According to the guidelines, the chaplains would not be required to perform same sex weddings if doing so will be against their religious beliefs. According to spokesman for Military Chaplains Association Gary Pollitt, the chaplains would still need to get the approval of their religious order.

Same sex weddings are legal in Washington D. C, Connecticut, Iowa, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont. Maryland and some other states do recognize gay marriages but they do not give out marriage licenses to gay couples. At present, 41 states have laws or constitutional amendments that ban same-sex marriages.

The new guidance from Pentagon validates a move made by the Navy last May that was criticized by the conservatives because the Navy acted on its own instead of consulting with other military services. The new guidance earned the ire of Republican lawmakers who were attempting to block the measure that would end the ban on gays serving openly in the military.