We Are Taking Trump to Court to Stop His Illegal and Cruel Ban on Transgender Service Members

I agree sir although I do sympathize with some of my former shipmates who are transgender and they are a credit to the service they do their job well and don't let their sexual orientation play a factor. The said thing is even if they win the law suit the policy will still remain in place.

Does everyone realize that the military hasn't been paying for reassignment surgery for active duty transgender members in the last year of open service? Anyone? They don't even have to have the reassignment surgery to transition - or they weren't going to need it.

Here's the problem - the policy for the last year has been to allow transgender servicemembers to openly serve and transition. Then in the next six months they would accept recruits who are openly transgender. We all on active duty got the damn training. So I don't know why people still say the same crap over and over. But now the policy is getting reversed - and for no apparent reason other than to appeal to a certain base or based on ignorant preconceived ideologies.

PFC (Join to see) - You hit a key note here, they did not let their sexual orientation play a factor. I think most of us that serve want to show up to work, do our job, and go home, not being judgmental on many people. Part of the problem has been the media and social media making it sound like those trans will make it all of our business and that bothers people. Having never worked with a transgender that I am aware of but but you make me worry as a leader that changes to my military will bring folks pre and post treatment in with a high suicide rate, I see that as a problem. Much of it is media and social media but what are we to do?

If the military wants its members to be able to fight it has to provide glasses for them to see if the service members require them, unless it is going to change the requirements for being in the service so that members must have 20/20 vision. This leads to a place where Lasik or PRK surgery may make sense for operational commitments. Wearing glasses with a gas mask or other protective equipment is difficult and eye surgery can alleviate that necessity. If PTSD is caused by military service it again makes sense for the military to pay for the treatment. If they do not it will most likely result in less people being willing to join if their service related injuries are not treated by the military. Even paying childbirth can be looked at as a readiness issue. A pregnant female cannot perform her duties and a male will be distracted if he knows his family is not being taken care of while he is deployed. Service-members can lose security clearances for being too far in debt. Transgenderism is a pre-existing condition and not on the same level as any of these things you mention. I do think it is wrong to change the policy since some have come out especially if they will not be allowed to remain in the military now but letting in new recruits and paying for their medication and/ or surgery is a different discussion. It is not a "delusional fact that transgenders [will] cost the military money." It is a fact that there will be a cost associated with them serving just as there is a cost of allowing females to serve or as you put it allowing service-members to have dependents outside of the military. It is up to those in charge of the military, i.e. the President and Congress, to determine if the cost is worth their service. Unfortunately I do not see Congress touching this issue as it is much easier for them to pass off their responsibilities to the Executive Branch than to do them on their own, but to get this issue truly settled that is where it needs to be handled. If President Trump wins, which is likely, the next administration can come in and change the policy again which is just going to continue causing confusion and frustration in the ranks which will probably result in more problems than having left President Obama's policy in place to begin with.

Again you don't join the military to have babies they used to throw women out for getting pregnant (progression) . They used to throw people out for (shell shock) PTSD now they learn and let them stay and get treated, progression.
We as society have learned lots of things, but some just get the head out (it always been that way why change)

discrimination of transgender service members because they are "different" stupid and unfounded.

SSgt (Join to see) - Did they change it again, or is that just USMC?

I know that the tattoo policy in the Army changed to be less stupid...not sure about the Corps. The Navy apparently now has the most lax policy. It seems to allow basically everything.

SFC (Join to see) It's just the Marine Corps; worry not. We have the strictest policy out of all of the branches.

The Army allows people with tattoos they just can't be visible in uniform basically. The Army relaxed that shit again a few years ago. It's just the Marines who have the strict policy.