On August 15 the Department of Defense will announce an extension of benefits to same-sex couples which will include 10 days for “marriage leave.”
According to NBC News the benefits will come into play as early as September and “will include the same privileges and programs that are provided to legally married heterosexual couples.”
Moreover, military personnel who are stationed in the 37 states where same-sex marriage is illegal will be given 10 days leave “to travel to one of the 13 states, plus the District of Columbia, that grant same-sex marriage licenses.”
Prior to this full expansion of benefits to same-sex couples, the DOD had already planned to allow “same-sex spouses of military members to sign a declaration form in order to receive limited benefits, such as access to military stores and certain welfare programs.”
But once the Supreme Court struck down DOMA the DOD decided to provide full benefits to same-sex couples.
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