Panetta to announce some military benefits for same-sex spouses, sources say

[txradioguy]

For the second time in two week, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will make a major policy change within the Unites States military aimed at fairness and equality: Within days he is expected to announce a decision to extend certain benefits to same-sex spouses that were previously enjoyed only by heterosexual spouses, senior defense officials tell Fox News.

The new policies are expected push the limits of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act but won’t break any of its measures. The law forbids the federal government from recognizing same-sex unions.

The policy change, which doesn’t require congressional approval, will be the third in a serious of landmark social rights reforms Secretary Panetta has undertaken in his relatively short tenure, including the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" and lifting the combat ban on women. His decision to allow on women in combat was announced just last week.

Pentagon officials would not reveal which policies will change when it comes to same-sex marriage, but the Defense of Marriage Act prevents any changes to some of the big ones. Only if the law were to be overturned would same-sex spouses be granted health care benefits or off-post housing allowances.

However, some of the policies that could be changed include:

-- extending military ID cards to gay spouses (this, for instance, would allow a gay spouse to pick up his husband at the hospital after surgery. Currently, spouses without military ID are stopped at the gate.) I.D. cards also give access to such things as commissaries and the fitness centers.
-- access to psychological counsel
-- access to legal counsel
-- access to spousal support such as deployed spousal support groups
-- life insurance benefits

Officials say Panetta's announcement could come late this week or early next. On Thursday Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey are scheduled to testify on Capitol Hill, and on Friday the Secretary is having a retirement party at the Pentagon.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013...est=latestnews

[LukeEDay]

As long as the Federal Government doesn't legalize same sex marriage nationally, I have no problem with this. I do agree with legalizing Civil Unions nationally, those unions having the most of the same laws as marriage - But in no way shape or form agree with the marrying part.

[Odysseus]

For the second time in two week, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will make a major policy change within the Unites States military aimed at fairness and equality: Within days he is expected to announce a decision to extend certain benefits to same-sex spouses that were previously enjoyed only by heterosexual spouses, senior defense officials tell Fox News.

The new policies are expected push the limits of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act but won’t break any of its measures. The law forbids the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriage.

》SNIP《

Pentagon officials would not reveal which policies will change when it comes to same-sex marriage, but the Defense of Marriage Act prevents any changes to some of the big ones. Only if the law were to be overturned would same-sex spouses be granted health care benefits or off-post housing allowances.

However, some of the policies that could be changed include:

-- extending military ID cards to gay spouses (this, for instance, would allow a gay spouse to pick up his husband at the hospital after surgery. Currently, spouses without military ID are stopped at the gate.) I.D. cards also give access to such things as commissaries and the fitness centers.
-- access to psychological counsel
-- access to legal counsel
-- access to spousal support such as deployed spousal support groups

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013...est=latestnews

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

Extending ID cards to unmarried cohabitators creates issues that must be addressed. In order to get an ID for a dependant, you must provide documentation, such as a marriage license for a spouse or birth certificate for a child. What proof will the DOD accept in order to distinguish a relationship from a casual hookup? The fraud potential here is huge. The vast majority of States do not issue licenses to gay couples, but will now have to register and document them, whether they want to or not. This is a blatant end run around the law.

[txradioguy]

As long as the Federal Government doesn't legalize same sex marriage nationally, I have no problem with this. I do agree with legalizing Civil Unions nationally, those unions having the most of the same laws as marriage - But in no way shape or form agree with the marrying part.

I do.

First off all we're hearing about is how we can't afford our military right now...gotta make cuts...increase co-pays on tricare and cut soldiers from our ranks just to make ends meet.

But somehow we can afford the increased burden of new dependents on what we're being told is an already cash strapped institution?

Hell we've got soldiers in Afghanistan not getting hot breakfast anymore because combatant commanders are being told they have to cut expenses.

Yet magically we can afford this?

And don't think for a second this isn't how this Administration and the Libs are going to force same sex marriage nationally to happen. I've said all along that was the driving force behind the repeal of DADT. We have bases all over states that have rejected same sex marriage on the state level. This sets up a clash between the Feds and the States over this issue.

All it's gonna take is one same sex couple to get the ok to file a lawsuit shortly after they PCS to a state that doesn't recognize their marriage and the Feds are gonna swoop down and tell that state they have to recognize that couples union....and the flood gates will open.

[LukeEDay]

Txraioguy. You should know by now that when it comes to a liberal and cuts, the only cuts they want to make is to the military. The military is a huge burden to them because it takes money away from them spending more on welfare and the lazy dead beats.

I feel this is nothing more than another distraction to get peoples minds off the economy and obama's failed record. They seem to have something new everyday. It makes me wonder what wonderful thing they are going to come out with tomorrow.

I also agree with Odysseus here. The fraud potential of this is quite huge. They better have some sort of system set up to prevent it. Then with liberals, that is highly unlikely.

[txradioguy]

I don't see it as a distraction per se. I just look at it as another step in 44's plan to punsh the military for what Libs see as 238 years of abuses by our armed forces.

He views the U.S. as the root of all evil that's happened and is happening in the world because of everything that happened before him. And 44 is out to right what he sees as the wrongs this country has perpetrated upon the world...to include military actions.

This is the next step in the breaking of our morale.