Posted on Jun 17, 2022
Transgender veterans still waiting on VA’s promise of surgery options
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Transgender veterans still waiting on VA’s promise of surgery options
By Leo Shane III
Jun 17, 08:41 AM
A LGBT pride luncheon was held June 30, 2016, at Club Altus at Altus Air Force Base.
Stickers, bracelets and lanyards are displayed following an LGBT pride luncheon at Altus Air Force Base in Oklahoma in June 2016. (Airman 1st Class Megan E. Myhre/Air Force)
One year after Veterans Affairs officials announced they would take steps to provide gender confirmation surgeries for transgender veterans, no procedures have been completed and none are likely to be scheduled for months to come.
Department officials said they are still going through the rulemaking process, with no stated schedule for its end. VA does not currently provide any gender confirmation surgery options for veterans.
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Lt Col Charlie Brown SSG Michael Noll Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Cpl Vic Burk SGT (Join to see) PO2 Marco Monsalve SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth ] SSG William Jones Sgt (Join to see) SrA John Monette SFC (Join to see) SPC Michael Terrell SMSgt Anil Heendeniya CPL Douglas Chrysler A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney GySgt Jack Wallace CDR Andrew McMenamin, PhD SGT Mark Anderson SGT Steve McFarland
Transgender veterans still waiting on VA’s promise of surgery options
By Leo Shane III
Jun 17, 08:41 AM
A LGBT pride luncheon was held June 30, 2016, at Club Altus at Altus Air Force Base.
Stickers, bracelets and lanyards are displayed following an LGBT pride luncheon at Altus Air Force Base in Oklahoma in June 2016. (Airman 1st Class Megan E. Myhre/Air Force)
One year after Veterans Affairs officials announced they would take steps to provide gender confirmation surgeries for transgender veterans, no procedures have been completed and none are likely to be scheduled for months to come.
Department officials said they are still going through the rulemaking process, with no stated schedule for its end. VA does not currently provide any gender confirmation surgery options for veterans.
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Lt Col Charlie Brown SSG Michael Noll Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Cpl Vic Burk SGT (Join to see) PO2 Marco Monsalve SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth ] SSG William Jones Sgt (Join to see) SrA John Monette SFC (Join to see) SPC Michael Terrell SMSgt Anil Heendeniya CPL Douglas Chrysler A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney GySgt Jack Wallace CDR Andrew McMenamin, PhD SGT Mark Anderson SGT Steve McFarland
Transgender veterans still waiting on VA’s promise of surgery options
Posted from armytimes.comPosted in these groups: 
Veterans Affairs (VA)
Transgender
Veterans Affairs (VA) Transgender
Posted 2 y ago
Responses: 3
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Unless they are 100% disabled, I have a problem with this.
It has nothing to do with what the surgery is. Nothing to do with who they are, or who they *feel like* they are. It has everything to do with why they need the surgery and what the mission / purpose of the VA medical is.
VA medical care is there to cover the effects of military service. If rucking 50 miles a month with a 100lb pack shredded your knees, and FUBAR'd your back, then the CA takes care of your knees and your back. If getting hit with an IED took a leg, VA gives you a prosthesis, and treats the leg and subsequent / surrounding injuries / complications. They also treat the (almost) inevitable PTSD.
Military service doesn't create trans-ness. There is no such thing (or at least there should not be such a thing) as service-connected Gender Dysmorphia. No one joined the military as a guy who fully and completely believed they were a guy and then, DUE TO THEIR SERVICE, (not just "while in service", but actually AS A RESULT OF), decided that they were actually a gal. No service connection.
And no service connection = no responsibility to treat.
Now, I said at the top, the exception is 100%. Because 100% has a presumption of service connection. Basically everything is covered, unless the VA can incontrovertibly prove it is not. So, in essence, everything is covered, because it isn't worth the time, money, and effort (not to mention PR headaches) to go about denying anything for a 100% vet. So in those cases, I would expect coverage, just because coverage for everything is pretty much pro forma.
It has nothing to do with what the surgery is. Nothing to do with who they are, or who they *feel like* they are. It has everything to do with why they need the surgery and what the mission / purpose of the VA medical is.
