A BRIGHTON veteran who lived in fear of being kicked out of the military because of his sexuality says the fact it has taken 22 years for a review into treatment of LGBTQ+ personnel is a “national disgrace”.

Craig Jones is co-director of Fighting With Pride, a charity which is working with the Cabinet Office's independent review which will hear the stories of military personnel who were stripped of their armed forces jobs and medals under laws that were in place until January 2000.

The former Royal Navy lieutenant commander revealed his sexuality on the day the ban was lifted because he felt a “sense of duty” to others in the military who fought against it, he welcomed the review, but said it was a “national disgrace” that it had taken so long.

The 53-year-old, who lives with his husband Adam Mason, said: “I was deputy navigator on HMS Invincible and whenever I brought that ship into port, I always looked at the jetty to see if there was any police on the jetty.

“You can imagine what a huge distraction that is from your professional job, because I was always waiting for day when the police would take me away.

“But I came out on that day because I felt a sense of duty to the remarkably courageous men and women who fought to lift the ban.

The Argus: Co-director of Fighting With Pride Craig Jones (right) with his husband Adam Mason Co-director of Fighting With Pride Craig Jones (right) with his husband Adam Mason

“They had lost everything. They’d lost their health and they’d lost their jobs and they’d lost their pensions and their peace of mind to some extent, but they still fought for justice and for my right, for my opportunity of service in the armed forces.

“I think the UK armed forces today are the best in the world for LGBT plus inclusion, but nothing has been done for those who were dismissed in disgrace, and it’s a national disgrace that nothing had been done.”

Mr Jones, who was deployed to Northern Ireland during the Troubles and Arabia during the Gulf War, said he hopes the government provides compensation for lost pensions, issues an apology and invests in support services for LGBTQ+ veterans.

Following the review, the Office for Veterans’ Affairs will work with charities - including Fighting With Pride - to improve the support offered to veterans who were impacted by the ban.

This includes many who faced criminal convictions, prison sentences and “dismissals in disgrace”.

Kevin Bazeley, from Oxfordshire, was dismissed from his role as an RAF navigator in 1995 because of his sexuality, and said the experience left an emotional “scar” on him.

He successfully took his case for compensation to the European Court of Human Rights but was paid only a “symbolic amount” in damages.

“The Royal Air Force was the only career I ever wanted to have, so to have that suddenly stripped from me without warning for something that I had no control over was just crushing, totally humiliating,” he said.

“I was met and escorted off of an aircraft and taken off to the police station and it makes you feel very small and very unwanted. That whole process of my dismissal left a scar on me.

“I’m still having counselling today for issues that my therapist and I agree dates back to that dismissal.”

Defence minister Leo Docherty said: “While the modern military embraces the LGBT community, it is important that we learn from the experiences of LGBT veterans who were affected by the pre-2000 ban,” he said.

“This review will allow the voices of veterans to be heard and importantly will help us better tailor support to the community."