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The Pentagon announced Monday that it will be extending a slew of new benefits to same-sex partners of US troops, including use of on-base shopping centers, child care, hospital visitation, and payments to partners of missing persons.

鈥淚t is a matter of fundamental equity that we provide similar benefits to all of those men and women in uniform who serve their country,鈥� Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said in a statement released Monday.聽

The review that led to the new benefits came on the heels of the September 2011 repeal of the 鈥渄on鈥檛 ask, don鈥檛 tell鈥� policy, which had prohibited聽openly gay people from serving in the military.

However, some benefits 鈥� including health care 鈥� are prohibited under the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which Congress approved in 1996 and which states that the federal government defines marriage as strictly between a man and a woman.

DOMA is currently the subject of several lawsuits challenging its constitutionality, one of which is expected to be heard by the US Supreme Court in March.

There are also a handful of other benefits that, while legal, would likely be unpopular within the ranks, and the Pentagon has also declined to extend them.聽Most notable among those benefits is housing. Senior defense officials said they would study the possibility, but make no decisions at this time.

Housing "is not off the table,鈥� said a senior defense official, who briefed reporters at the Pentagon Monday on the condition of anonymity. The official added that he did not believe extending housing benefits to same-sex couples would 鈥渧iolate any of the statutes鈥� that address DOMA.

Among troops, particularly because base housing is in limited supply, 鈥渋t鈥檚 a very sensitive issue,鈥� the same official said.聽

This was a key reason the Pentagon decided not to include it in the package of new benefits now available to same-sex partners. 鈥淚t can be perceived as unfair 鈥� that鈥檚 a concern,鈥� the official said.聽

鈥淚t鈥檚 really nice that the Pentagon reaches out to service members to get their opinions on things, but it shouldn鈥檛 be a reason to deny services,鈥� says Greg Jacob, policy director for the Service Women鈥檚 Action Network. 鈥淵es, base housing is scarce, but if you qualify for the housing, you should be put on the list for the housing.鈥澛�

To receive the new benefits announced by the Pentagon Monday, same-sex partners will not need to be legally married by a state that permits same-sex marriage.聽Instead, they will be required to fill out a two-page legal form that affirms that two people 鈥渁re each other鈥檚 sole domestic partner, in a committed relationship, and intend to remain so indefinitely.鈥�

Gay rights advocacy groups hailed the decision. Although the Pentagon 鈥渄id not include a number of important items that could have been granted鈥� 鈥� including burial rights at national cemeteries and some overseas travel for spouses 鈥� one military gay rights advocacy group called the move 鈥渟ubstantive.鈥�

鈥淪ecretary Panetta鈥檚 decision today answers the call President Obama issued in his inaugural address to complete our nation鈥檚 journey toward equality, acknowledging the equal service and equal sacrifice of our gay and lesbian service members and their families,鈥� said Allyson Robinson, an Army veteran and executive director of OutServe-SLDN (Servicemembers Legal Defense Network), in a statement.聽

Pentagon officials say they will continue to review benefits, including housing and burial in the nation鈥檚 military cemeteries.

For the newest benefits, the services are expected to provide an implementation plan to the Pentagon within the next 60 days.聽

There are roughly 5,600 same-sex partners among active duty troops, 3,400 among National Guard and Reserve forces, and some 8,000 among retirees, according to Defense Department estimates.

The rules are expected to begin going into effect between August and October of this year.聽