MSNBC reported yesterday that the Pentagon is endorsing a move by leaders at Fort Bragg to stay out of a decision made by its on-base spouses club to refuse membership to the lesbian spouse of a female Army officer.
The newlywed wife of a female lieutenant colonel was reportedly blocked from joining the spouses club at Fort Bragg, sparking accusations that she was blackballed only because she is a lesbian.
In what only can be described as outlandish irony, the blackballed spouse has been nominated for the Fort Bragg Military Spouse of the Year Award. Equally ironic is the fact the Marine Corps issued a directive last week that same-sex spouses be allowed to participate in spouses clubs at all Marine bases. Yep, that's right, the Gyrenes are leading from the front on establishing rights for gay and lesbian spouses for military servicemen and women.
How can one service branch ban gay and lesbian spouses from base activities while another branch permit such access? A DoD spokesman explained that the Pentagon's position on the Army matter is legally viable despite the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” because the Defense Department still follows the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). That law defines marriage as the legal union of one man and one woman. Under DOMA, the federal government doesn’t recognize same-sex marriages and doesn’t offer same-sex military spouses some benefits given to heterosexual spouses.
Hmm, sounds like federal court intervention may be on the horizon.
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