WASHINGTON, D.C. — AP has reported that the Pentagon may delay implementation of the final piece of a policy put into place by the Obama administration that allows qualified transgender people to serve in the Armed Forces. While transgender service members serve openly today thanks to a change implemented last year under the previous administration, a final piece of the policy that will allow qualified transgender people to enter the military has yet to go into effect. Implementation had been scheduled to go into place by July 1, 2017, but may now be delayed by six months.
“Each day that passes without implementing the final piece of this important policy harms our military readiness and restricts the Armed Forces ability to recruit the best and the brightest,” said Stephen Peters, HRC national press secretary and Marine veteran discharged under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. “There are thousands of transgender service members openly and proudly serving our nation today, and as they’ve proven time and time again, what matters is the ability to get the job done — not their gender identity. We’re disappointed that a further delay is under consideration and urge Secretary Mattis to move forward expeditiously in implementing this recruitment policy which will strengthen our forces by allowing anyone who is qualified and willing to serve our nation.”
June 30, 2016, the Pentagon lifted the ban on transgender people serving openly in the U.S. military, joining eighteen other nations, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Israel, which allow transgender people to serve openly in their militaries. Immediately following the policy’s announcement, transgender people already serving in the military were able to do so openly and were no longer able to be discharged simply because of their gender identity. The final piece of this policy which may be delayed by six months will allow qualified transgender recruits to enter the military.
“This proposed delay is disappointing because it’s such an incredibly important recruitment change,” said AMPA President Ashley Broadway-Mack. “Secretary Mattis has made clear he believes there is a need to increase troop levels, and any qualified American who is willing and able to serve should have the opportunity to join the ranks, regardless of their gender identity. We urge Secretary Mattis to reject further delays and move quickly in implementing this important recruitment policy.”
There are an estimated 15,500 transgender service members currently serving, and on June 30, 2016, Secretary Carter announced the much anticipated end to the ban on open service by transgender service members. The announcement came more than a year after Secretary Carter promised that the Department of Defense would update the outdated regulations which prevent open service by transgender service members and the launch of a working group to assess the impact of the change and work out the details.
In June of 2015, the American Medical Association approved a resolution saying there is “no medically valid reason to exclude transgender individuals from service in the U.S. military.”
In March of 2015, AMPA released an unprecedented joint report with the Transgender American Veterans Association (TAVA) highlighting the tremendous harm the outdated regulations inflicted on military families. The report noted, “The outdated regulations serve no purpose and only dehumanize and prevent qualified and capable individuals from enlisting and serving. The ban perpetuates trauma to all those involved, both the service member and their family.”
