FAYETTEVILLE, NC — The Association of Bragg Officers' Spouses (ABOS) did an about-face Thursday, inviting Amy Broadway, a lesbian spouse, to become a full member.
Broadway, who is married to Lt. Col. Heather Marshall of Fort Bragg's First Theater Sustainable Command, applied for membership last month, but was denied because, as a same-sex spouse, she was not eligible for a spouse's ID card.
Mrs. Colonel Leslie Drinkwine, Brigade Commander of the ABOS Board of Directors, explained to Duffel Blog that ABOS bylaws required a valid military ID. However, Defense Department policy does not currently recognize spouses of gay or lesbian service members.
According to Mrs. Colonel Drinkwine, the organization is distinct from the US Army's command-sanctioned Family Readiness Groups, or FRGs. The club was founded in 2010 by Mrs. Colonel Drinkwine, after she was banned from participating in official Fort Bragg FRG events in the wake of a 15-6 investigation into her activities as the FRG leader in the 4th Brigade Combat Team-82nd Airborne Division.
