Slow, Steady, Changes in the U.S. Military Toward Marriage Equality

From my column on www.parentsociety.com:

In a previous post, I wrote about Lt. Col. Heather Mack and her spouse Ashley Broadway, who are parents of a 2-year-old and expecting their second child. Ashley was denied one of many privileges that straight couples in the U.S. military service receive without question.

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You see, Ashley and Heather were able to live out of their closet because of the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” (DADT). But because Ashley is in a same-sex partnered relationship — which is not recognized as receiving all the rights and privileges as straight couples receive because of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Ashley was refused membership in the Association of (Ft.) Bragg Officers’ Spouses group (ABOS).
Recently, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta outlined new benefits and privileges for same-sex couples, whether they are in a marriage, civil union, or significant partnered relationship (each state allows a different status to same-sex couples and families). These include the following (thanks to thinkprogress.org):

Read more here: http://www.parentsociety.com/todays-family/same-sex-parents/marching-toward-equality-for-same-sex-parents-in-the-u-s-military/