May we all spare a thought today for those who have given their lives in service to our country. On this somber day, it is heartening to see that the military may be moving towards treating fallen lesbian and gay service members the same as any others.
Tracy Johnson, whose spouse, Staff Sergeant Donna Johnson, was killed on patrol in Afghanistan in 2012, received a notice from the Department of Veterans Affairs a week ago that said she would be eligible for survivor benefits, reports Chris Johnson (no relation) in the Washington Blade.
These benefits are remarkable, explains the Blade’s Johnson, because although the VA has been giving veteran spousal benefits to married same-sex couples in states that recognize their marriages, they have not been doing so for those in other states. The Johnsons were married in Washington, D.C., but lived in North Carolina (a non-equality state), where Tracy Johnson still resides. It is unclear if the extension of benefits to her are a permanent change in policy — but they seem a step in the right direction.
As we remember today those who have fallen, however, may we also work towards a world where no one need lose a loved one to armed conflict.
