Posted on Jan 26, 2015
When, Not If, Will We See Open Transgender Military Service?
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On November 23, 2014, the Palm Center released a statement entitled "Military Services Have Failed To Comply With New Defense Department Rules On Transgender Personnel."
http://www.palmcenter.org/files/services%20out%20of%20compliance%20memo.pdf
This followed a report from last March where former Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders led a group that concluded there were no sound medical reasons why transgender people couldn't serve in the military services. It also followed an August report outlining a blueprint for how transgender people can be integrated into the military services - integrated much in the same way as 18 of our allies have already accomplished within their military services.
Military Times covered release of this latest report by the Palm Center. "A change to a Pentagon personnel policy three months ago loosens the rules barring transgender troops from serving in the U.S. military," stated the Army and Navy Times in their article entitled Report: Loophole could allow transgender troops to serve under new DoD policy, "giving the individual services leeway to retain these personnel." The article further stated, "The update -- to Defense Department Instruction 1332.18, Disability Evaluation System -- provides a loophole for the services to let transgender troops serve instead of requiring administrative separation, the Palm Center says."
The same socially conservative religious organizations that argued against repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) such as the Center for Military Readiness, the Center for Security Policy, and the Family Research Council, are using almost identical arguments. In the end, those arguments didn't work and DADT was repealed.
DADT was a federal law passed in 1993 that barred lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) service members from serving openly in the military services, and the law needed repeal before LGB service members could serve openly in recent years. All that bars transgender people from serving openly now is the DoD and individual service regulations. And, it appears that the overarching DoD regulation was weakened last August so that the four DoD military services could change their rules now to allow open transgender service.
The military didn't implode when LGB service members could serve openly in the American military services; the military won't implode if – or when - transgender service members can serve openly in the American military services. Honestly, does anybody currently serving in the military, who has given more than a moment's thought to this, really believe there won't come a point in the next five years or so where transgender service members are serving openly? I think most people who've put some thought into this know that it's not a question of whether America will have openly transgender service members at some point, but rather a question of when we'll have it.
So with that in mind, do you agree it's a question of "when" and not "if"? And if you agree it's a "when," how soon do you believe we'll see open transgender military service?
http://www.palmcenter.org/files/services%20out%20of%20compliance%20memo.pdf
This followed a report from last March where former Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders led a group that concluded there were no sound medical reasons why transgender people couldn't serve in the military services. It also followed an August report outlining a blueprint for how transgender people can be integrated into the military services - integrated much in the same way as 18 of our allies have already accomplished within their military services.
Military Times covered release of this latest report by the Palm Center. "A change to a Pentagon personnel policy three months ago loosens the rules barring transgender troops from serving in the U.S. military," stated the Army and Navy Times in their article entitled Report: Loophole could allow transgender troops to serve under new DoD policy, "giving the individual services leeway to retain these personnel." The article further stated, "The update -- to Defense Department Instruction 1332.18, Disability Evaluation System -- provides a loophole for the services to let transgender troops serve instead of requiring administrative separation, the Palm Center says."
The same socially conservative religious organizations that argued against repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) such as the Center for Military Readiness, the Center for Security Policy, and the Family Research Council, are using almost identical arguments. In the end, those arguments didn't work and DADT was repealed.
DADT was a federal law passed in 1993 that barred lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) service members from serving openly in the military services, and the law needed repeal before LGB service members could serve openly in recent years. All that bars transgender people from serving openly now is the DoD and individual service regulations. And, it appears that the overarching DoD regulation was weakened last August so that the four DoD military services could change their rules now to allow open transgender service.
The military didn't implode when LGB service members could serve openly in the American military services; the military won't implode if – or when - transgender service members can serve openly in the American military services. Honestly, does anybody currently serving in the military, who has given more than a moment's thought to this, really believe there won't come a point in the next five years or so where transgender service members are serving openly? I think most people who've put some thought into this know that it's not a question of whether America will have openly transgender service members at some point, but rather a question of when we'll have it.
So with that in mind, do you agree it's a question of "when" and not "if"? And if you agree it's a "when," how soon do you believe we'll see open transgender military service?
