Story of Justice: Peter*

Peter is an 80-year-old Florida native and United States Marine Corps veteran.  He enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 17 and never looked back. Tragically, the military discovered that Peter was engaged in a same sex relationship and sought to court martial him for “having engaged in homosexual acts.” In lieu of a court martial, Peter agreed to accept a discharge under “Other than Honorable Conditions.” This discharge deprived him of important veteran’s benefits including limited income, healthcare, and housing services. Peter was referred to Coast to Coast through the United Way/Mission United Supportive Services grant for homeless veterans. The CCLA SSVF attorney successfully filed for a discharge upgrade. With the upgraded discharge, Peter is now eligible for healthcare from the VA, a VA home loan, assistance with housing and other VA benefits.

*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of our clients.