The Pentagon Will Grant Gay Families In The Military Equal Benefits

The Pentagon will announce tomorrow a plan to extend all military benefits to same sex couples, an unnamed source told NBC News.

The changes will grant military members leave explicitly to travel to states where gay marriage is legal, and also allow same-sex couples base housing privileges.

This after the June Supreme Court decision that declared the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment, which guarantees all citizens equal protection under the law.

The 5-4 ruling removed the final hurdle for a full recognition of gay marriages just two years after congress repealed, "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell," and allowed gay and lesbian troops to serve openly.

NBC says the latest move could go into effect as early as Sept. 3.

Same sex couples were granted partial benefits, including survivor benefits and access to things like base grocery stores and other facilities, in early June even before the DOMA repeal, by order of then-Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.