Trump administration accepts Jan. 1 transgender enlistment deadline

I respect your opinion, 1stSgt, but I disagree about standards. Men and women are different physically. We have different bone structure, anatomy and muscle physiology. This affects our ability to perform. The physical fitness standards are no big deal. Anyone who works hard enough at them can pass. They are minimum standards, just like the academic tests you take. Because we are built differently we have different limitations. The fastest women in the world can run faster than 99.9 percent of men, but they cannot run faster than the fastest men. Same with lifting weights. Endurance is different, as is flexibility. Physical standards should reflect the honest physical differences in the genders. A trans person who has been "gender stable" for at least 18 months prior to enlistment should have to meet the physical fitness standards for the gender of their assignment and gender of the hormone therapy they are taking. That's fair. Remember, this is a volunteer military. No one put a gun to anyone's head and said, "Join or else." The standards and requirements should fit the needs of the organization, not the needs of the individual over the organization. Round pegs go in round holes, squares into squares, triangles into triangles. If there's no appropriate shape for you in the military then you should pick a different job. Hooah!

I hear your points sir. Your force is only as strong as it's weakest link. Cater to the weakest link and you'll eventually find yourself with an inferior force. vr.

Not backed down, slapped down.

SSgt Addison R. - Perhaps, time will tell what the Supreme Court decides.

SSgt Addison R. - Thanks for the condescension :) I'm very familiar with judicial process and clearly understand the 9th circuit's court abysmal failure rate when challenged by the supreme court. I'm also aware that the constitution intentionally hampers the ability of the executive to make radical changes through legislative authority, your statement "making our executive and judicial branches have to resort to doing things out of order" is extremely dangerous and a direct violation of the constitution that I swore to uphold, perhaps you did a different oath in your day. But it's called totalitarianism when the executive bypasses the legislative and it's called judicial overreach when judges do it. (thankfully only the supreme court can make precedence setting decisions not circuit judges)

SSgt Addison R. sorry my apologies, I totally read your comment the wrong way. I just happen to work for the government, but yes you are completely right, everyone needs an actual civics class where the constitution is taught and the reason for checks and balances is instilled in our young kids.