The tweet from a Pentagon account that caused the Pentagon’s press secretary to order it — and several others later that tried to keep the “humor” going — deleted. As the entire account has now been. (Business Insider has the details).

“. . . [T]he Department will work to make the same benefits available to all military spouses, regardless of whether they are in same-sex or opposite-sex marriages. The Department will continue to recognize all marriages that are valid in the place of celebration,” Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel wrote in a memo.

The Pentagon will extend leave of up to 10 days to those who want to marry but need to travel to a different state where same-sex unions are legal and recognized. “This will provide accelerated access to the full range of benefits offered to married military couples throughout the Department and help level the playing field between opposite-sex and same-sex couples seeking to be married,” Hagel’s memo said.

Earlier, the Pentagon had pledged to extended benefits to same-sex couples in a “committed relationship.” That will now narrow to married couples only.

“As the Supreme Court’s ruling has made it possible for same-sex couples to marry and be afforded benefits available to any military spouse and family, I have determined, consistent with the unanimous advice of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that the extension of benefits to the san1e-sex domestic partners of military members is no longer necessary to remedy the inequity that was caused by section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act,” Hagel wrote.

The spousal and family benefits, including TRICARE health plan, housing allowance and family separation allowance, will be retroactive to the June 26th date of the Supreme Court decision.

Here’s what Cause of Action said was the policy:

A “significant” request is defined by the policy document as one where, in the judgment of a FOIA office, “the subject matter of the released documents may generate media interest and/or may be of interest or potential interest to DoD senior leadership.” This can include requests regarding “the current administration (including request for information on Senator Obama) previous administrations, and current or previous DoD leadership.”

Below, the list of “95 undated FOIA requests filed with the Army, Navy, Air Force, NSA, Defense Logistics Agency, Secretary of Defense, United States Southern Command, National Guard Bureau and other offices that had “Department Level Interest,” as Leopold put it.

Those were the numbers the AP said it was given by a Pentagon source; others have confirmed them. 

That the number for 2012 exceeded combat deaths (311) was a part of the buzz with the new numbers when they hit the wires earlier this week. But as time.com notes: “There are simply far fewer troops dying in combat now than at any time in nearly a decade. So it’s only natural that the number of suicides would overtake the number of combat deaths at some point.” (time.com graphic at bottom of post.)

Historically, the suicides ”began rising in 2006 and soared to a then-record 310 in 2009 before leveling off for two years,” AP said in its story. “It came as a surprise to many that the numbers resumed an upward climb this year, given that U.S. military involvement in Iraq is over and the Obama administration is taking steps to wind down the war in Afghanistan.”

“We are deeply concerned about suicide in the military, which is one of the most urgent problems facing the department,” Pentagon spokeswoman Cynthia O. Smith told the Washington Post. “We are committed to taking care of our people, and that includes doing everything possible to prevent suicides in the military.” 

1. USA Today: “About half of women sent to Iraq or Afghanistan report being sexually harassed, and nearly one in four say they were sexually assaulted, according to new research by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

   “The study — based on anonymous surveys of female servicemembers who deployed to war — suggest a far higher prevalence of sexual misconduct against women in war zones than is reflected by complaints gathered by the various service branches.” FULL STORY

2. A Pentagon survey of military academy students shows a 23% uptick in sexual assault since 2011 and assault “continuess to be a persistent problem,”  according to the director of the Pentagon’s sexual assault prevention and response office. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta called for “a strong and immediate response.”

   → FULL AP STORY
   → PDF OF THE STUDY
   → PENTAGON RELEASE 

Letter released by the Pentagon last Thursday, in response to a letter from the Pentagon Press Association in July asking for clarity on what the Pentagon means when it says it “monitors” journalists.  (via Politico).

Pentagon Press Secretary George Little last week used “monitor” in a statement  on next steps intended to thwart Pentagon leaks. “The Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary for Public  Affairs, will monitor all major, national level reporting for unauthorized disclosures of defense  department classified information,” LIttle said. 

Friday’s letter to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey said, “[T]he phrase ‘monitor all major, national level reporting’ could be interpreted by some as authorizing intrusive actions aimed at members of the news  media who report on defense issues.

“We have received no answers as to specific monitoring authorities,  and ‘reporting’ is much broader than ‘published reports.’ We are asking you to clarify in writing what is meant by ‘monitor all major, national level reporting.’ “

Among the questions asked: 

• What media do you monitor?
•  Do you have authority to do the following: 
• Tap phones at work or home?
• Intercept or monitor emails?
• Conduct monitoring or surveillance of Pentagon press workspaces?
• Are you authorized to monitor phone conversations, emails or press workspaces without our knowledge?

The Pentagon is “reviewing” the letter, Politico says, citing a statement late Friday from Little. “The Department will, of course, review this letter. We have great respect for the Pentagon press corps and its vital role in informing the American people. The key goal of the steps we announced is to ensure that Department officials honor their obligation to protect classified information.”