VA decision on same-sex couple burial rights departs from earlier warnings
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The government has cleared the first burial of a same-sex spouse of a veteran in a national cemetery, but it's uncertain how easy it will be for other gay military couples to win the same benefit.
In a statement, the Veterans Affairs Department says Secretary Eric Shinseki's decision to grant burial to a same-sex spouse in Oregon was not designed to set precedent. However, it represents a big departure from the past.
In 2008, the National Cemetery Association published a directive stating that individuals in same-sex civil unions or marriage are ineligible for burial in a national cemetery or state veterans cemetery that received federal money.
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Retired Lt. Col. Linda Campbell subsequently pressed the VA to allow burial for her spouse, Nancy Lynchild.
Shinseki eventually agreed, citing their committed relationship.