Posted on Aug 26, 2015
"Military transgender ban set to end next May"
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From: USA Today
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon’s ban on transgender troops would end May 27 under a draft timeline on repeal of the policy that affects about 12,000 troops, according to a document obtained by USA TODAY.
The memo, circulated last week among top personnel and medical officials, lays out the road map for ending the policy and highlights some of the potential issues, including a pilot program that would provide leaves of absences for transgender troops being treated with hormones or having surgery.
Meanwhile, Army and the Air Force leaders know for sure of about 20 transgender troops in each service, according to a Defense Department official familiar with the issue who spoke on condition of anonymity because officials were not authorized to speak publicly. The condition of gender dysphoria disqualifies them from service under current policy, but a de facto moratorium on dismissals was enacted last month by Defense Secretary Ash Carter.
Carter ordered a six-month review of the issues surrounding transgender troops with the assumption that they can serve openly unless “objective, practical impediments are identified,” the Aug. 19 memo says. During that period, one of Carter’s chief deputies would have to approve any request to discharge transgender troops.
The memo details a list of issues surrounding the open service of transgender troops, including medical treatment, housing, uniforms and physical fitness standards.
Earlier this month, a study in the New England Journal of Medicine by the Palm Center estimated that it would cost the military $5.6 million per year to treat transgender troops. The center, which studies issues of sexuality and the military, estimated that 188 of the 12,000 transgender troops would seek treatment in any given year. The number of transgender troops is an estimate; detailed numbers are harder to come by because troops have risked being discharged if they made their transgender status public.
Pentagon officials will consider a pilot program that would allow transgender troops under medical treatment to take a sabbatical from service, returning to the ranks after they have made their transition to the other gender. They must also decide whether transgender troops being treated are eligible for deployment to war zones, the memo says.
Also under consideration: revisiting the discharge status of transgender troops who have been kicked out of the service. It is unclear how many troops have been discharged over the years for the condition because the Pentagon does not track them. A dishonorable discharge for having gender dysphoria could affect employment opportunities and veterans benefits.
Some top officers complained that the military has been asked to enact too much social change in recent years, including the 2011 repeal of the military’s ban on gay and lesbian troops serving openly, and on the continuing integration of women into combat units, said the Defense official and a colleague, who also spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly.
Many senior officers, however, want a clear policy on transgender troops, the Defense officials said. These officers are comfortable with rules that allow them to keep good troops with gender dysphoria and provide them treatment.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/08/25/military-transgender-ban-set-end-next-may/32345385/
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon’s ban on transgender troops would end May 27 under a draft timeline on repeal of the policy that affects about 12,000 troops, according to a document obtained by USA TODAY.
The memo, circulated last week among top personnel and medical officials, lays out the road map for ending the policy and highlights some of the potential issues, including a pilot program that would provide leaves of absences for transgender troops being treated with hormones or having surgery.
Meanwhile, Army and the Air Force leaders know for sure of about 20 transgender troops in each service, according to a Defense Department official familiar with the issue who spoke on condition of anonymity because officials were not authorized to speak publicly. The condition of gender dysphoria disqualifies them from service under current policy, but a de facto moratorium on dismissals was enacted last month by Defense Secretary Ash Carter.
Carter ordered a six-month review of the issues surrounding transgender troops with the assumption that they can serve openly unless “objective, practical impediments are identified,” the Aug. 19 memo says. During that period, one of Carter’s chief deputies would have to approve any request to discharge transgender troops.
The memo details a list of issues surrounding the open service of transgender troops, including medical treatment, housing, uniforms and physical fitness standards.
Earlier this month, a study in the New England Journal of Medicine by the Palm Center estimated that it would cost the military $5.6 million per year to treat transgender troops. The center, which studies issues of sexuality and the military, estimated that 188 of the 12,000 transgender troops would seek treatment in any given year. The number of transgender troops is an estimate; detailed numbers are harder to come by because troops have risked being discharged if they made their transgender status public.
Pentagon officials will consider a pilot program that would allow transgender troops under medical treatment to take a sabbatical from service, returning to the ranks after they have made their transition to the other gender. They must also decide whether transgender troops being treated are eligible for deployment to war zones, the memo says.
Also under consideration: revisiting the discharge status of transgender troops who have been kicked out of the service. It is unclear how many troops have been discharged over the years for the condition because the Pentagon does not track them. A dishonorable discharge for having gender dysphoria could affect employment opportunities and veterans benefits.
Some top officers complained that the military has been asked to enact too much social change in recent years, including the 2011 repeal of the military’s ban on gay and lesbian troops serving openly, and on the continuing integration of women into combat units, said the Defense official and a colleague, who also spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly.
