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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 20, 2015)
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015 I SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 I © 2015 STUDENT MEDIA I OTHEBATTONLINE ns mam mm ■■§ I ICHALKE, Uf CIDCT nmm I 11\3 I N 10 Si STATE Texas’ first gay marriage muddles legal discussion Austin-area judge allows couple to marry due to health concerns By Lindsey Gawlik ^ Texas’ first same-sex marriage took place ^ Thursday morning as a probate judge al lowed a couple to marry for health reasons. Just days after Travis County Probate Judge Guy Hermann mled Texas’ ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, Sarah Goodfriend and Suzanne Bryant were grant ed a one-time court order to expedite their marriage due to Goodfriend’s poor health, the Austin American-Statesman reported. Goodfriend has been diagnosed with and treated for ovarian cancer. A rabbi married the couple, who have been together for almost 31 years, while their two daughters served as witnesses. Their marriage is a one-time affair for the state of Texas — at least for now. Hours after the ceremony, the Texas Supreme Court is sued an emergency order blocking other gay couples from obtaining marriage licenses. According to the L.A. Times, Attorney Gen eral Ken Paxton said the court’s order should make the license, void. Mary Penrose, professor of Law at the Texas A&M School of Law, said the mar riage further complicates the marriage land scape in Texas. Penrose said the Tuesday rul ing is an unusual case and that probate judges do not usually make such calls. “It is rather remarkable, legally speaking, that a state probate judge would issue a rul ing on the constitutionality of same-sex mar riage,” Penrose said. “But there are occasions where a probate issue requires the resolution of issues that are tangential to will and estate contests.” Penrose noted the filing made by Paxton was made quickly as a cautionary move, since the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans is reviewing the Texas ban on same- sex marriages. “And the United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments in an unre lated case addressing the constitutionality of denying state marriage licenses to same-sex couples, [so] the Texas attorney general has filed an emergency request with the Texas Supreme Court seeking to block Judge Her man’s order,” Penrose said. In Febmary 2014, a federal judge over turned Texas’ ban on same-sex marriage, but he held his ruling pending appeals, so it has not gone into effect. Same-sex marriage is legal in 36 states and the District of Columbia. ARMED FORCES Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks at the 60th MSC Student Conference on National Affairs Thursday in Rudder. Cody Franklin — THE BATTALION Gen. Dempsey talks 'moral courage’ in leadership By Spencer Davis The highest-ranking member of the ^ U.S. Armed Forces stepped on cam pus this week for the first time. Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff conducted a re view of the Corps of Cadets Wednesday and spoke Thursday morning at the 60th MSC Student Conference on National Affairs, an annual event that hosts student delegates from around the nation to dis cuss national issues. Dempsey became chairman in 2011 and is now the principal military advisor to President Barack Obama. In that role he continues to directly influence Ameri can military and counterterrorism policy. His speech surveyed important topics of security concerning Russian aggression DEMPSEY ON PC. 2 CORPS OF CADETS Shelby Knowles — THE BATTALION Cadet reflects on experiences that led her to the Corps' top leadership role By Lindsey Gawlik or Alyssa Michalke, the first female Coips commander in 139 years, this last week has been a whirlwind. Michalke, an ocean engineering junior and current Corps sergeant major, said taking the role means helping to write a new chapter in A&M’s history. “In the back of my mind I knew if I did this it would be almost the final chapter in the book,” Michalke said. “This is one of the final chapters in the book of women’s history here at A&M and in the Corps.” Coincidentally aligning with the 40th academic year since women were integrated into the Corps, Michalke’s appointment came just days before this weekend’s anniversary celebration. “When I met all these women in the fall, they asked ‘Hey are you going to apply for command er? You have got to apply, you are it, you are it,’” Michalke said. When she came to A&M, she said joining the ■ Corps was a tough decision because she wasn’t sure how she would like the military lifestyle. “But I quickly adapted to it and I learned that it’s a challenge, but it’s one that is going to make me a lot stronger of a person, a lot better person as a leader and as an individual,” Michalke said. “It’s been a great experience so far and hopefully next year holds a lot of the same. When she started at Texas A&M three years ago, she said she never expected she would become the commander, but said it has been an exciting blessing. “Freshman year I really looked up to the [com manding officer] of my outfit, and I was like,‘That’s what I want to be one day, that’s what I want to MICHALKE ON PG. 3 40 years in, women reflect on Corps Weekend event to bring together past and present cadets By Kylee Reid The history of females in the Corps ^ of Cadets has not always been one of acceptance, but this weekend past and present female cadets will gather ori cam pus to reflect on how the organization has changed in the last four decades. Put on by the Corps of Cadets Associa tion, the weekend-long event “40 Years of Women in the Corps” is a time for people to get together and share memories, said event coordinator Amanda Fleming. Sandy Barth, Class of 1983 and former cadet, said she will not be able to attend the event, but thinks the opportunity to share experiences is important. “I remember an incident that hap pened just to me and I’ve never forgotten about it after all these years because I just couldn’t grasp it,” Barth said. “We were going to some kind of function and we 40 YEARS ON PG. 3 Allison Bradshaw —THE BATTALION To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the integration of women, the Corps of Cadets Association is holding a weekend-long event. r #V JOTH For [very TAMU student who attends the game, Assistant Coach Bob Starkey & his wife Sherie Starkey wiu donate SI to the PinkAuiance! S1 HDi IJEO l \ r* t*