Panetta to announce some military benefits for same-sex spouses, sources say

[txradioguy]

For the second time in two week, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will make a major policy change within the Unites States military aimed at fairness and equality: Within days he is expected to announce a decision to extend certain benefits to same-sex spouses that were previously enjoyed only by heterosexual spouses, senior defense officials tell Fox News.

The new policies are expected push the limits of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act but won’t break any of its measures. The law forbids the federal government from recognizing same-sex unions.

The policy change, which doesn’t require congressional approval, will be the third in a serious of landmark social rights reforms Secretary Panetta has undertaken in his relatively short tenure, including the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" and lifting the combat ban on women.  His decision to allow on women in combat was announced just last week.

Pentagon officials would not reveal which policies will change when it comes to same-sex marriage, but the Defense of Marriage Act prevents any changes to some of the big ones. Only if the law were to be overturned would same-sex spouses be granted health care benefits or off-post housing allowances.

However, some of the policies that could be changed include:

-- extending military ID cards to gay spouses (this, for instance, would allow a gay spouse to pick up his husband at the hospital after surgery. Currently, spouses without military ID are stopped at the gate.)  I.D. cards also give access to such things as   commissaries and the fitness centers.
 -- access to psychological counsel
 -- access to legal counsel
 -- access to spousal support such as deployed spousal support groups
 -- life insurance benefits

Officials say Panetta's announcement could come late this week or early next.  On Thursday Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey are scheduled to testify on Capitol Hill, and on Friday the Secretary is having a retirement party at the Pentagon.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/02/05/panetta-to-announce-some-military-benefits-for-same-sex-spouses-sources-say/?test=latestnews

[RobJohnson]

 

[txradioguy]

I've said all along that the Libs are using the military and the repeal of DADT to force ALL the states to accept gay marriage.

This is further proof.

[vesta111]

I've said all along that the Libs are using the military and the repeal of DADT to force ALL the states to accept gay marriage.

This is further proof.

Serious future shock here.

[RayRaytheSBS]

Wow... This @#$%stick is absolutely gutting the proud institutions of the United States Military. Call me a homophobe if you will. But once again I fail to see how this is making to DOD more COMBAT EFFECTIVE. That should be SECDEF's primary concern. Instead, Combat Effectiveness has been sacrificed on the alter of political correctness. One more step towards making the military into the willing praetorian guard of 'Der Fuerher'.

[txradioguy]

Wow... This @#$%stick is absolutely gutting the proud institutions of the United States Military. Call me a homophobe if you will. But once again I fail to see how this is making to DOD more COMBAT EFFECTIVE. That should be SECDEF's primary concern. Instead, Combat Effectiveness has been sacrificed on the alter of political correctness. One more step towards making the military into the willing praetorian guard of 'Der Fuerher'.

Their primary concern...as I said above...is to use us to force gay marriage into all 50 states.

[RayRaytheSBS]

Their primary concern...as I said above...is to use us to force gay marriage into all 50 states.

 Sorry, just needed to vent a little. It's such B.S. that they are backdooring the Defense of Marriage Act like this. These idiots need to stop messing with the military to further their own political agendas.

[txradioguy]

Sorry, just needed to vent a little. It's such B.S. that they are backdooring the Defense of Marriage Act like this. These idiots need to stop messing with the military to further their own political agendas.

Vent away my friend.  I'm so  I'm almost speechless on this.  And I can't say what I really want to.

[RayRaytheSBS]

Vent away my friend.  I'm so  I'm almost speechless on this.  And I can't say what I really want to.

I understand, when I went into the army there was only one color: Green. Everybody was treated exactly the same, just like s@#t. So much for those days... 

[Eupher]

It won't be too much longer when "fudgepacking" will be just another Additional Skill Identifier (ASI). 

[txradioguy]

It won't be too much longer when "fudgepacking" will be just another Additional Skill Identifier (ASI). 

And one I will gladly never have 


We're hearing about is how we can't afford our military right now...gotta make cuts...increase co-pays on tricare and cut soldiers from our ranks just to make ends meet.

But somehow we can afford the increased burden of new dependents on what we're being told is an already cash strapped institution?

Hell we've got soldiers in Afghanistan not getting hot breakfast anymore because combatant commanders are being told they have to cut expenses.

Yet magically we can afford this?

And don't think for a second this isn't how this Administration and the Libs are going to force same sex marriage nationally to happen. I've said all along that was the driving force behind the repeal of DADT. We have bases all over states that have rejected same sex marriage on the state level. This sets up a clash between the Feds and the States over this issue.

