A group of U.S. service members who are legally married to same-sex partners has filed to sue the U.S. federal government to attain the same benefits and support awarded to their heterosexual co-workers.

The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network filed the lawsuit Thursday in the northeastern U.S. state of Massachusetts, one of six U.S. states that grants marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

The suit includes six active service members and their partners, and two retired service members.

The plaintiffs say they want to receive the same health care, housing, and surviving-spouse benefits for their partners as straight couples get.

The U.S. military earlier this year ended its “don't ask, don't tell” policy that forbade gay service members from talking about their homosexuality. But current federal law requires the military to ignore homosexual marriages.

A Pentagon spokeswoman told The Washington Post that officials are reviewing the matter on benefits for same-sex partners.