Posted on 06/26/2013 6:58:23 PM PDT by haffast
The Supreme Court ruling against DOMA 'helps ensure that all men and women who serve this country can be treated fairly and equally,' Defense Secretary Hagel says.
With the Supreme Court decision striking down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the Pentagon will move as soon as possible to make all the same benefits available to all military spouses, regardless of sexual orientation, the nations top defense official announced Wednesday.
This will include burial for spouses of US troops at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as survivor benefits and identification cards that will allow them access to base gyms and grocery stores.
Same sex partners will also now be eligible for health care and be factored into housing allowances, two of the biggest sore points for many gay service members who came out when Dont Ask, Dont Tell was repealed in 2010.
The Defense of Marriage Act prohibited the Pentagon from extending these benefits to spouses, because it defined marriage as between a man and a woman. The Supreme Court Wednesday upheld a lower court ruling that the law, enacted by Congress in 1996, is unconstitutional.
The Department of Defense welcomes the Supreme Courts decision today on the Defense of Marriage Act, said Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in a statement issued quickly on the heels of the rulings announcement.
To that end, the Pentagon will immediately begin the process of implementing the Supreme Courts decision in consultation with the Department of Justice, Secretary Hagel said.
Todays ruling helps ensure that all men and women who serve this country can be treated fairly and equally, with the full dignity and respect they so richly deserve.
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(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
I didn’t know Hagel was a homosexual. You learn something new every day.
It’s a freak country.
Sometimes evil has to play out with a hey nonny before people get the idea that, maybe, they ought to take the trouble to go back to the other guy.
As this ruling stands, a state that gave the nod to polygamy would have the right to wag the dog Federally that way. How would spousal benefits be figured then? Split them up equally between the multi-spouses?
Even worse.....I can’t imagine going to the Navy Ball. I went to the Navy Ball with my wife about 10 out of 24 years (mostly overseas) and I just cannot see going and seeing two Marines or two Sailors dancing together in a slow dance.....Lord how awful. I am retired now so I will not go to a Navy Ball again, but it is still so sad what has become of our great military.
Aside from all the other aspects of this fiasco, it’s another quick way to drain the U.S. Treasury - clearly a goal of Obama.
Days like this makes me glad to be old.
Semen First Class Bruce Gorgeous reporting for doody,sweetie!
These are fleabites compared with the profligate drains, but still. The military will be one big mess by the time Barack Obama bids Washington goodbye for the last time.
I just thought he was a muslim like his boss.
The list, Ping
Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list
The use of the word “spouse” to define a queer partner is as profane and offensive as any word today considered cussing.
Pure whacko and pure perverted.
Isn’t it something how fast hagel announced this, like he know what the ruling was going to be or something?
So how much is this going to cost me, the tax payer?
Who cares about this crap?...Where the hell are the jobs Obama?
Oh, ain’t you special, Mr. Chuckie?
Your empathy, tolerance and sense of fairness deserve a spot on Mt. Rushmore, at the very least.
Bwaa-hahahaha.
Take a sneak, you officious twit.
is that Larry the Cable Gay?
It’s a conservative thing, maybe you should skip these threads.
I’m trying to put this Gay Day crap in perspective...Let the democraps have the big gay party. I hope this garbage is all reversed...
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