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Sailor Discharged Because of DADT Returns to Active Duty
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Sailor Discharged Because of DADT Returns to Active Duty
Sailor Discharged Because of DADT Returns to Active Duty
A sailor who was discharged from the Navy under the military's former ban on gays openly serving in the military was sworn back into the ranks on Monday.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Jase Daniels, 29, will return to active duty as a linguist, according to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. Daniels wet to Hebrew linguist training, and, after coming to terms with his own sexuality, came out to his commander in 2005, leading this his dismissal. He was asked to return to the military to serve in Kuwait in 2006, but was discharged again a year later under "don't ask, don't tell."
Last year, Daniels joined Almy v. United States, a lawsuit against the government headed up by SLDN and Morrison & Foerster (Daniels was named in the suit as Jason Knight). The suit challenged the constitutionality of the plaintiffs' discharges and requested to be reinstated to active duty. Decisions for the two other plaintiffs, former Air Force Major Mike Almy and former Air Force Staff Sergeant Anthony Loverde, are expected soon, according to SLDN.
"Today, I took an oath and affirmed to defend the Constitution of the United States of America," Daniels said in a statement Monday. "I am humbled as I am reinstated to the job I love and by the enormous support I have received on this momentous day. I look forward to returning to the Defense Language Institute and ultimately, my career in the military."