Guard won't process same-sex benefits

1. Austin American Statesman, Wednesday September 4

2. Military

3. State

4. This article is concerning the Texas National Guard's denial of benefits for same-sex couples. Texas said the reason for this is  because of its ban on same sex marriage.

5. This is important to families because it effects the cost of healthcare, as well as benefits the family would receive if their loved one is wounded or killed in action. Given that I plan on working with families in El Paso, where one of the largest Army bases is located, I would be dealing a lot with military families who could be affected by this policy.

6.I think that the way the Texas National Guard handled the issue is ridiculous. The Pentagon issued a directive allowing the spouses of same-sex marriages to receive benefits, this is a federal directive, meaning across the country. I don't understand why the National Guard would not follow the policy that the rest of the country is following. They say that, because there is a ban on same-sex marriage, they don't have to accept applications for benefits, but do offer the alternative, which would be to go to a base on federal ground that will accept their application. If all other military bases are allowing couples to have the benefits that the rest of their peers and their families are receiving, why shouldn't the rest of our military personnel? It really makes me upset because these men and women are fighting for our country just like every other military personnel, and they have families waiting for them back home just like every other military family. So does this mean that if a woman is deployed on state deployment her family wouldn't receive the benefits they would receive if she was deployed on a federal deployment? That just doesn't seem fair to me at all. I am a big supporter of equal rights for the LGBT community, especially on just a humanity level, but even more so for our men and women in uniform. They put their lives on the line for us, so why cant we give them and the ones they support the benefits they deserve?