Outgoing DOD boss Panetta extends some benefits to same-sex spouses, partners of gay

Departing Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta extended Monday a list of benefits — all previously denied by the Pentagon — to the same-sex spouses of service members as well as to the unmarried partners of gay troops.

The perks, automatically available to heterosexual military spouses, will include child care services, member-designated hospital visits, and the issuing of military ID cards, which will give same-sex spouses and partners access to on-base commissaries, movie theaters and gyms. The policy changes will go into effect once training on the new rules is completed, Panetta said. <snip>

Outgoing DOD boss Panetta extends some benefits to same-sex spouses, partners of gay troops - U.S. News


I know this is gonna burn the butt of several posters here. Would love to be the proverbial, "fly on the wall," when they get the news. Bwahahahahaha!!! :lamo

Re: Outgoing DOD boss Panetta extends some benefits to same-sex spouses, partners of

I'm actually rather baffled this wasn't already the case when DADT was repealed. Why should any spouses be treated differently?

Re: Outgoing DOD boss Panetta extends some benefits to same-sex spouses, partners of

When the defense budget is stretched thin, that is a great time to add new dependent benefits. As long as they are finding new ways to spend DOD money then why not add simply unmarried "partners" to all service personnel some may have a good friend that could use commissary and base exchange privileges too?

Re: Outgoing DOD boss Panetta extends some benefits to same-sex spouses, partners of

It's about time. Removing institutionalized discrimination from the military is one of the few great things the Obama administration has achieved.