Pentagon to Lift Ban on Transgender Service Members Soon

On July 1, the Pentagon will announce plans to lift its current ban on transgender people serving in the US military, USA Today reports.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced past year he wanted to lift the ban and would study the “readiness implications of welcoming transgender persons to serve openly”.

An estimated 15,000 trans people serve in the US military, Reuters reported, citing the National Center for Transgender Equality as its source.

If the ban is lifted, it will mark the end of a year-long struggle over whether or not to allow trans people to openly serve.

“I don’t think anything but their suitability for service should preclude them”, from serving, he said, adding, “we want to make our conditions and experience of service as attractive as possible to our best people in our country”.

“Nothing has been set in stone on this”, one official said, according to report by The Washington Post Friday.

Additionally, the Pentagon commissioned a report on transgender troops from RAND Corp., but the findings have not yet been published.

The Pentagon is expected to remove a ban on transgender people serving openly in the military. “Extensive research and the experiences of our allied forces show that if and when inclusive policy takes effect, strong leadership as well as holding transgender service members to the same standards as everyone else will ensure successful implementation”.

“Soon, anyone who is qualified will finally be able to serve our great nation, regardless of their gender identity”, Broadway-Mack continued. They are also on the verge of a historic transition that will see women serve in all combat roles as their male counterparts. “Thankfully this now will change”. “This final remnant of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell will now be put to rest. That and many other reasons (why) we don’t do that”.

Late Friday, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, accused Carter of putting “the political agenda of a departing administration ahead of the military’s readiness crisis”.