A North Carolina military base celebrated a huge milestone over the weekend. According to News Observer, Fort Bragg Army base in Fayetteville held their first ever same-sex wedding ceremony for Major Daniel Toven and Jonathan Taylor.
Because same-sex marriage is still illegal in North Carolina the couple officially married in August in Washington D.C. The event on Saturday, Dec. 21 was more of a "blessing ceremony" and allowed Toven and Taylor to exchange vows inside of a church in front of more than 100 guests including family, friends and colleagues. The event took place at the historic Main Post Chapel.
Toven, 44, is a commander and conductor of the Army Ground Forces Band and his partner Taylor, 24, is a registered nurse at a local hospital and a pre-med student at Fayetteville Technical Community College and Methodist University. For the ceremony Toven wore his Army uniform while his groom wore a suit complete with a long black jacket and grey pants.
Since the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy was repealed in 2011, other same-sex marriages have taken place at different military bases including the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. and Fort Polk Army base in Louisiana.
Starting Sept. 3 military benefits was extended to same-sex couples as long as they were legally married; it didn't matter whether the state they were posted at recognized gay marriage or not.
"The Department of Defense remains committed to ensuring that all men and women who serve in the U.S. military, and their families, are treated fairly and equally as the law directs," the Pentagon said in a statement CNN reports.
