Same sex couples to get some military benefits

[JoeBentley]

Navytimes: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2013/0...tended-020513/

Those benefits likely will include an array of perks and privileges currently extended to heterosexual spouses, such as access to military bases, commissaries and family services, according to a defense official familiar with the plans. Joint-duty assignments for same-sex, dual-military couples also may be on the list.

But the Pentagon will stop short of offering family housing, health benefits and with-dependents housing allowance rates to same-sex couples. Those benefits are defined by federal law, and the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act still prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages.

[Dr. Dave]

It is nice that the Navy is doing something in the right direction, but a lot of those things are not very meaningful. Other than joint duty assignments, basically the non-military same sex spouse can shop at the commissary and use the gym?

Not criticizing the Navy though. Their hands are tied on bigger things, so it sounds like they are going for administrative items that they can do.

[JoeBentley]

Yeah sadly this is pretty much all they can do while DOMA is still in effect.

Problem is a lot of the real military legal and medical benefits are defined by Federal Law and therefore you just can't work around DOMA. Things like who can go to the commissary and who can use the gym are established by lower level DOD and local policies and therefore have a lot more leeway.