Pentagon Extends Some Benefits to Same-Sex Couples In Service

After review, Pentagon Extends Additional Benefits Previously Unavailable

Seventeen months ago after the military ended “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta today announced that the Defense Department would extend additional benefits to same-sex partners of service members.  Panetta said in a statement: “At the time of repeal, I committed to reviewing benefits that had not previously been available to same-sex partners based on existing law and policy.  It is a matter of fundamental equity that we provide similar benefits to all of those men and women in uniform who serve their country.”

Details about the New Benefits

Hospital visitation rights, child care, ID cards, legal assistance and disability and death compensation for soldiers held as captives are among the new benefits granted.  However, because of Federal Defense of Marriage Act that defines marriage as between a man and woman, the so-called Command-Sponsored Benefits don’t apply. Those benefits are health care, burial rights at national cemeteries such as Arlington National, housing and survivors’ benefits.  The United States Supreme Court is reviewing DOMA, but until DOMA is not the law of the land, the military can not give all benefits to its members and dependents. (for list of benefits for same-sex Domestic benefits, see americanblog.com/2013/02/dod-extends-spousal-y-benefits-to-gays-secdef-calls-for-doma-repeal.html).

Additional benefits will require substantial policy revisions and training.  According to Panetta, the Pentagon will try to extend the new benefits to service members by August 31 and no later than October 1, but Outserve-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson wants a quicker resolution.  Said Robinson : “the Pentagon has done almost as much as it could with DOMA still in place. Secretary Panetta’s decision today answers the call President Obama issued in his inaugural address to complete our nation’s journey toward equality, acknowledging the equal service and equal sacrifice of our gay and lesbian service members and their families.  We thank him for getting us a few steps closer to full equality – steps that will substantively improve the quality of life of gay and lesbian military families.”

However, Robinson continued, “as encouraging is this step is for our military families, the passing on February 10th of U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer and activist Charlie Morgan, and the needs of her family, unmet because of DOMA, reminds us of how far we still are from true equality.”

Even with DOMA preventing true equality, Panetta said that “extending these benefits is an appropriate next step under current law is to ensure that all service members receive equal support for what they do to protect this nation. Taking care of our service members and honoring the sacrifices of all military families are two core values of this nation.”