And Our Inclusive Military Policy

Yet, just six days ago, transgender members of the U.S. Military served in silence and were considered unfit for serving openly.  According to Palm Center, an independent think tank that researches issues of sexuality, there are 12,800 actively serving transgender members of U.S. Military currently serving secretly.  The Department of Defense’s medical regulations prohibited their service and required their separation from the military.

Over a year ago, the American Medical Association approved a resolution that concluded there is no medically valued reason to block transgender individuals from military service.  The Defense Department dragged its heels until it was goaded by its first openly gay U.S. Army Secretary, Eric Fanning and President Obama.

Honor, Dignity and Courage

“We have to have access to 100% of America’s population for our all-volunteer force to be able to recruit from among them the most highly qualified and to retain them,” emphasized Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter.

By ending the ban on transgenders, the military and our nation will be strengthened.  The transgender service people want to be held to the same standards as their straight counterparts.

The military services are likely to ask for a period to educate the force before the transgender-friendly policy is put into place while Carter is in office.  Considerations are uniforms, grooming, and bathroom usage.  In order to qualify,  transgender recruits must have completed medical treatment their doctor has determined to be appropriate.

If transgendered military personnel are willing to die for their country, it’s only right that they are allowed to be themselves and serve openly. Eighteen other nations have known this before the U.S. came to its senses.