Outgoing Secretary of Defense Leon
Panetta on Monday announced the extension of certain benefits to the
spouses of gay and lesbian service members.
Panetta extended the issuance of
military identification cards, access to family support initiatives
and joint duty assignments for couples in the military.
Allyson Robinson, director of
OutServe-SLDN, which represents LGBT troops, called the package
“substantive.”
“Secretary Panetta's decision today
answers the call President Obama issued in his inaugural address to
complete our nation's journey toward equality, acknowledging the
equal service and equal sacrifice of our gay and lesbian service
members and their families,” Robinson said in a statement. “We
thank him for getting us a few steps closer to full equality –
steps that will substantively improve the quality of life of gay and
lesbian military families.”
The military is prevented by the
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) from extending full benefits to the
spouses of gay service members. Still, Robinson acknowledged that
the Pentagon has done almost as much as it can under the
circumstances.
Democrats, including President Barack
Obama, have backed legislative repeal of DOMA. However, the measure
has stalled in the Republican-controlled House. The Supreme Court
will hear a legal challenge to the law next month. House Republicans
are paying to defend DOMA in that case, while 10
Senate Republicans have urged the court to uphold the law.
(Related: Charlie
Morgan, gay soldier fighting DOMA, dead at 48.)