All it's gonna take is one same sex couple to get the ok to file a lawsuit shortly after they PCS to a state that doesn't recognize their marriage and the Feds are gonna swoop down and tell that state they have to recognize that couples union....and the flood gates will open.

[Eupher]

And one I will gladly never have 


We're hearing about is how we can't afford our military right now...gotta make cuts...increase co-pays on tricare and cut soldiers from our ranks just to make ends meet.

But somehow we can afford the increased burden of new dependents on what we're being told is an already cash strapped institution?

Hell we've got soldiers in Afghanistan not getting hot breakfast anymore because combatant commanders are being told they have to cut expenses.

Yet magically we can afford this?

And don't think for a second this isn't how this Administration and the Libs are going to force same sex marriage nationally to happen. I've said all along that was the driving force behind the repeal of DADT. We have bases all over states that have rejected same sex marriage on the state level. This sets up a clash between the Feds and the States over this issue.

All it's gonna take is one same sex couple to get the ok to file a lawsuit shortly after they PCS to a state that doesn't recognize their marriage and the Feds are gonna swoop down and tell that state they have to recognize that couples union....and the flood gates will open.

Panetta is nothing but a stooge for Barry. And these recent "decisions" that Panetta allegedly made were actually made long ago.

You are correct. Barry and his butt buddies don't give a rat**** about money. Money is not the problem. It's the liberal and gay agenda and spreading that filth across the entire ****ing country.

Barry? You are a poisonous, repugnant ****tard worthy of not much more than a greasy, slimy bubble fart.

[JohnnyReb]

Barry? You are a poisonous, repugnant ****tard worthy of not much more than a greasy, slimy bubble fart.

Made from pickled boiled eggs, pork & beans and cheap beer.

[NHSparky]

Panetta also said he thinks military pay should be CUT.

Meanwhile, the number of military/dependents on food stamps has TRIPLED since 2008.  Atta boy, Barry!

[Eupher]

Panetta also said he thinks military pay should be CUT.

Meanwhile, the number of military/dependents on food stamps has TRIPLED since 2008.  Atta boy, Barry!

As bad as things got in 1978-79 when Jimmuh's dick-dancing was especially egregious (and believe me, they were bad), I never ONCE applied for food stamps.

I think I'd have to be eating out of dumpsters before that were to happen. As it was, I baked my own bread, used cloth diapers, ate a helluva lot of beans, and otherwise went without a lot of stuff that wasn't caloric.

How many of those on food stamps have cell phones? Computers? Broadband for those computers? X-boxes or Wii's?

Just curious....

Sometimes I think people just need to dig deep, cut the fat, and make things happen without resorting to the almighty powerful ****ing government for handouts. 

[ironhorsedriver]

Panetta also said he thinks military pay should be CUT.

Meanwhile, the number of military/dependents on food stamps has TRIPLED since 2008.  Atta boy, Barry!

http://washingtonexaminer.com/panetta-to-propose-military-pay-cut-after-obama-raised-federal-officials-pay/article/2520741

[RobJohnson]

Vent away my friend.  I'm so   I'm almost speechless on this.  And I can't say what I really want to.

I can't imagine the rage that you would like to vent. Hang in there TX, keep doing what you are doing. You are a great patriot, Sir.

[RobJohnson]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/panetta-to-propose-military-pay-cut-after-obama-raised-federal-officials-pay/article/2520741

Of course there is money for this:

$11 billion on non-merit based pay raises for federal workers.”

 

[txradioguy]

Of course there is money for this:

 

Meanwhile we just got word that the DoD is proposing a 1% pay raise for FY 14.   

[Eupher]

Meanwhile we just got word that the DoD is proposing a 1% pay raise for FY 14.   

Which is tantamount to a pay REDUCTION, once inflation (and there's a shitload of it) is factored in.

[txradioguy]

Which is tantamount to a pay REDUCTION, once inflation (and there's a shitload of it) is factored in.

Just like this year.

[JohnnyReb]

Pin-header doing masters bidding.....or dirty work for him.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Hey, we can afford this, but not sending the Truman carrier group to the Persian Gulf or the Blue Angels!  First things first!

 

[RayRaytheSBS]

So let me get this straight; the Army is literally closing down BRIGADES of troops by the end of the year. The units that remain don't have any money for training, either. And we have enough money in the budget for accepting dependents that will more than likely have pre-existing medical conditions that will be expensive as f***( AIDS anyone?) What kind of f@#ked up priorities is THIS?   

[RobJohnson]

Meanwhile we just got word that the DoD is proposing a 1% pay raise for FY 14.   

I read that. That sucks.

My company went from 3% to 2.5% to 0%, unless the minimum wage goes up.