affirming a simple truth: that those who serve our country with courage and sacrifice should be met with dignity, not discrimination.

As we celebrate Pride Month and reflect on how far we’ve come, let us also recommit ourselves to the work ahead — especially at a time when hard-won protections and values are once again being tested at the national level. Those who step forward to serve should never be left behind.