Tag: US military

Trans troops say Pentagon causing chaos with sudden policy reversal (Task & Purpose)

From Task & Purpose: Transgender troops say Pentagon is causing chaos with sudden policy reversal (2025-03-03) (archive):

Holder is among thousands of transgender service members who say they are angry, disillusioned and anxious after Pentagon moves that appear to mean the end of their time in uniform. They say they have worked hard to serve their country and meet standards of military service — standards the Pentagon set for them in a series of policies dating back to 2016 — and now that work is being thrown away and the rug pulled out from under them. […]

“Service by these individuals is not in the best interests of the Military Services and is not clearly consistent with the interests of national security,” the memo filed in the lawsuit says. […]

Lindsay Church, a Navy veteran and executive director of Minority Veterans of America, noted that “beyond the baseline inhumanity of the policy”, the sudden separation directive will lead to negative impacts on the transition to civilian life. They noted that transgender veterans face higher risks of housing and health issues as well as suicide. A 2019 study found that “transgender veterans die by suicide at twice the rate of their cisgender veteran peers and approximately 5.85 times the rate of the general population.”

One recent veteran suicide gained attention. On Jan. 27, nonbinary Army veteran Elisa Rae Shupe killed themselves at a parking garage used by the Syracuse VA, less than a week after being discharged. Shupe, who served nearly two decades in uniform, became the first American to get legal recognition as nonbinary. Syracuse.com first reported on Shupe’s death. A witness Task & Purpose spoke with confirmed that Shupe’s body was wrapped in the transgender pride flag. Several vigils have been held for Shupe in multiple cities since then. […]

Beyond concerns over mental and physical health, transgender troops also face the upcoming loss of their jobs. The policy directs separation in roughly 60 days. The Pentagon also said that service members who choose to leave voluntarily have a 30-day window to do so. They will be eligible for voluntary separation pay. As a result, many military members said they are looking at major life changes. […]

Others noted that losing troops, particularly those with experience and specific training, could cause harm for military effectiveness. Holder noted that her unit has to plan for losing several of its members as a result of the ban, including linguists with years of experience.

  • Attachment: ECF No. 63-1 in Talbott v. Trump, 1:25-cv-00240, (D.D.C. Feb. 26, 2025) [PDF]
    • Title: Memorandum for Senior Pentagon Leadership/Commanders of the Combatant Commands/Defense Agency and DOD Field Activity Directors; Additional Guidance on Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness
    • Author: Office of the Under Secretary of Defense; Darin S. Selnick (“Performing the Duties of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness”)
    • Date: February 26, 2025

Trump admin: Trans servicemembers must quit Air Force by March 26 (The Advocate)

Trump administration says trans service members have until March 26 to quit Air Force (The Advocate, 2025-03-02) (archive) [emphasis added]:

The Trump administration has escalated its efforts to purge transgender service members from the military, urging them to voluntarily separate by March 26—or face an uncertain future.

The directive, outlined in a March 1 memorandum from the Department of the Air Force, was filed Sunday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia as part of Talbott v. Trump, a legal challenge brought by GLAD Law and the National Center for Lesbian Rights. The memo, signed by Acting Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs Gwendolyn R. DeFilippi, states that individuals with gender dysphoria are “incompatible with the high mental and physical standards necessary for military service.”

Transgender service members “are encouraged to elect to separate voluntarily no later than 26 March 2025,” the memo states. “Service members eligible for voluntary separation pay will be paid at a rate that is twice the amount for which the service member would have been eligible under involuntary separation pay.” The memo applies explicitly to Air Force and Space Force members, though other branches are expected to follow suit.

The document also confirms that previous waivers allowing them to use facilities and grooming standards consistent with their gender identity have been revoked effective immediately. Transgender personnel must now adhere to so-called “biological sex” standards for uniforms, grooming, fitness requirements, and access to showers, bathrooms, and lodging, it notes.

  • Attachment: ECF No. 67-1 in Talbott v. Trump, 1:25-cv-00240, (D.D.C. Mar. 2, 2025) [PDF]
    • Title: MEMORANDUM FOR ALMAJCOM-ALFLDCOM-FOA-DRU/CC DISTRIBUTION C; Additional Guidance for Executive Order 14183, “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness”
    • Author: Department of the Air Force, Office of the Assistant Secretary; Gwendolyn R. DeFilippi, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs
    • Date: March 1, 2025