Posted on 05/09/2011 6:16:00 AM PDT by markomalley
(CNSNews.com) – Anticipating the elimination of the military ban on homosexuality, the Office of the Chief of Navy Chaplains has decided that same-sex couples in the Navy will be able to get married in Navy chapels, and that Navy chaplains will be allowed to perform the ceremonies -- if homosexual marriage is legal in the state where the unions are to be performed.
The advisory came in the form of an April 13 memo issued to all chaplains, in which the Chief of Navy Chaplains, Admiral Michael Tidd, said the Chaplain Corps was revising its Tier I training manuals, which had previously indicated that same-sex marriages are not authorized on federal property.
Instead, Tidd called for chaplains to comply with service-wide efforts underway to be more accepting of homosexuality and same-sex marriage as the end of the military policy on homosexuality nears.
Citing "additional legal review" by Navy attorneys, the admiral said the Navy "has concluded that, generally speaking, base facility use is sexual orientation neutral.”
“If the base is located in a state where same-sex marriage is legal, then the base facilities may be used to celebrate the marriage,” the admiral’s directive states.
The admiral’s memo also gives chaplains permission to "marry" homosexual couples – but would not force them to perform ceremines.
“Regarding chaplain participation, consistent with the tenets of his or her religious organization, a chaplain may officiate a same-sex, civil marriage: if it is conducted in accordance with the laws of the state which permits same-sex marriages or union; and if the chaplain is, according to applicable state and local laws, otherwise fully certified to officiate that state’s marriages.”
Navy spokeswoman Alana Garas confirmed the change was ordered, but told CNSNews.com that the document “does not reflect a change in policy, but a change in Tier I training for Navy chaplains that looks forward to when Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is removed”— something which will not happen, she said, until 60 days after the president, the secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certify to Congress that repeal will not harm military readiness.
But Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, is concerned that, in its haste to “hustle-in homosexuality,” the Navy may be violating federal law – the Defense of Marriage Act.
“Offering up federal facilities and federal employees for same-sex marriage violates DOMA, which is still the law of the land and is bound to the duties of our military, including chaplains,” Steve Taylor, communications director for Akin, told CNSNews.com.
“The administration and various states may be operating as if DOMA doesn't exist, but the Navy and Marine Corps and all the Armed Services are sworn to obey the law, which this new instruction violates,” he added.
Tom McLusky, vice president of government relations at the Family Research Council, agreed that the Navy is totally ignoring DOMA, part of which defines marriage for federal government purposes as being between one man and one woman.
“You’re talking about government facilities and government employees, so it would seem to be a direct violation of DOMA,” McClusky told CNSNews.com. “I’m not seeing a lot of wiggle room there.”
He said conservatives had warned months ago that the push to repeal the military ban on homosexuality would lead to efforts to introduce same-sex marriage -- but were dismissed at the time.
“This is what we thought was going to happen, and unfortunately now its happening,” McClusky said.
“Unfortunately, the military is getting out in front on this issue and when you have a president who doesn’t believe the Defense of Marriage Act is a law he needs to follow, it’s no surprise that the military would follow his lead,” he added. “The president may think he’s above the law, but he’s not. If he has a problem with the Defense of Marriage Act, that’s something that he needs to address legislatively, not just by ignoring it.”
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), said the change in training was a “good example of the type of uncertainty and confusion created in the rush to change the previous policy.”
“Trying to make sense of this issue, for example, is something that should have been thought out beforehand – assuming the administration was even serious about doing this efficiently, fairly and respectfully,” Hunter’s communications director Joe Kasper told CNSNews.com.
Hunter plans on offering an amendment to the annual defense bill to require that all of the chiefs of the armed services – not just the chairman -- would have to submit certification that removing the military ban on homosexuality wouldn’t harm unit cohesion and military order.
Four states plus the District of Columbia currently issue marriage licenses to homosexual couples – Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Maryland, New York and Rhode Island recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.
That giant sucking sound we’ll be hearing is people leaving the military.
