Texas National Guard Agrees To Grant Benefits To Gay Military Spouses

[DonViejo]

Source: AP/via TPM

ASSOCIATED PRESS – NOVEMBER 27, 2013, 7:29 AM EST

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- The Texas National Guard will immediately begin letting same-sex couples register for benefits after the Defense Department approved a new procedure for enrolling National Guard members and their dependents for benefits.

"We're going to go back to business as usual. It will be full service," Lt. Col. Joanne MacGregor, a Texas Guard spokeswoman, told the San Antonio Express-News, referring to the decision that came late Tuesday.

The Texas National Guard commander had ordered the Texas Military Forces, the umbrella command of all Texas National Guard units, not to process any applications from same-sex couples. Maj. Gen. John Nichols had said the Guard was a state agency bound by Texas law, which doesn't recognize same-sex marriage.

That had placed five National Guard facilities in Texas off-limits for same-sex couples seeking benefits until late Tuesday.

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/texas-national-guard-agrees-to-grant-benefits-to-gay-military-spouses

[RKP5637]

1. Excellent !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tx4obama]

12. Not good yet. See link in Comment #11

[RKP5637]

14. OMG, what a bunch of immature childish nonsense, like a 7th grade playground. I do

wonder if these officials realize how stupid and ignorant all of this is/looks in the big picture.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

2. Watch Guv Goodhair pull a Mary Faillin....

....and revoke all benefits.

[Nika]

3. I had figured it was a matter of when not if in regard to this issue

with the Texas National Guard. It is good to hear they fixed this problem.

[tammywammy]

4. Good news. n/t

[CurtEastPoint]

5. I am not seeing how this changes anything. They still have to travel to a federal outpost

Or did I misread this?

See Americablog: http://americablog.com/2013/11/texas-longer-process-benefits-straight-troops-fu-gays.html

[Swede Atlanta]

8. I read it the same way that you do.....

Your linked blog article, if accurate, makes matters worse.

Now all Texas National Guard personnel will have to travel to a federal military facility to request and have processed their applications for benefits. This is the scorched earth policy used by the South at the beginning of the civil rights era - shut down schools, swimming pools, etc. even for whites in order to not have to integrate public facilities.

According to your linked post now both heterosexual and homosexual couples will have to get to a federal facility to apply for benefits. This is not caving at all. This is engaging in the kind of childish and brutish behavior of the segregationists. While Texas has evolved significantly since the civil rights era is so many ways it appears at least when it comes to state government the knuckles are still dragging on the ground.

[RKP5637]

15. Rights never come easy in la la land America. Many seem to have grave difficulty

comprehending what equality means, we are a nation that boasts equality to the rest of the world and then dictates inequality to various groups of people for absolutely no credible reason than bigotry and persecution.

[Javaman]

6. or in reality...

the dept of defence said to them, either you adopt the new rules and regs or your lives will become miserable and no one will ever get a promotion.

[Gothmog]

7. This is great news

[Vietnameravet]

9. Maybe there is hope for Texas after all

[Kelvin Mace]

10. BS solution

If Texas does not want to comply with LEGAL orders from the federal government, then ALL federal funding STOPS immediately, and the Texas units must return ALL materials on loan from the federal government within 30 days.

END.OF.STORY!

[Tx4obama]

11. Texas National Guard to limit benefits to FIVE bases to avoid recognizing gay marriages

Texas National Guard to limit benefits to 5 bases to avoid recognizing gay marriages

Here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/107813639

p.s. So, it still SUCKS!

[Major Nikon]

13. Maj. Gen. John Nichols

Remember this name. IIRC the state national guard commander serves at the pleasure of the governor (could be wrong here). When Wendy Davis gets elected I'm going to write a letter asking her to fire his ass as the first order of business.