WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of Defense Ash Carter today announced that transgender individuals will now be able to openly serve in the U.S. armed forces.
The DoD policy announced today also establishes a construct by which service members may transition gender while serving, sets standards for medical care and outlines responsibilities for military services and commanders to develop and implement guidance, training and specific policies in the near and long-term.
“This is the right thing to do for our people and for the force,” Carter said. “We’re talking about talented Americans who are serving with distinction or who want the opportunity to serve. We can’t allow barriers unrelated to a person’s qualifications prevent us from recruiting and retaining those who can best accomplish the mission.”
The policy will be phased in during a one-year period. Effective immediately, service members may no longer be involuntarily separated, discharged or denied reenlistment solely on the basis of gender identity. Service members currently on duty will be able to serve openly.
Not later than October 1, 2016, DoD will create and distribute a commanders’ training handbook, medical protocol and guidance for changing a service member’s gender in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment System (DEERS). At this point, the services will be required to provide medically necessary care and treatment to transgender service members according to the medical protocol and guidance, and may begin changing gender markers in DEERS. Prior to October 1, 2016, requests for medical treatment will be handled on a case-by-case basis consistent with the spirit of the Directive Type Memorandum and the DoD Instruction issued today.
Over the course of the next year, the Department will finalize force training plans and implementation guidance, revise regulations and forms, and train the force, including commanders, human resources specialists, recruiters and service members. Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Peter Levine will work with the military services to monitor and oversee this effort.
At one year, the services will begin allowing transgender individuals to join the armed forces, assuming they meet accession standards. In addition, an otherwise-qualified individual’s gender identity will not be considered a bar to admission to a military service academy, or participation in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps or any other accession program if the individual meets the new criteria.
The full policy must be completely implemented no later than July 1, 2017.
To support service members, medical professionals and commanders during the implementation period, the DoD has set up a central coordination cell which will serve as a central point of contact for technical questions and concerns. The coordination cell is made up of legal experts, policy experts and medical professionals familiar with the issue.
Who the hell let Petey boy out of his padded room?
Love the sinner , BUT HATE THE SIN !
Trans persons first began to serve in the United States Military under President G. W. Bush. Its impossible to argue that this was born out of another left wing liberal conspiracy. But then again many posters here disregard the facts.
Peter Lagios is out and about, again. Time for a bike ride in his honor.
It’s funny that your entire remedy to my logic and well founded accusations is to propose illegal harassment against me. Has it ever occurred to you your proposals bolster my initial claims and render you invalid and preposterous? Apes can be taught to sign language. Can Apes on loud bikes be taught to keep quiet?
Can a mentally deranged asshole from Clear Lake be taught to shut the hell up?
The freak from Clear Lake now has a nose ring and will soon add ear rings. Then he/she will declare he/she is now and always has been a woman. Vrooom, Vroom.
That would be one scary woman.
I knew I could count on the ignorant, closeted, bigots of NIT to be awful in here. Who cares what gender, sexual preference, etc etc a person identifies as? If they are willing to serve and die for their country let them, and let them do it with honor.
The world is getting more and more crazy all the time….. Men who want to be women….women who want to be men….. God help us.
……………….And a God who made them that way.
I suppose God made Charles Manson the HE was, too, huh? I am sure God thought one day, “Hmmm…. I am going to have this man and this woman have sex one day, and from that union I am going to create one of the most evil human beings ever known to man.” Is THAT the God you are talking about?
The God I worship is the one who said “thy shall not judge others” and who taught us to be compassionate towards all. What God do you follow?
God made man and he made woman in his image, if a person is born a man but he thinks that he should have been born a woman that means God made a mistake.
David
Job 38:2
“Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?”
Isaiah 55:8-9
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
boy is someone in for a huge suprise
Liberals don’t believe in God. Otherwise they would not believe in killing baby’s.
Hey David, at least the transgender people don’t quit when the going gets tough.
anonymous, you must be the biggest coward alive,otherwise you would tell me your name. That way I can explain to you how wrong and ignorant you really are when it comes to me.
“I decided before I even went, I knew I was going to call it quits.” – David, April 2004
Ya David, cushy gig in the guard for about 10 years, but when the shit hit the fan you bailed out.
“I’m just not going to leave my family anymore.” – David, April 2004
David-You know who that is, it is old drug pusher Mike still pushing out his back door on 5th street.
come on little girl, what does most people call you.
“what does most people” ?
A little rattled there David & can’t get your grammar correct?
Perhaps you should quit posting comments, as one thing is for certain, you sure do know how to quit.
It’s the one thing that you are good at.
figures, nothing but a pussy
no response Funk?
David, you of all people calling anyone else a pussy is priceless.
Like the old adage goes…
“When the going gets tough, the tough get going and David curls up into the fetal position and quits”
Grow up mike, all these years you are still pissed at me because you thought, wrongly, that I took your E-5 slot, the slot was mine and had been mine for years. Or was it that i turned down the E-6 slot which meant you couldn’t get promoted? Either way it’s time to grow up.
You compare trans persons who honorably serve our country to Charles Manson? Unbelievable!
With all due respect you have very serious issues but transgender Americans have defended and even given their life for your right to free speech.
