Beginning last summer, the U.S. military community has been debating whether transgender troops are fit to serve. President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense James Mattis, along with many military leaders, seem to be at odds over a policy relating to transgender troops.
The White House is anticipated to release its final verdict and policy on transgender troops this month.
Final Policy Pending
Mattis was under a February 21, 2018, deadline to return his recommendations to the president. According to The Washington Post, it is anticipated that Mattis will support transgender troops currently serving, as well as those wishing to join in the future. Mattis made his official recommendation regarding Trump’s proposed transgender military policy on February 23, 2018. The Pentagon has not confirmed or commented on Mattis’ final recommendation.
As of January 1, 2018, individuals identifying as transgender are free to enlist or seek a commission in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Mattis’ likely position could be supported by a 2016 Rand Corporation study that was commissioned by the Obama administration. Former President Barack Obama and his administration had removed the ban on transgender troops who serve openly in June 2016.
This study found that less than 1% of active duty troops identify as transgender.
Approximately, between 1,320 and 6,630 active duty troops identify as transgender. Additionally, the study found that total medical costs related directly to transgender-specific medical care would be negligible, amounting to less than $10 million annually. This is a “relatively small” amount in the military budget. It represents a 0.04% to 0.13% increase in the overall active duty health care expenses.
Finally, not all transgender troops would elect to transition medically, with surgery. The study concluded that between 29 and 129 service members would experience a disruption to deployment readiness as a result of transgender-specific medical care.
Currently 1.3 million troops are on active duty.
Trump Tweets New Transgender Policy
On July 26, 2017, Trump tweeted his desire to reinstate a ban on transgender troops. He cited the increased cost of medical care for transgender troops as well as the disruption of military service. His announcement, which claimed that he had consulted with top military brass, seemed to catch Mattis and other military leaders off-guard. At the time of the tweets, Mattis made no immediate official comment.
Days later, military leaders appeared to walk back Trump’s sweeping policy change. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Joseph Dunford made clear that transgender personnel would continue to serve until Mattis received clear direction from Trump. Then, that direction would need to be implemented over time. This decision was supported by Mattis.
According to recently released emails, Dunford communicated to the other service chiefs that he was “not consulted.” Dunford appeared willing to confirm this to the media and wrote that this policy change “was unexpected.”
Ban Blocked in Court
On October 30, 2017, the U.S. district court in Washington, D.C., issued an injunction in favor of 8 transgender individuals who were in ROTC programs or enrolled at service academies. The D.C. court’s decision was backed by the Maryland district court in a November 12, 2017, ruling. The Maryland judge also issued an impending injunction that blocked Trump’s proposed ban to take effect due to constitutional violations of the plaintiffs. Both cases are still pending a final ruling.
The initial rulings from Maryland and D.C. allowed these individuals to continue to take steps toward active duty service. The injunctions also swayed the Pentagon to allow transgender individuals to enlist starting on January 1, 2018.
Trump directed Mattis, per an August 25, 2017, executive order, to review the current policy as well as his proposed policy. His recommendations were due back to the White House on February 21, 2018.
The White House is anticipated to release its final verdict and policy statement on March 23, 2018.
Questions Remain for Transgender Troops
In the middle of all of this political discussion, are the openly transgender troops currently serving. Their continued service is potentially at risk. In addition, as of January 1, 2018, openly transgender individuals are allowed to join active military service.
Trump’s March 23 decision could have immediate ramifications for troops currently serving, as well as those who are beginning their initial processing and training. Troops who are currently serving may be forced to resign without benefits. However, the actual proposed policy regarding current transgender service members remains unclear.
why not? Anyone who wants to sign a blank check payable up to the sum of their life to serve their country has my full support.
Yes they and gays should be allowed to serve, fight, and die defending g there county’s. There have always been both in the military! Why on earth do we not just consider them as Americans? We all know J Edger Hoover was gay, what’s the big deal?
I do not believe transgender individuals should be allowed to serve in the military.
No.
Transgender should not be allowed in the military! Have we lost our minds???!!!
transgenders should not be allowed in the military! Have we lost our minds?
Although I’m a veteran of the 70s and never thought I’d see anything of this nature,if you qualify you should be allowed to serve.
As a woman I struggled to feel accepted. I Can’t imagine what these service members are going through.
the question is will the government pay for gender reassignment or not.
in my opinion gender reassignment is a elective procedure and should not be covered but if they do decide to cover the procedure will they then also cover other elective procedures such as a face lift, penial implants, breast enhancements and so on?
They already pay for those elective surgeries, so what’s the big deal.
If they can do the job and want defend their county why not At least they are not useing bone spurs as excuse..
The Obama Administration used the Greatest Military in the World as its Homosexual experiment. I think Obama has weakened the intersancity of the United States Military. Since historically as a President he is & will be BIGGEST supporter of LGBT rights. LGBT groups donated 10s of millions of dollars to his presidential campaign. Everything he has done has been politically motivated. He has cost the American Taxpayers Hundreds of Million of Dollars with his POOR choices for a population of .04% of the Military. That have disrupted and wasted the time of the Military to protect the borders of the United States. Looking forward to President Trump fixing his MESS.
I personally think as long as they wear the uniform of their God Given sex, then I am ok with it. Do not think a man should dress like a woman, in any form, but for sure not in the military. I have met and talked to people in t he military that are trans. or just out right gay, and I have no pro or con on them right now as long as they dress the sex they were born with.
Then you’re not really pro if you want someone to dress in a way that’s appropriate for you but they do not identify with.
I feel your opening sentence already set a negative mood for this discussion: ” whether transgender troops are FIT to serve.”. I don’t believe fitness has any thing to do with this debate. It is much more complicated than that. Whether we like it or not conformity and morality are the main issues. People say, ‘things are changing, get rid of your old ways of thinking.’ I interpret that as ‘be politically correct.’ The military is the only institution I can think of that has never surrendered to political pressure. The military I served in for thirteen years proudly stood for it’s traditions and it’s own system of justice. (The general public would cringe at the rules of the UCMJ…lol) It always amazes me how so few can make changes that effect so many but that only happens when good people do nothing to stop it. My vote is no on the transgenders.
Since transgender people are willing to serve in the military, I see no reason to deny them the opportunity as long as they can meet the normal physical and mental requirements of their chosen branch of service. As long as they don’t have any bone spur problems like our current commander in chief, I recommend they be allowed to join the military and serve the country.
No.
People who have passed the emotional, mental and physical tests for military service should be given the opportunity to serve their country. Bigotry is not an acceptable ideal for our leaders to exhibit, but it just seems to keep on happening lately.
Why are you not posting any comments on this subject? Are we telling you things you don’t want to hear? Why don’t you at least tell people you’re not going to post their comment for whatever reason?
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No! Why should they think that they can come into the military and get their gender reassignment for free. That is the main reason they want to join. I would like to see a survey that will show how many will leave the service after this is done. I;m betting on the survey will show a high percentage.
I like Bill Clinton’s policy of “Don’t ask, don’t tell”. I wonder why we bothered with changing it. It was working quite well.