VA medical care is there to cover the effects of military service. If rucking 50 miles a month with a 100lb pack shredded your knees, and FUBAR'd your back, then the CA takes care of your knees and your back. If getting hit with an IED took a leg, VA gives you a prosthesis, and treats the leg and subsequent / surrounding injuries / complications. They also treat the (almost) inevitable PTSD.
Military service doesn't create trans-ness. There is no such thing (or at least there should not be such a thing) as service-connected Gender Dysmorphia. No one joined the military as a guy who fully and completely believed they were a guy and then, DUE TO THEIR SERVICE, (not just "while in service", but actually AS A RESULT OF), decided that they were actually a gal. No service connection.
And no service connection = no responsibility to treat.
Now, I said at the top, the exception is 100%. Because 100% has a presumption of service connection. Basically everything is covered, unless the VA can incontrovertibly prove it is not. So, in essence, everything is covered, because it isn't worth the time, money, and effort (not to mention PR headaches) to go about denying anything for a 100% vet. So in those cases, I would expect coverage, just because coverage for everything is pretty much pro forma.
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SGT (Join to see)
Well then the Move program, Substance Abuse programs,, smoking cessation programs, viagra scripts are just a few things the VA would have to cut using your standard.
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SFC Casey O'Mally
SGT (Join to see)
Well, let's see....
VA Move: not actual treatment. Tools available for all veterans to help THEMSELVES.
Smoking cessation: smoking CAN be caused or exacerbated by the military. Yes, rarely. But, in general, I would be against smoking cessation TREATMENT except for 100% folks or folks who have a proven service connection for smoking. Now, smoking cessation TOOLS for self-help are a different story (see above).
Viagra:. Yes, ED can be, and often is, service connected.
Please note that I was discussing SPECIFICALLY medical care. GI Bill and VA home loan guarantees also have nothing to do with service connected disability, but they are not medical care.
Just because it involves health does not necessarily make it medical care.
And it isn't *my* standard. It is the VA's standard.
Well, let's see....
VA Move: not actual treatment. Tools available for all veterans to help THEMSELVES.
Smoking cessation: smoking CAN be caused or exacerbated by the military. Yes, rarely. But, in general, I would be against smoking cessation TREATMENT except for 100% folks or folks who have a proven service connection for smoking. Now, smoking cessation TOOLS for self-help are a different story (see above).
Viagra:. Yes, ED can be, and often is, service connected.
Please note that I was discussing SPECIFICALLY medical care. GI Bill and VA home loan guarantees also have nothing to do with service connected disability, but they are not medical care.
Just because it involves health does not necessarily make it medical care.
And it isn't *my* standard. It is the VA's standard.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
..."Last June, VA Secretary Denis McDonough said the impetus for VA to offer gender confirmation surgeries was “not only because they are the right thing to do, but because they can save lives.”
He also warned that allowing VA to carry out and pay for the surgeries would require changing department regulations “which will take time.”
The announcement drew praise from Democratic leaders as a sign of increased outreach and inclusion for all veterans. VA officials have estimated that around 4,000 veterans nationwide may be interested in the surgeries.
But the news also drew condemnation from several Republican lawmakers, who said VA leaders were reacting to pressure to be politically correct instead of responding to the actual needs of the veteran community.
Officials have not released an estimate for what the new procedures will cost."
..."Last June, VA Secretary Denis McDonough said the impetus for VA to offer gender confirmation surgeries was “not only because they are the right thing to do, but because they can save lives.”
He also warned that allowing VA to carry out and pay for the surgeries would require changing department regulations “which will take time.”
The announcement drew praise from Democratic leaders as a sign of increased outreach and inclusion for all veterans. VA officials have estimated that around 4,000 veterans nationwide may be interested in the surgeries.
But the news also drew condemnation from several Republican lawmakers, who said VA leaders were reacting to pressure to be politically correct instead of responding to the actual needs of the veteran community.
Officials have not released an estimate for what the new procedures will cost."
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There are 13 Trans Veterans in my area that have simply walked away from the VA. The abuse, harrassment and down right hostility they face going to the VA became to much for them to deal with. Its not right that these Vets are not treated as equals.
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