Texas National Guard denies benefits for same-sex spouses

By Josh Hicks

The Texas National Guard has said it will not provide benefits for same-sex couples, despite a Pentagon directive requiring the military to treat all marriages equally.

Maj. Gen. John Nichols, the commanding general of Texas Military Forces, said in an internal memo that the Texas Constitution and the state’s “Family Code” conflicts with the Defense Department’s policy, which Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced in August.

“Due to this potential conflict, we are unable to enroll same-sex families….

encourages couples who are affected by the Texas policy to enroll for benefits at one of the state’s 20-odd federal installations. “Despite the legal conflict, the Texas Military Forces remains committed to ensuring military personnel and their families receive the benefits to which they are entitled,” the agency said in its statement.

Pentagon spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Nathan Christensen said Tuesday that “all federal military installations in Texas will issue IDs to all those who provide a valid marriage certificate from a jurisdiction that recognizes same-sex marriage.”

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