Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013

VA grants burial rights for same-sex Ore. couple

By STEVEN DUBOIS

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The same-sex spouse of a member of the military will be buried in a U.S. national cemetery.

The federal law defining marriage as between a man and a woman meant same-sex couples couldn't have nonveteran partners buried in national cemeteries.

But Oregon officials say VA secretary Eric Shinseki granted a waiver.

The Department of Veterans Affairs will allow Nancy Lynchild to be buried at Willamette National Cemetery southeast of Portland.

She was married to Linda Campbell, who retired from the military after serving on active duty in the Air Force, in the Oregon Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserves. Lynchild died in December of cancer at 64.

2013-02-14 23:53:49 GMT

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