Gosh Peter every time I see you in CL your doing something weird like stocking around in the dark like Dracula, is your dad Bela Lugosi. Or our tearing our car to shreds or our walkin with your phone in the air so you can record motorcycles. Stop being so goofy and make your parents proud and ride a loud Hog.
Transgender persons have been in the US Military since 2001. Today there are 15,500 persons presently in active service, making the DOD the largest employer of transgender people in America.
Over 134,000 transgender veterans are alive today and have served our country since 2001. Thank you for your service.
They are mentally impaired and should be treated as such. The freak from Clear Lake is going to announce he is a woman very soon.
Moron
Trans people have given their life in defense of your freedom to spew stupid shit from your mouth and keyboard.
Peter,
The sole purpose of the Armed Forces is to protect this country from its enemies both foreign and domestic. It was not designed for nor should it become an institution for social experiments. It is a tough, hard nosed world and our military needs to be ready at a moments notice to respond to a myriad of threats. This social tinkering if you will by the SECDEF just undermines that ability. In regards to you being denied enlistment for a drug possession charge. You have to understand how the military looks at mental and physical readiness and how both of those areas equate to combat readiness. At least you tried!! Most folks don’t give the Services a second look.
We all have the right to serve our country. It is a tax payer funded social institution that reaps many benefits and accolades upon its members. That redneck bigots have controlled it as long as they have indicates the long protracted ignorance and corruption that plagues our country. As a result ignorant wars have resulted.
besides peter on numerous occasions has stated that he is against the constitution and our country, maybe they are smarter than he thinks.
David, you would have been the Wermacht’s perfect little soldier. Unquestioning, faithful to the end.
I was and still am loyal to only 1 thing, the constitution.
Then why haven’t you capitalized the Constitution you are so loyal to?
maybe I already have?
And maybe i won the city council election?
congratulations
None of what you schmucks said in the comments below, but what it does illustrate is how correct i was by saying the military was WRONG in denying me enlistment in 1993, 1998, 2001 for a simple drug posession charge. Now look what’s happening…your military is soon to be comprised of Caitlyn Jenners. This country is f-kd on so many levels. Probably serves you idiots right.
Oh look he’s back! After an eight week hiatus, we get to have all the wisdom of the lackey loser! Geee I’m thinking after the military did mental tests on you,that’s why they wouldn’t take you! Just keep on collecting those SSI checks that the rest of us are paying for you. BTW, i noticed in the CL paper this week that your Mom and Dad donated to the Fire Works.Used their name and your sister, no mention of your loser name. Pretty Funny! No claim to fame! Vroom Vroom!
And I see you’re the same anonymous shitbag harassing and intimidating people on the internet. Nothing but an oversized Schmuck driving around on a bike. You people have real fat asses riding those noisy things around.
Hey dirtbag…how does it feel knowing I’m beating you in the culture war? Ha ha. You are an outdated SCHMUCK. Loser.
I see a semi tractor trailer in your future. where should i send a flower?
I think you’d make a fine looking soldier, especially if they threw some blue eye-liner on you. But…as I’ve said before….the US Military got it right on denying you enlistment. No question about, they were 100% correct in your case and in all your attempts to infiltrate them. You would have never made it out of basic training without some (or many) in your squadron, beating you with a bag of soap.
None of what you say Buzz. The past was different times. The Military was controlled by repressed minds. It’s getting better now, but that still won’t stop me from delivering a big F-U to the military prior to 2008. We all have the right to serve our country, or there won’t be a country to serve.
I bet in 1993 you thought “I could do that” and tried to enlist. In 1998, you saw “Saving Private Ryan” and thought “That looks awesome”, I should join up. and then in 2001 you saw “Blackhawk Down” and thought “I could do that!”, I better give it one more shot before I am flat out too old. Well I hate to break it to you. There is no way you would have not been sent home with a shaved head and some story of how you were right and the military was wrong. You can’t handle military life with your NBD attitude. It costs lives. You can barely handle civilian life.
Do you really think the military ” is a tax payer funded social institution” ??? Even you can’t be that thick in the head. If you want to be member of a social institution, why don’t you join the Boy Scouts? You are allowed to be around young children aren’t you?
You can’t stand a semi loud motorcycle, so how would you handle firing artillery?
That’s different. Protecting the peace is different from protecting a hell hole. What motivates men to fight is important. Fighting to protect a world of loud vehicles would make me lay down my weapon and join the other side. I fight for peace snd domestic tranquility. Nothing else. And i dont care what flag that is under.
The noise makers are the enemies, and they are found right here at home.
Azz carter + obummer czar .
Great Britian /Great Move – The euro-peeing union is controlled by sex perverts and child molesters and by bringing in the muzzies to feel right at home.. trump trump trump 1
What did you expect from a swishy potus ?? Oh God how many days left of this American destroyer to remain in the gayhouse ?
Corrupting the image of the creator, mocking the Creator.
Welcome, Corporal Klinger.
Nothing is sacred with the Odummy . These people are mentally ill and need help not a gun .
This edict will never work!! In the male dominated world of the Armed Forces of the United States these people will never be accepted. Forcing the issue on the Services will just make it worse. These type of directives only divide us more and ultimately will weaken our armed forces.