Readers Respond: Should Domestic Partners get Benefits?

Benefits for married service members include the right of a spouse to be at a wounded service member's bedside. Spouses also have access to military health care and commissaries worldwide, and married service members receive better housing and even extra pay when they go to war.

Should gay domestic partners be authorized the same benefits as military spouses? Share Your Thoughts

answer this

dontliedetroit....you seem to have so much to say but cant reveal you govt name? ha..coward

—Guest i tell the truth

Ignorance runs rampant

The men and women responding here who feel that same-sex partners are in any way less deserving of the benefits afforded married partners really are misguided in both their arguments and their lack of understanding of the laws that make this country the greatest democracy on earth. One imbecile went so far as to say homosexuals were "recruited into the practice" when most knew they were gay by age seven. Most hysterical to anyone with a shred of intelligence is that through a surgeon's knife and a "sex change", a marriage could be made "legal" and acceptable to these same idiot Nay-sayers. REALLY? A knife and a license to change your gender makes all this contraversy "go away"? Please tell me no one is actually this stupid. As I read these comments I begin to question the intelligence of many with whom I serve. The gay men and women with whom I've served have been some of the best officers and enlisted personnel in the commands, both at sea and on land. I am proud to know them.

—Guest Dr. Daniel J. Hohman, USN

No

gays and lesbians should not be able to serve in the military. gays and lesbians should not be granted spousal benefites despite the fact they are able to serve. gays and lesbians are not Christians. That is an impossibility. You are cursed to infer the name of Messiah HaMoshiach on yourselves. You are children of HaSatan. For the former english teaching lesbian, the words gay and lesbian are spelled using lower case dictation, purposely.

—dontliedetroit

Of course

I am currently serving and I'm gay been with my wife for 2yrs and we both serve AD we both have seen couples get married so they can get BAH and move out to a house and then get divorce so they can keep getting BAH. All these rights would be awesome if one of us gets out but its more so we can stay together when we reenlist and get orders other places just like a married couple would when they are married and both serving. It's only fair that very one gets the same benefits I'm sure same sex marriage couples are getting married cause they wanna b together not because they get money like I see men and women here all the time

—Guest Seabee4

Look At China

Do you seriously think this would even be an issue in the Chinese military. Let's get real...we have more major issues to deal with...don't ask don't tell should be revisited......we need a strong military!

—Guest Guest

I love my dog

I have been with my domestic companion for over 10 years my dog we love each other we are dedicated to 1 another I want my benefits for each other. Bottom line.

—Guest Roger

Its not about a paycheck

I am an openly gay service member, going on 9 years. I happily serve in the reserves now, to attend school, after 4 years on AD and 3 tours overseas. The fact that some people think that us fighting for equal rights is just about a paycheck in nothing more than ignorance. If it was just about money then why offer benefits to spouses at all? That would save the military and the federal government loads of money, would it not? I personally dont care if we are allowed to be 'married' as long as we receive the same considerations. Marriage should be about love and commitment. It is nothing more than a tax break and money maker for divorce lawyers now. Id be ecstatic to be 'committed' to my partner now knowing that our relationship is good for us and us alone. And for all you religious folks, sin is sin, none greater than another. To condemn gays to hell is hypocrisy. Please let me know where God said gay christians will go to hell before ANYONE who lies, cheats or steals ect.

—Guest George

Why place limits

DOMA is unfair. Why just one man and one woman. If I choose to have more than 1 wife, all my wives should be treated equally and receive all the same benefits.

—Guest Family Guy

Hell No

this is the stupidist thing I have heard ever, why should they get rights hetrosexuals living together are not entitled to. We are in a financial crisis and you want to add something this stupid to the pile. People need to pull their PC heads out of their asses and start thinking about us as a nation. Who is the idiot that come up with this and if it is the secretary of defense then he is a blithering PC idiot. Weve have people who served in the military honorably discharged who dont get veterans preference. Your killing this nation and the honor it was at one time to serve.

—Guest John

It's the Military Not the Gay Revolution

Sure!!! spoil soldiers even more so serving in the Military becomes a pay check and benefits rather than honor and sacrifices. I would truly serve the Army for fee. If I had to pay for my own spouses ticket or luggage then oh well what other job will do it. All I hear in this article is me me me free free free benefits benefits benefits. Freedom isn't free remember that people and being in the military isn't always a cake walk and as hard as I work in here im proud to say that. lets preserve our Military traditions and quit looking for free money. Force the welfare office to recognize gay marriages since all you want is a check and leave the military alone! If you want to start a gay revolution I'm all for just don't turn the war on terrorism into the gay rights movement. Im glad they ended dont ask dont tell but i dont serve to win queer rights. Come on people quit being selfish and look for another organization to push your agendas with and leave the military alone.

—Guest ProudSoldier

gay is natural

being a gay is somtin natural,most gays did nt jst decide to be one bt nature made them one,am a christian,infact a pastor.i grew up to know i have feelings for guys and not for girls.marrage is useless when there is no love amongs the two couple.we should have right to marrie some one we love.did the blible mention sins to be pratcited ad sins nt to be parctised?if gay is a sin then a man getting married to two wifes is equally a sin,den y is it gay dat should be deprviled of their right.pls gie us the right to love some one our heart wnts.

—Guest stephen

Benefits

I have been with my partner for 30 yrs.We never bothered anybody allways keep to our self.when ever we bought any thing we allways made sure we had in contract that we had full rights to servisership.I think we should have full gov benfites.

—Guest Ed

Discrimination?

Many of the responses talk about discrimination. If that is such a big issue, then why is no one concerned about discrimination against SINGLE GI"s? Why should they be FORCED to live in the barracks? And to take this a step further - if you favor homosexual equal rights - then why is no one advocating the rights of a man who has several wives?

—Guest Salty

Constitution vs bible

In the constitution it says men and women will be treated equal everyone in the united states are supose to be treated equal but here it is same sex marriage illigal because men like men women like women maybe god ment for those people to be soul mates but the goverment is standing in the way of that. In the bible it says all men are created equal too but theres a part in there kinda clear were it says to love ones self and to love another man is a sin but heres god maiing people right for each other some same sex some not. I personaly think its straight up stupid to keep people from loveing each other forever together thro marriage and to not listen to the american right of the constitution

—Guest 5830

Gay spouses entiltled to benifits?

'L No! This matter should have NEVER gone this far.

—Guest Ed Franchuk