West Midlands veteran shares impact of ‘gay ban’ as Government announces financial redress
MPs are scheduled to address the harm caused by the ‘gay ban’ in the House of Commons today
Last updated 12th Dec 2024
Veterans who endured mistreatment and stigma under the armed forces’ former ‘gay ban’ are awaiting details of a financial redress scheme today.
The ban, which remained in place until 2000, subjected LGBTQ+ veterans to brutal interrogations and dismissal.
Kevin Bazeley, from Worcester, was one of them.
Kevin served in the Royal Air Force, he joined as a Commissioned Officer in 1985 and went on to become a Navigator in the Gulf War.
After 10 years of service, Kevin was dismissed for his sexuality in 1995.
He shared his experience, saying: “All I wanted to do was fly, so I focused on being the best Navigator.
“Once I started to appreciate that I was gay, I knew that I was going to be hunted down because they could not accept me in the armed forces.
“They actively sought to out me and then dismiss me.”
After being dismissed some veterans, including Kevin, faced lifelong consequences.
This included diminished career prospects, being vilified by family and friends, and no access to military pensions.
Kevin spoke on the immediate effects of being dismissed: “When I was discharged, I immediately found myself homeless.
“I immediately lost access to support networks, resettlement training and I had no pension to fall back on.
“I not only had the humiliation of being thrown out of the Royal Air Force, and the stigma attached, but I also had an immense feeling of loss and grief for a career I had always dreamt of.”
Today, MPs are set to debate the next steps to make amends in the House of Commons.
So far, those who have been affected by the ‘gay ban’ have been offered an apology from the Government alongside the restoration of their medals.
One step that is yet to be taken is the financial redress scheme recommended by Lord Etherton's independent review into the impact of the pre-2000 ban.
The review recommends this should be capped at £50 million.
Veterans, campaigners and MPs have said this sum will not be enough to truly make up for what veterans have experienced.
Kevin said: “£50 million is woefully inadequate.
“It does not ensure that veterans will have the comfort and security that is their due.
He continued: “It could be an average as low as £12.500 per veteran which is a real insult.
“Especially on top of the abuse, mistreatment and failure of the state which led to this situation in the first place.”
The Ministry of Defence has previously said it deeply regrets how LGBT armed forces personnel were treated between 1967 and 2000 when the ban was in place.
It was "wholly unacceptable and does not reflect today's Armed Forces", the Government department said.