A FALKLANDS veteran who claims he was forced out the Royal Navy for being bisexual is suing the MoD to get his medal back.
Joe Ousalice, 68, served for almost 18 years but was sacked after a court martial found him guilty of being in bed with another sailor.
At the time there was a ban on gay people serving in the Armed Forces.
He said: “I’m disgusted at the way I have been treated and I just want my medal back.”
The former radio operator is demanding the return of his cherished Long Service and Good Conduct Medal – stripped after his dismissal.
His lawyers, from human rights outfit Liberty, say he was discharged “entirely because of his sexuality”.
Ousalice, from Southampton, was court-martialled in 1993 and found guilty of being in bed with his comrade – which was against strict rules at the time.
MEDAL HACKED FROM HIS CHEST
His behaviour was found to be prejudicial to good order and naval discipline according to now binned rules.
The proud veteran has always denied the charge, instead insisting he was forced to reveal his bisexuality at the hearing and was discharged because he might “corrupt” others.
The judgment abruptly ended his naval career, during which he served in the Falklands, Northern Ireland and the Middle East.
He told how another sailor hacked the medal from his chest with a pair of scissors.
The Navy also confiscated three Good Conduct badges at the time of his dismissal.
He is now taking the MoD to court to have them returned.
Gay people were not allowed to serve in the military until a rule change in 2000.
Revealing the landmark court case, Ousalice, said he lived a “double life” while he was in the Navy, and was careful not to associate with other sailors whom he knew were gay.
He told the BBC: “I was watching every day what I was saying, what I was doing.
“After the court martial was completed, a guy came in with a pair of scissors and said ‘Sorry, mate, I need your medal’, and just cut the medal off me.
My previous 18 years had just been washed down the pan, basically, I felt very isolated, lonely and I had nowhere to turn
“The fact that I had been to the Middle East, to the Falklands, to Northern Ireland six times means a lot to me and that medal is proof to me that I was good enough for all those years, and yet somebody can just come and take it from you.”
He added: “My previous 18 years had just been washed down the pan, basically, I felt very isolated, lonely and I had nowhere to turn.”
Despite trying to conceal his sexuality, Ousalice, says he feared Navy cops were monitoring his behaviour throughout his career.
While ashore in 1992, he was arrested by civilian police and charged with gross indecency with another man.
He pleaded not guilty but was convicted. He lost an appeal but his sentence was reduced to a conditional discharge.
'HE MAY ATTEMPT TO CORRUPT OTHERS'
Soon afterwards he was accused by the Navy of indecently assaulting another sailor.
He said: “It wasn’t true. The navy had interviewed me several times about my sexuality and they could never get shut of me.”
At a court martial he was cleared of the assault charge but was found guilty of being in bed with the other sailor – something he has always denied.
An officer wrote: “He may attempt to corrupt others in the future”, adding that “the needs of the service must come first”.
He was allowed to keep his medals from the Falklands and Northern Ireland.
The nightmare left him unemployed and penniless. An MoD spokesman said it would be “inappropriate” to comment as legal proceedings are ongoing.
He added: “We are currently looking at how personnel discharged from service because of their sexuality, or now abolished sexual offences, can have their medals returned.”
Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt held an emergency summit with officials to discuss the issue today.
Insiders said she was determined to find a solution.
An MoD spokesperson said: “We are urgently looking at how personnel discharged from service because of their sexuality, or now abolished sexual offences, can have their medals returned.
"The Defence Secretary met with her departmental team today to discuss this issue.”
Human Rights organisation Liberty wants other medals that were confiscated from military personnel because of their sexuality to be returned to them.
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