VICTORY! Judge Orders Air Force to Reinstate Maj. Margaret Witt

[Telstra]

reinstate is not a victory.

Big payout for the hardship is.

 

[Kulindahr]

reinstate is not a victory.

Big payout for the hardship is.

Or at least lost income plus interest and penalties, as well as any medical or counseling expenses related to the unjust discharge.

 

[archive]

You were supposed to do this:

oh i did lol....but just decided to be an ass also

 

[White Eagle]

Or at least lost income plus interest and penalties, as well as any medical or counseling expenses related to the unjust discharge.

Interesting. Any reports of her getting back pay for the time she was discharged?

 

[Kulindahr]

Interesting. Any reports of her getting back pay for the time she was discharged?

Not that I've seen, but it would be sensible.

 

[White Eagle]

You would think, but do you want to bet on it?

 

[construct]

although DADT could have been lifted by a presidential order,

It really couldn't. DADT is statutory. It can't be lifted by executive order. It can only be repealed by act of Congress or be ruled unconstitutional by a court.

 

[Kulindahr]

You would think, but do you want to bet on it?

I don't even bet on having lunch three days from now.

 

[White Eagle]

Update! Update! Update! Update! Update!
Breaking news.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39637073/ns/us_news-life/

Judge orders military to stop discharging gays
Landmark ruling says government's 'don't ask, don't tell' policy must end

NBC News and news services
updated 2 hours 9 minutes ago 2010-10-12T19:45:28

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — A federal judge Tuesday ordered the government to immediately stop discharges of gay service members under the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips found the policy unconstitutional in September. On Tuesday, she rejected an Obama administration request to delay an injunction and ordered enforcement of the policy permanently stopped.

The Justice Department has 60 days to appeal. Legal experts say the government is under no legal obligation to do so and they could let Phillips' ruling stand.

In her Sept. 10 ruling, Phillips said the ban violates the First Amendment rights of gays and lesbians. "Don't ask, don't tell" prohibits the military from asking about the sexual orientation of service members but requires discharge of those who acknowledge being gay or are discovered engaging in homosexual activity, even in the privacy of their own homes off base.

Things are getting serious. Thank God!!!!!

 

[Kulindahr]

Get ready for the cries of "legislating from the bench!"

<sigh>

 

[Yuki Sohma]

Here in the local area the story is getting front page coverage with photos & all. A sidenote to the entire story but not having any bearing on the facts at hand is that the Major's base of assignment the former "McChord Air Force Base" now partially falls under the Command of the United States Army's I Corp (First Corp) Headquartered out of the former Fort Lewis & has been renamed/redesignated as "McChord Field." Fort Lewis & McChord together are now known as Joint Base Lewis-McChord to reflect the Change of Command Structure.

So now portions of "McChord Field's" Command Structure has changed from an Air Force Colonel's Command to an Army Lieutenant General's (3 Stars) Command. I MUST RENOTE THAT THIS IS JUST TRIVIA HAVING NO BEARING ON THE MATTER.

I Corp has just recently returned from a year-long deployment to Iraq with another I Corp Division having just returned from a year-long Afghanistan deployment. A dear friend of mine lost his life in Afghanistan while assigned to the Division. He & his dear wife had just had a baby prior to his leaving for Afghanistan. He was truly an Officer and a Gentleman & I miss him. Right before he left we sat in my living room just chatting away. I gave him a couple books on Russia because he had lived in Russia for a few years.

As another sidenote the hero of Desert Shield/Desert Storm (our first fight with Iraq) General Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. Commanded I Corp from 1986-1987.

I apologize if this has already been identified in this thread but the Major is an Air Force Reservist (meaning not assigned to Active Duty) but that too has no bearing on the facts (just puts stuff in perspective for some of us military purists).

I send my congratulations to Major Witt. Way to go!!

 

[bike10]

"So Let it be Written So Let it be Done"

 

[Kulindahr]

"So Let it be Written So Let it be Done"

Is there a pharaoh in the house?

 

[poolerboy]

Get ready for the cries of "legislating from the bench!"

<sigh>

Someone in the comments section of a Yahoo! News article on the DADT injunction went so far as to say this is a problem of too much government. So the problem is that there is too much government in our government run and operated military.

 

[Kulindahr]

Someone in the comments section of a Yahoo! News article on the DADT injunction went so far as to say this is a problem of too much government. So the problem is that there is too much government in our government run and operated military.

Priceless!

 

[xScottyJx]

So they reinstated the Major when they investigated, and found she was useful? Indispensable even?

Great. So, easy solution, let's just round up all the gay service members (we know who we are) and investigate to see if we are useful, or if we are just being too fabulous to care about defending our country (AKA doing our job). Each is judged on the merits of their character, as all should be.