After the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell’ gay service members are fighting to obtain benefits for their partners.
Journal Gazette has the report:
The repeal of the controversial “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy doesn’t mean same-sex partners of gay and lesbian troops can shop at the commissary, move into base housing or get military health care.
Instead, last week’s end of the policy prohibiting openly gay or lesbian service members from serving in the military brings almost no change for them when it comes to the extensive benefits offered to America’s troops and their families.
The next goal of gay and lesbian groups is obtaining key benefits for same-sex partners, such as health care coverage, housing allowances, base family housing, shopping privileges, relocation assistance and family separation allowances.
“That’s obviously the clear next step,” said David McKean, legal director for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.
The network is a nonprofit organization devoted to ensuring parity for an estimated 66,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender troops.
Read the full article via JOURNAL GAZETTE
