The Defense Department on Wednesday announced plans to extend benefits to same-sex spouses of uniformed service personnel and DOD civilian employees. These spousal and family benefits will become available no later than Sept. 3, “as long as service member-sponsors provide a valid marriage certificate,” states the Pentagon’s Aug. 14 release. This action follows the Supreme Court’s ruling on June 26 that parts of the Defense of Marriage Act are unconstitutional. Benefits such as Tricare enrollment, basic housing allowance, and family separation allowance are retroactive to the date of the Supreme Court’s decision, states the release. For members married after the decision, benefits begin at the date of marriage. DOD “remains committed to ensuring that all men and women who serve our country and their families are treated fairly and equally,” said Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, in his memo to the service Secretaries on this change. “Expeditious implementation” of this, he said, “will help the department remain true to that commitment.”
Celebrating 100 Years of Liquid-Fueled Rockets
March 11, 2026
March 16, 2026, marks 100 years since Dr. Robert H. Goddard launched the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket. Over the past century, new and ever more capable liquid-fueled rockets have literally propelled humanity into space. Why liquid-fueled rockets?