“...The slippery slope to hell = the decadence of Western Civilization...”
Let’s express it properly - It isn’t “Western Civilization” that’s the problem. Western Civilization and Christendom gave the world some of the greatest achievements ever.
It’s socialist Liberals and their Useful Idiot Fellow Travelers who rot away the core of everything good and decent - And the cowards who stand by and let them, in the name of “tolerance”. THAT is the problem.
Yep. That is EXACTLY what this has been about all along.
That, and simply destroying the military.
And gays infiltrating the JAG offices.
I know how you feel Mickie. We lived in the best of times and now we are watching it all fade away, right before our very eyes. What we have to accept is that it’s really already gone and has been for about 15 years, and getting worse each year.
It’s pretty apparent we cannot count on future generations. Sad, very sad.
Here are some excellent videos and this is why I have little hope for America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHgYPDvQFU8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgUmpwZiGjg
It could just as likely be the last days of this nation without being the last days of this age. It's normal for people to see what impacts their own fate as the most important thing going on. Personally I don't think Christ has finished with this age or this country and in fact has just begun wailing the daylights out of us to get us back on track.
JMHO
Regards
How about if a Pvt wants to marry a Sgt, or vice-versa, What about fraternization? Doesn’t that apply.
Sorry folks, I’m so pissed I can’t think (type) straight.
We're still waiting on that...
Navy seals?
so it begins, 1st amendment out of the window, and I have just read this after reading how morale in the military is at it’;s lowest ever.
The GOP had better get someone not these clowns running who has balls and will overturn this crap of don’t ask and Govt health care on their first issues.
note for homosexuals and all thew other weird sickeness folk out there.
The states which do not allow your perversion have a law so therefore piss off to a queer state which accepts men having their’s cut off or women wearing straps on pretending to be men in bed
which is why this needs to be stopped, overturned and for those with this sickeness and perversion need to be told straight to their faces that their agenda is not going ahead no more and that if they like doing that crap then get back behind closed doors.
The morale of the military is at it’;s lowest, not pone vet or anyone serving stands by this perversion and my sons have now changed their mind in joining and seems I will be the last in over a hundred years of serving proudly.
Screw you obama and your disgusting perverted ilk.
It’s socialist Liberals and their Useful Idiot Fellow Travelers who rot away the core of everything good and decent - And the cowards who stand by and let them, in the name of “tolerance”. THAT is the problem.
Unfortunately, western civilization and Christendom, at least what you and I consider, are no longer in vogue and are considered positively hateful.
There have been forces aggressively working to slowly destroy western civilization and most especially Christendom for 200 years +/- a few decades here or there.
These forces have invaded government to increase dependence upon an all-sufficient government. These forces have been slowly propagandizing our grandparents, parents, us, our children and (maybe) our grandchildren through the lessons of public education. These forces have worked to shape public opinion through the media (of various types).
Western civilization is in such horrible shape that it needs re-evangelization just as if Christendom never existed.
they will say this and this is no coincidence.
we can marry, risk our lives, get married by the feds and the feds recognize this but our state will not so therefore overturn DOMA.
then it is getting kids,
then teaching this in school
If any ignorant idiot out there thinks this is about marriage then they seriously need to get a grip and educate themselves and look at MA
Sick. One more step to our end.
I don’t think it’s the military... it’s their CIC and his minions.
During the Clinton Administration there was a Air Force guy that was court martialed for refusing to serve under the U.N. Then there is Lt. Col. Larkin.
My brother's son-in-law walked away from 12 years in the Navy. He saw this coming and his current contract expired,so he did not re up.
I read the memo and it says “consistent with the tenets of his or her religious organization, a chaplain may officiate a same-sex civil marriage”
It looks like they’re not quite at the point of court martialling non-compliant chaplains yet. If and when that point arrives, it will be interesting to see how chaplains respond.
I couldn’t find an Army memorandum at that link.
xzins do you know anything about this? I understand if you can’t talk about it or would prefer not to say.
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