Pentagon to Begin Issuing Same-Sex Domestic Partner Benefits on September 1

From The Towleroad:
The Pentagon will begin issueing same-sex domestic partner benefits on September 1, the Washington Times reports:

The dependents’ ID cards will entitle partners to scores of benefits, as outlined by then-Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta in a February policy decision.

The ID card Web notice refers to same-sex domestic partners as “SSDPs.”

The benefits include education, survivor, commissary, travel, counseling and transportation, but not what some consider the armed forces’ premium perks — health care and housing allowances.

Mr. Panetta said the federal Defense of Marriage Act restricts those benefits to heterosexual couples, though the Pentagon has not ruled out offering them to homosexual couples at some point.

Still, the new benefits and special ID cards represent a victory for the gay rights movement in the wake of President Obama’s lifting the long-time ban on open homosexuals in the ranks.

I would like to point out, that this really isn't much of a victory, mere crumbs at best.
DOMA does prevent the Pentagon from offering full benefits to gay couples, but the simple fact is this..
Why are they pushing to get this package out now you might ask?
It's simple, the Supreme Court is about to decide on DOMA and many believe that DOMA will be struck down, the Pentagon is putting out this *new* policy (which took a year and a half to get passed)
Just how much longer will it take to update this new policy, after DOMA's repeal?
Just so ya know, it takes 40 days to train a new soldier, it took the Pentagon 9 months of implementation training to fully comply with the repeal of DADT.