Pentagon announces extension of benefits to same-sex partners
Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta. / JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
Updated: 1:22 p.m. ET
© 2013 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Just weeks after lifting the ban on women in combat, the Defense Department announced yet another groundbreaking decision today, making official the extension of some military benefits to same-sex partners previously denied them.
In a statement, outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the military would no longer provide some benefits to heterosexual couples while denying them to same-sex partners in the military.
"Seventeen months ago, the United States military ended the policy of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,'" Panetta said today in a statement announcing the decision. "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."
Panetta noted that while the department "already provides a group of benefits that are member-designated," the Pentagon will now "extend additional benefits to same-sex partners of service members."
Panetta said he expected the new benefits to be made available "As expeditiously as possible," and reiterated his confidence in the military to implement the changes in the coming months.
Among the additional benefits that same-sex domestic partners will receive include emergency leave, commissary privileges, dependent ID cards, exchange privileges, access to morale, welfare and recreation programs, access to youth and family center programs, joint duty assignments, and more.
In a statement following the announcement, Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, offered tempered praise for the action, but argued that discrimination for gay and lesbian members of the military will persist while the Defense of Marriage Act stands.
"Today, the Pentagon took a historic step forward toward righting the wrong of inequality in our armed forces, but there is still more work to be done," Griffin said. "Gay and lesbian service members and their families make sacrifices every day, and this country owes them every measure of support we can provide. Since the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' the Obama administration has shown true leadership on this issue. But even today, the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act makes inequality for gay and lesbian military families a legal requirement."
Popular in Politics
- Michelle Obama decries "slander" that educated blacks are "trying to act white" Play Video
- Both parties vow to "get to the bottom" of IRS scandal 266 Comments
- Va. GOP candidate: Planned Parenthood "more lethal" for blacks than KKK 196 Comments
- Benghazi-disciplined diplomat a prolific poet
- Romney condemns "breach of trust" in Washington 250 Comments
- Republicans continue beating Benghazi drum 434 Comments
- Immigration bill would require fingerprinting at 30 airports
- Adviser on White House scandals: "Partisan fishing expeditions" won't distract Obama 207 Comments
Why don't they go ahead and pass a law that says gays can impregnate each other & reproduce in the normal manner?
----
Could you go into further detail on that concept...you have my interest peaked!!!!
Now define who qualifies as a 'partner.' Is it the current sexual partner or what? How do they propose to determine who is or isn't a legitimate partner since most states still do not permit 'marriage' of homosexuals. What legal status wand does Panetta want wave to declare someone a 'partner.'
What is done in states where they do not recognize those 'marriages' and do not acknowledge all the right Panetta wants to grant to those partners. Now it would seem that Panetta, an unelected official is going to trump the decisions of elected state officials.
I was just surfing around Wikipedia.
"Perversion is a concept describing those types of human behavior that deviate from that which is understood to be orthodox or normal."
That's about what the Webster dictionary handles the subject.
Well you may consider lesbianism and homosexuality as orthodox or normal, but, well, well, well, uh, uh, perhaps we should change dictionaries. Edit history, to satisfy popular ideology? Give me a friggin break! No?
As to Gobozo, who quotes Wikipedia (which I love and admire)...no one here is proposing "editing history" but it would seem that extending benefits to same sex partners of our military is fair, and not doing so is...perverse.
Homosexuality has been documented in over 1500 species, nothing gets any more normal than nature!
How about you open a Bible printed in 1800's and try to find Homosexuality in it. You can't, because it is not there. So sounds like you're the one who needs to do some research! According to Pastor John MacArthur, "the worship of whom included child sacrifice, astrology and temple prostitution (cf. Lev. 18:21; 2 Kin 17:16; Ezek 23:37; Amos 5:25, 26; Acts 7:40-43)."
You're so adamant on picking and choosing which verses you will follow, do you also support the death penalty for rape victims? Or killing children who're disobedient and for the sins of their parents?
God commands you to murder children for being discordant and for the sins of their parents. If you do not do this, then you're a hypocrite and only persecuting Homosexuals for you own ignorance.
God also commands that rape victims both be put to death and marry their rapists. If you do not support this, then you're a hypocrite and only persecuting Homosexuals for you own ignorance.
Clearly, you're persecuting Homosexuals for something you know nothing about. You're ignorant to the Christian beliefs and to the translation of the Bible from Hebrew. Homosexuality is not once mentioned in the Bible, only through a gross inaccurate translation could Homosexuality be found in the Bible.