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Ashley Broadway & Heather Mack

Ashley Broadway & Heather Mack

Ashley Broadway & Heather Mack

 

After "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was repealed in September 2011, many people wrongly assumed that gay and lesbian service members and their families would no longer face discrimination by the federal government. But despite the fact that gay members of the military can now serve openly, families like Army Lt. Col. Heather Mack, her wife Ashley Broadway, and their son Carson, who live near Fayetteville, NC, continue to be treated unequally. 
Because of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, the federal government and U.S military are prohibited from respecting legal marriages between same-sex couples. Although Ashley and Heather legally married in Washington, D.C. in November 2012 after 15 years together, the federal government does not respect the marriage. DOMA deprives Ashley, Heather, and thousands of same-sex military couples of over 1,100 protections and responsibilities that different-sex couples receive. These include shared health insurance and medical coverage, housing arrangements, and surviving spouse benefits.
Until February 2012, military families faced an additional layer of discrimination due to outdated Department of Defense policies: Same-sex spouses were denied military ID cards, support from family support initiatives, and joint duty assignments. 
This lack of protection – especially Ashley’s lack of military documentation – was a constant concern for the couple, as it meant that Ashley was not recognized as Heather’s wife and thus was not permitted to go on base. Instead, she was forced to abide by the military’s Family Care Plan, which named Ashley as Carson’s “caregiver.”
"It was basically a glorified name for a nanny," Ashley explained. "I had access to base and the grocery store and some amenities, but my documentation was basically for Carson. I could do things with him or for him, but things I did on base had to be strictly for him.”
This winter, Ashley made headlines when she applied for membership to the Association of Bragg Officers' Spouses and was rejected because she did not have a military ID card. The story shined a national light on how DOMA hurts families  - and it helped Ashley win Fort Bragg’s 2013 “Spouse of the Year,” which put her in consideration for the Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year Award. 
On February 11, outgoing Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced that the Pentagon would begin extending some additional protections – like military ID cards – to same-sex spouses of active service members. The memorandum extends coverage to almost everything the Pentagon can do given the constraints of DOMA, which restricts the military from addressing some of those larger concerns, like shared health coverage. 
It’s a step forward – but it’s not enough. As long as DOMA exists, couples like Ashley and Heather will continue being treated like second-class citizens with second-class marriages. They will continue facing insecurities and uncertainties about protecting their family and being respected as married.  
Ashley works as a leading member of the American Military Partner Association, a support structure for the partners and spouses of gay and lesbian service members in the U.S. military, so that she can help other military families get educated and informed about how best to speak out against DOMA and help bring an end to the insecurity that DOMA provokes. 
Ashley and Heather are a normal, loving couple who have stayed together for over 15 years. They've lived all across the southern United States – in Virginia, Kansas, Texas, Georgia, and now North Carolina – and even for a period in South Korea. They welcomed a baby girl into the world and into their family in January. And they've even seen the beginnings of the future for same-sex military spouses - in May 2012, Ashley was the first same-sex partner of military personnel invited to the First Lady's annual Mother's Day Tea at the White House.
Throughout all of their trials - as a same-sex military couple living under DADT, as a same-sex couple in the South, and as a same-sex couple standing up against DOMA - they have continually found strength in each other to navigate the challenges. Today, Ashley, Heather and their family know that DOMA is a huge stressor in their lives that complicates even the most basic aspects of life. 
Until the law is repealed - until married same-sex couples can be treated the same as married different-sex couples - she and her family will continue to face anxiety, insecurity, and disrespect.

After "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was repealed in September 2011, many people wrongly assumed that gay and lesbian service members and their families would no longer face discrimination by the federal government. But despite the fact that gay members of the military can now serve openly, families like Army Lt. Col. Heather Mack, her wife Ashley Broadway, and their son Carson, who live near Fayetteville, NC, continue to be treated unequally. 

Because of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, the federal government and U.S military are prohibited from respecting legal marriages between same-sex couples. Although Ashley and Heather legally married in Washington, D.C. in November 2012 after 15 years together, the federal government does not respect the marriage. DOMA deprives Ashley, Heather, and thousands of same-sex military couples of over 1,100 protections and responsibilities that different-sex couples receive. These include shared health insurance and medical coverage, housing arrangements, and surviving spouse benefits.

Until February 2012, military families faced an additional layer of discrimination due to outdated Department of Defense policies: Same-sex spouses were denied military ID cards, support from family support initiatives, and joint duty assignments. 

This lack of protection – especially Ashley’s lack of military documentation – was a constant concern for the couple, as it meant that Ashley was not recognized as Heather’s wife and thus was not permitted to go on base. Instead, she was forced to abide by the military’s Family Care Plan, which named Ashley as Carson’s “caregiver.”

"It was basically a glorified name for a nanny," Ashley explained. "I had access to base and the grocery store and some amenities, but my documentation was basically for Carson. I could do things with him or for him, but things I did on base had to be strictly for him.”

This winter, Ashley made headlines when she applied for membership to the Association of Bragg Officers' Spouses and was rejected because she did not have a military ID card. The story shined a national light on how DOMA hurts families  - and it helped Ashley win Fort Bragg’s 2013 “Spouse of the Year,” which put her in consideration for the Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year Award. 

On February 11, outgoing Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced that the Pentagon would begin extending some additional protections – like military ID cards – to same-sex spouses of active service members. The memorandum extends coverage to almost everything the Pentagon can do given the constraints of DOMA, which restricts the military from addressing some of those larger concerns, like shared health coverage. 

It’s a step forward – but it’s not enough. As long as DOMA exists, couples like Ashley and Heather will continue being treated like second-class citizens with second-class marriages. They will continue facing insecurities and uncertainties about protecting their family and being respected as married.  

Ashley works as a leading member of the American Military Partner Association, a support structure for the partners and spouses of gay and lesbian service members in the U.S. military, so that she can help other military families get educated and informed about how best to speak out against DOMA and help bring an end to the insecurity that DOMA provokes. 

Ashley and Heather are a normal, loving couple who have stayed together for over 15 years. They've lived all across the southern United States – in Virginia, Kansas, Texas, Georgia, and now North Carolina – and even for a period in South Korea. They welcomed a baby girl into the world and into their family in January. And they've even seen the beginnings of the future for same-sex military spouses - in May 2012, Ashley was the first same-sex partner of military personnel invited to the First Lady's annual Mother's Day Tea at the White House.

Throughout all of their trials - as a same-sex military couple living under DADT, as a same-sex couple in the South, and as a same-sex couple standing up against DOMA - they have continually found strength in each other to navigate the challenges. Today, Ashley, Heather and their family know that DOMA is a huge stressor in their lives that complicates even the most basic aspects of life. 

Until the law is repealed - until married same-sex couples can be treated the same as married different-sex couples - she and her family will continue to face anxiety, insecurity, and disrespect.

 

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