A new policy for civilian teachers in schools serving Department of Defense families will allow homosexual duos to be considered for transfers just like married couples, federal officials and union leaders have confirmed.

According to documents posted online by the Federal Education Association, a union representing the teachers, a memorandum of understanding over teachers and their employment has been amended.

The change adopted for the 2010-2011 school year will "include acceptance of requests for joint assignments from DoDEA employees who affirm in accordance with this amendment that they are in a domestic partnership."

"The parties further agree that if DoDEA employees are in a legally recognized same-sex marriage or civil union, then these DoDEA employees will be eligible to participate in the Transfer Program," the agreement said.

It means homosexuals in "domestic" partnerships with other instructors will be given the same recognition as married teachers when seeking transfers.

"Our teachers have wanted this for years because we have a lot of teachers who have domestic partners," Debra Degalis of the FEA told Stars and Stripes. "It's a really big win."

The policy was approved by Marie Sainz-Funaro, the chief of the Overseas Federation of Teachers; Michael Priser of the Federal Education Association; and Lenoir Graham, the Department of Defense Education Association's human resources director.

The U.S. Department of Defense later confirmed it was reviewing the change but declined further comment.

Since school needs, teacher experience and other factors affect the scheduling of classes for Department of Defense dependents around the globe, teachers routinely are moved around.

Now any joint transfer opportunity that previously applied to married couples also reaches out to same-sex duos.

They only need to have a legal civil-union certificate or sign an affidavit that they are "life partners," officials said.

The policy defines "domestic partners" as two people who are not married but who are living together. The application form calls for an affirmation that the two adults are "legally free to enter in the relationship" and that the relationship has been going on for at least a year.

The action comes as President Obama lobbies to eliminate the military's 20-year-old "Don't ask, don't tell" provision.

WND columnist Mychal Massie recently asked why Obama finds it so important to have homosexuals openly identified in the U.S. Army.

"Will it boost morale amongst the troops? Will it make those opposed to such behavior, based on their religious or personal convictions, find homosexuality more acceptable? How will deconstructing established and understandably necessary military protocol – for the purpose of a social-engineering agenda being forced by extremists – provide for a stable military environment?" he wondered.

"What happens if a soldier doesn't knowingly want a homosexual doctor/medic doing his personal examination? How long before the military is expected to make special provisions based on sexual preference? How long before lawsuits begin?"

"I suspect there are some who know Obama's true motivations for supporting the compromising of troop morale and the true values of our country," wrote Massic, chief of the National Leadership Network of Black Conservatives.

In Congress, Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Pa., has been lobbying to overturn the 1993 law that declares homosexuals ineligible to serve in the U.S. armed forces. He's suggesting that "discrimination" in the military "based on homosexuality or bisexuality, whether the orientation is real or perceived," be banned.

"[Current policy] clearly isn't working for our military, and it hurts national security and military readiness," said Murphy in an earlier statement. "Our military needs the best and the brightest who are willing to serve – and that means all Americans, regardless of their orientation. Discharging brave and talented service members from our armed forces is contrary to the values that our military fights for and that our nation holds dear."

However, Elaine Donnelly, president of the Center for Military Readiness, said soldiers actually do care whether they are serving alongside open homosexuals.

She points to surveys of soldiers and veterans, including a poll conducted by the Military Officers Association of America, which in October 2008 asked readers of the MOAA magazine Military Officer their opinion on the issue.

According to a Washington Times report, of the 1,664 respondents (active-duty troops, veterans and their families) to the MOAA poll, only 31 percent favored repeal of current law, while 68 percent opposed it. Furthermore, 68 percent of respondents argued that repealing the current law and policies would have a negative effect on troop morale and readiness.

In the early 1990s, President Clinton pushed for legal codification of a policy that wouldn't ban homosexuality in the military, but only ban open displays, what has since been called "Don't ask, don't tell."

Instead, Congress passed a law in 1993 declaring homosexual soldiers and recruits ineligible to serve in the armed forces, making no exceptions for who "asked" and who "told."

Nonetheless, Clinton drafted and enforced the policy that Congress refused to codify, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Feb. 15, 2010