The Wisconsin Gazette reports that the Chief of Navy Chaplains has issued a memo stating that chaplains can perform same-sex marriages on-base, as long as they are in a state that allows same-sex marriage.
The article, which refers to an Lez Get Real report that an April 13 memo (PDF) overturns a previous DADT training decision, which had indicated that same-sex marriages were not authorized on federal property.
After additional review, the Chief of Navy Chaplains said the Navy, "“has concluded that, generally speaking, base facility use is sexual orientation neutral.”
Chaplains are allowed to marry same-sex couples, but are not forced to do so, which is in keeping with current navy policy.
The memo also refers to current Navy DADT training, which indicates that training of the Navy is going apace:
Clifford Stanley, the U.S. undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, told the House Armed Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Military Personnel that the military had trained 9 percent of its forces in March without meeting any resistance to the new policy.
“It has gone extremely well so far,” Stanley told the panel.
I don't know that this is "groundbreaking", or breaking news, but I think it is good news that training is going forward with not much pushback. I find that very heartening. And Dan Choi weighs in with some beautiful prose:
“This is an important step in our military’s work to manifest the American promise to all those who defend the American people. The military’s greatest weapon is its people; the equal treatment of all military families is critical to fulfilling our shared mandate to support our troops and their families.”
Here's to slow but steady work toward full repeal of DADT in our Military.