Just curious: What will DOMA decision mean for federal employees, military families, etc...

[Recursion]

6. I can answer as far as the State Department's Foreign Service goes

I'm the spouse of a Foreign Service Officer (we're a straight couple) and this has been an issue for some of our friends. State recognized gay marriages I believe in 2009. Before then, same-sex spouses could travel and live with an FSO but did not get a work visa (I'll get a work visa when we go to Mumbai later this year so I'll be able to get a job on the local economy). They also were not evacuated with Embassy personnel in an emergency but were on their own. This happened a few times, and it was worse because the FSO was ordered out because of his security clearance and his husband had to get out on his own.

The State Department absolutely has to stand up for full accreditation of diplomats and their families at all times, because that way lies madness (if Saudi Arabia refuses to accredit a gay diplomat, will Jewish diplomats be next? etc.) However, FSOs and their families are still bound by local law (diplomatic immunity isn't what a lot of people think it is). The result is an uneasy truce where states like Saudi Arabia simply accredit whomever we present and don't ask any questions.

As a practical question, countries where a gay couple's safety couldn't be assured generally are for other reasons considered "hardship" posts to begin with, which means the families don't travel with the diplomat.