First LGBT+ veterans presented with Etherton Ribbons refuse to wear them yet
Veterans affected by the ban on LGBT+ personnel serving in the Armed Forces have been presented with new ribbons - but have refused to wear them for now.
The Etherton Ribbons, handed out by Defence Secretary John Healey and Veterans Minister Al Carns, are named after Lord Etherton – who reviewed the experiences of those impacted by the ban.
Three veterans who saw their military careers affected by the ban on LGBT+ personnel between 1967 and 2000 received their badges from Mr Healey.
Royal Navy sailor Emma Riley, British Army soldier Stephen Close and former RAF serviceman Carl Austin-Behan OBE received the pin badge to symbolise the injustice and abhorrent treatment faced.
All three told BFBS Forces News they won't be worn until further restitution to former personnel is made by the Government.
Mr Austin-Behan told BFBS Forces News he felt he had been listened to by Mr Healey and Mr Carns, and receiving the medal "was a really poignant moment", but he would not be wearing it.
"I welcome the ribbon that we've been given and the badge," he said.
"And it's beautiful and it's very meaningful.
"But unfortunately, at this moment in time, I don't feel I'll be wearing the badge or the ribbon until justice is done for all.
"And in the fact of making sure that those people that need financial support are looked after for the way that they've been treated."
Mr Austin-Behan pointed out that the Government had put a £50m cap on the compensation paid out to those affected by the LGBT+ ban.
"I don't know how you can put a cap on something until you know how many people you're going to be dealing with," Mr Austin Behan said.
He said that "in the MOD's official audit… it could be up to 4,000 people".
"That works out at £12,500 per person in compensation, which I feel is inadequate for what people have gone through and what people are still suffering with many years on since the ban was lifted," he said.
The RAF veteran said being given the badges was a "real test in where we are with the recommendations", and once they were all implemented he would wear the ribbon.
The presentation of the ribbons comes a year after the final report of Lord Etherton's review into the experiences of those impacted by the ban on homosexuality in the Armed Forces.
The Ministry of Defence said the distribution of the ribbons was "another historic step to right past wrongs".
The previous prime minister, Rishi Sunak, issued an apology last year to all those affected by the ban.
"We had a lot of MPs that understood the injustice that had been done," he said.
Mr Austin-Behan said with more than 260 new MPs in Government, they needed to hear what LGBT+ veterans had had to face.
"We need to educate and also to explain what we've been through," he said.
"There's a bit of work that needs to go there, not just from Parliament itself, but also from the LGBT veterans charities and Fighting With Pride to do a bit of education work with ministers and to let them understand."
The Government has completed 32 of the 49 recommendations from Lord Etherton's review.
And work is continuing at pace, according to the MOD, to fulfil all the recommendations remaining – including financial redress.
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