Delegate Stephen Skinner (D-67th) confirmed that he had requested information and been briefed by West Virginia National Guard leaders regarding West Virginia’s implementation of the DOD benefits for spouses, including issuing ID cards to same sex spouses.
“West Virginia took the appropriate steps to review the implementation issues while respecting the rights of service members,” Skinner said.
“I have great respect for the history and tradition of professionalism of the West Virginia National Guard.”
Skinner believes that the Department of Defense may have prematurely criticized West Virginia without understanding the review that the West Virginia National Guard needed to do.
Skinner is the first openly gay member of the West Virginia Legislature.