Military Trans Policy
Future for Transgender Service Members in the Military
For the past three years Trans service members and civilians wishing to join the military have been living under a cloud of uncertainty.
Arbitrarily, and with animus, President Trump in April 2019 initiated a ban on transgender military service. Up until that time there had been a gradual integration and adaptation of policies to enable transgender individuals to serve and join the military. This open service policy had successfully evolved under President Obama after the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
By the time the dust was settling and now still waiting for the Supreme Court to make a final decision regarding trans service the military had adapted to a two tiered system. One policy grandfathered some transgender Servicemembers to continuing serve prior to an arbitrary date of 12 April 2019. Anyone seeking service after that time would not be permitted to serve.
The irony is that because about 14000 transgendered Servicemembers are serving and the regulations are still in place a reversal of the ban should be swift and “painless” with a reversal of the existing policy.
Presidential candidate Joe Biden has stated he will overturn the Trump ban within the first 30 days of being sworn in as President of the United States.
This only becomes reality if everyone VOTES and for Joe Biden
For the detailed scholarly, highly supported analysis of the plan for restoring transgender service please access:
Blueprint for Immediate Restoration of Inclusive Transgender Military Policy
Author: Rear Admiral Alan M. Steinman, USPHS/USCG (Ret.)
Former Director of Health and Safety (Surgeon General equivalent) of the U.S. Coast Guard
Published by Palm Center: Blueprint for Sound Policy. 26 July 2020