The Pentagon on Wednesday announced it would extend federal benefits to same-sex spouses of military personnel and civilian defense employees, following up on a Supreme Court decision that overturned a key portion of the Defense of Marriage Act.
The benefits will be available to all legally married spouses regardless of sexual orientation beginning no later than Sept. 3, according to a Defense Department announcement.
“The Department of Defense remains committed to ensuring that all men and women who serve in the U.S. military, and their families, are treated fairly and equally as the law directs,” the announcement said.
The Pentagon also said it would allow leave for couples who are not stationed in jurisdictions that recognize same-sex marriage – including 13 states and the District of Columbia – so they can travel elsewhere to be married.
Same-sex spouses will be eligible for entitlements such as military health benefits and housing allowances on a retroactive basis if they were legally married before the June 26 Supreme Court decision, according to the announcement. Entitlements will begin at the date of marriage for those who wed after the ruling.
I am constantly amazed at how fast the LGBT community is gaining acceptance, and how quickly their homophobic detractors are being shut down.
Have I told all of you how awesome it is to be living during this time in America?
It took way too long to get the ball rolling, but it's picking up speed and won't be stopped!
ReplyDeleteIf the military, steeped in its male-dominated traditions and perspectives, can make such progress, there's hope for the rest of the country too.
O I don't know about that. There are still people in this country that think palin would make a good president.
DeleteBravo!
ReplyDeleteQue the Right's Twitter and Facebook outrage against government waste of their tax dollars against their values. Holder, Hillary, Benghazi!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLoved hearing this! And, we are on a roll where it will be so across our nation! To my gay friends, congratulations!
ReplyDeleteIf anyone hasn't seen Colbert:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/15/colbert-out-mayor-johnny-cummings_n_3761237.html
Thanks for posting, Anon 10:36!
DeleteThat was the best segment of The Colbert Report that I have ever seen. Mayor Johnny seemed so genuinely proud of his community, as well he should be.
You probably missed it while camping, G. You really should watch the video included here by anonymous.
You're welcome, CC! Good stuff.
DeleteThank You!!!
DeleteThat was excellent, especially the ending.
I was surprised by how little fanfare there was when other Federal agencies made the same change more than a month ago.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Gryphen, about it being an awesome time to live in America. I sometimes wonder, however, how much we could have accomplished if the questions in our past - such as women's suffrage, equal rights for African/Americans and LGBT equality, not to mention any others that will be popping up, some of which are actually continuations of those listed - had never been questions at all.
ReplyDeleteHow far along the path of advancement as a species would we be if those questions had never been questions? If any and ALL people had been accepted from the git-go as equal?
That's the world I would like to live in.
Wasn't it Newt who called President Obama the 'food stamp president'? Whoever said it, especially Simple Sarah, they really ought to know THIS.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151771733974255&set=a.416444264254.190398.43179984254&type=1
I guess we won't be seeing any more Military Appreciation Days at the ABT. Right Pervo?
ReplyDeleteAnd then this is grounds for making all civil unions into marriages - otherwise they are discriminatory.
ReplyDeleteTake a look. His name is Hakim, and he's a Scorpio:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.businessinsider.com/navy-terrorist-dating-commerical-2013-8