Policy
Transgender
Don't ask Don't tell (DADT)
Command Post
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 156
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Why has the military gone to more "gender-neutral" uniforms? Because no one cares what sex you are when you're in a foxhole or on the deck of an aircraft carrier. If you want to transition, leave the military, pay for the surgery yourself, and then reapply for military service. It's your conflict, not the military's.
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Do we allow insulin-dependent diabetics to serve? Seriously, any need for ongoing medical tx should be a bar to military service.
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Once competent Leaders get back into the Executive Branch and in the DOD, this whole faile “trans” experiment will be over and done with. The US Military isn’t a place to get you sex reassignment or placate a delusion. How does that make a unit combat ready? HINT: it doesn’t. “Diversity” isn’t a strength… as we’ve seen these last three years, it’s a debilitating weakness. Fit the standard for combat readiness. Our adversary will not care how “woke” we are.
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I got very little sleep in basic , AIT, and combat. I can't imagine trying to sleep with one eye open.
At Ft. Jackson arriving at basic training, those fellas wearing smoky the bear hats gave us such a warm, loving, friendly welcome, right from beginning when we got off the bus. We were warned about WAC's living on the base and not to ever get caught looking toward that part of the base. WWII barracks offered us private toilets, urinal's, and showers At BIVWAC we enjoyed open air baths using our helmets for water.
We were trained to fight and kill, sometimes with bayonets, or hand to hand because that's what soldiers do, like a football team.
My son went to a coed college. on weekends, they would bus the boys to Kathern St. in Montreal. He came home on weekends. He wanted to join the military like his ancestor's. I said, "NO" This country has changed.
At Ft. Jackson arriving at basic training, those fellas wearing smoky the bear hats gave us such a warm, loving, friendly welcome, right from beginning when we got off the bus. We were warned about WAC's living on the base and not to ever get caught looking toward that part of the base. WWII barracks offered us private toilets, urinal's, and showers At BIVWAC we enjoyed open air baths using our helmets for water.
We were trained to fight and kill, sometimes with bayonets, or hand to hand because that's what soldiers do, like a football team.
My son went to a coed college. on weekends, they would bus the boys to Kathern St. in Montreal. He came home on weekends. He wanted to join the military like his ancestor's. I said, "NO" This country has changed.
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The main difference between DADT is that no medical intervention was needed, if they wanted to practice their sexual preference, did not take away from mission accomplishment.
Now, in the case of crossdressers, they want to have surgery and take medication to convert to the incorrect gender (DNA will never change) so that DOES affect mission accomplishment. CD's cannot deploy to a combat zone or hotspot while undergoing transition for fear of no available treatment options.
As a warfighter, we have to be ready at a moments notice to deploy, fight, and destroy our Nation's enemies.
Now, in the case of crossdressers, they want to have surgery and take medication to convert to the incorrect gender (DNA will never change) so that DOES affect mission accomplishment. CD's cannot deploy to a combat zone or hotspot while undergoing transition for fear of no available treatment options.
As a warfighter, we have to be ready at a moments notice to deploy, fight, and destroy our Nation's enemies.
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Transgender used to be classified as a mental illness until they changed the meaning. Now it's called gender dysphoria. Dysphoria is a symptom associated with a variety of mental illnesses.
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I am one who really do not care what your poiltical affiliation is, your religion or your sexual preferences. As long as you have my back i will have yours. The one problem I have seen coming uo recently is service members coming into the service than announcing that they aree transgender good for you. Then those same people expect the military to help you in some cases get surgery for your sex change assignment. Gays, lesbians, transgenders have been in the military for many many years we just did not allow the openess of their choices. We are all human beings we all were created. Special provisons have been made for women to board ships, submarines combat units etc. Its a bigger issue that is not going away folks. Open your eyse. The military of twenty years ago is so much not the military of today.
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And what makes gay or transgender service members so special? They are AMERICANS. They aren’t any more special. You gain no additional merit of respect from me simply because you are gay. American service members all deserve the same respect. We all swore our allegiance and service, at the cost of (if so be it) of our mortal soul.
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