Many senior officers, however, want a clear policy on transgender troops, the Defense officials said. These officers are comfortable with rules that allow them to keep good troops with gender dysphoria and provide them treatment.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/08/25/military-transgender-ban-set-end-next-may/32345385/
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Transgender
Transgender
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 33
Why does anyone care? Just like everyone else that joins, as long as they serve honorably, point their weapon at the enemy and pull that trigger, keep their private life private, wear the uniform according to regs, render proper courtesy to all ranks......pretty much what everyone is supposed to do, then why would it matter?
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MAJ (Join to see)
I will be transgendered tomorrow if it means I get an additional 10% on my body fat percentage and 6 more minutes on my run! (That's a joke by the way)
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MAJ (Join to see)
The bad message is continuously being interpreted wrong. It's not the true transgendered people causing the problem it's the lazy heterosexuals causing the strife. Same concern with the bathroom issue.
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SSG Demetrius Davis
Why do a lot of people use the 'as long as they do their job' line? Being transgender is not good or bad, moral or immoral, sick or not sick, etc. The only thing true about it is that everyone has an opinion about it and have the right to feel about it the way they want to. I think what most have a problem with is being forced to accept it no matter what their beliefs are. I've commented somewhere else as well so if you read it this is just going to sound repetitive, my apologies. When I say forced to accept it, of course I do not mean physically forced. My question is why is it okay to be pro-transgender but not okay to be anti-transgender? Not anti as in harassing and/or assaulting anyone, anti as in 'I do not now or will ever think of a natural born man as a woman or vice versa'. Not saying transgender 'women' are going to go on a rape rampage or anything but why should female soldiers be forced to share a locker/rest/shower room with a penis if they are uncomfortable with it? I don't see the military segregating transgender (that would be a whole other controversy) so penis' in the female locker/rest/shower room will become a reality or breasts and vaginas in the male locker/rest/shower room. For the transgender 'women' whose sexual preference are women, what happens then? While in a locker/rest/shower room the transgender 'woman' begins to get an erection, should the natural born females just accept it? Sincerely, none of what I am saying is meant to be humorous so please do not take it as such. I don't think the military (or the government) is going to force transgender people to complete the whole reassignment surgery before they are accepted as male or female so what is the plan? Will the military force natural born males to room with transgender males and vice versa regardless of beliefs? From what I understood in the units I deployed with, males and females were not allowed in each other's rooms in order to reduce the risk of sexual assault. Again, not saying transgenders are automatically going to rape people but is the risk still the same? Will a transgender 'woman', while deployed and/or in the barracks, whose sexual preference are women, and who has not had the reassignment surgery, room with male or female? Since 'her' sexual preference is women, would not the risk of sexual assault be the same as if a straight male roomed with a straight female? Of course asking the sexual preference of anyone is not allowed but for the sake of argument if it was known. So, if sexual preference cannot be known nor is trans segregation an option, what is the plan. This is why I say getting the job done no matter your gender is not the most important factor in lifting the transgender ban.
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Well... I knew it was inevitable based on the discussions we've already had. Since it will be ordered, I will support it.
I personally don't have any issues with transgender troops serving, and know that there are already some that do (successfully).
I hope the implementation and plan though will be well thought out.
I personally don't have any issues with transgender troops serving, and know that there are already some that do (successfully).
I hope the implementation and plan though will be well thought out.
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Just trying to figure out why individuals cannot just serve the military. It is not up to the military to serve their desires. If you want an elective operation, the military is not the place to find it. I had several surgeries while on active duty, but they were not to fix something that I didn't like about my body, they were to repair my body. That is all that the medical field should have to do is repair the service member so they can fight another day, not make them more comfortable about their insecurities.
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PO1 Michael G.
Sir, that's a pretty good point, but I have to say that it is not *strictly* true that military medicine exists only to correct injuries. A counter example that comes readily to mind is that the military will pay for a service member to have a vasectomy or to have tubal ligation, which are elective procedures and don't necessarily produce an extra-productive service member. Additionally, the military will pay for braces for service members, often for purely cosmetic reasons. So, it's already established that military medicine does more than to just "fix" problems.
Also, bear in mind that not all people who identify as being transgender will even elect to have surgery or hormone treatment at all.
Also, bear in mind that not all people who identify as being transgender will even elect to have surgery or hormone treatment at all.
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CPL Earl Kochis
But they do have a mental disorder diagnosis!!! Therefore if you let them in you have to let everyone with any type of mental disorder in so manic depressive, bipolar ect ect PO1 Michael G.
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