After resisting for several months, the Texas Military Forces, which include the Texas National Guard and Reserves, announced Nov. 26 that it will allow servicemembers who are currently in same-sex marriages to apply for dependent benefits.
"We look forward to having the ability to process the benefits our service members and their families are entitled to," Lt. Col. Joanne MacGregor, the state public affairs officer, said in a statement.
The new directive from the Texas Military Forces ensures that same-sex military couples will receive their spousal benefits by partnering with the Department of Defense, which will provide the funding, personnel and equipment required for processing the applications. This way, no member of the Texas National Guard has to be involved, nor will it violate the state's constitution, which does not recognize same-sex marriage.
According to The Washington Post, the Texas Military Forces has been refusing to process the dependent benefits applications from its gay servicemembers since Sept. 3, when the new rules were enacted nationwide. The shift in policy was announced by the Pentagon last August, not long after the Supreme Court struck down a provision of the Defense of Marriage Act that blocked married gay couples from being recognized by federal agencies. Under the new rules, same-sex military couples can receive military identification cards, survivors benefits and other entitlements.