An Air Force airman and his partner have been united in a civil union ceremony held at the military base where the airman is stationed.
Dozens of friends and family members attended Saturday afternoon's ceremony for Tech. Sgt. Erwynn Umali and Will Behrens. It was presided over by Kay Reeb, a Navy chaplain with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, who also serves at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.
"We are so honored to be a part of this historic moment to be one of the first gay couples allowed to unite in a civil union on a military base," the couple said in a statement after the ceremony.
"We hope to be an inspiration to others in the LGBT community that struggle with the challenge of marriage equality. And that this issue is not just about the military, but the equal sacrifice and shared burdens of our loved ones who are civilians."
