Trump announces ban on transgender individuals serving in military

[yota691]

Trump announces ban on transgender individuals serving in military

By Barnini ChakrabortyPublished July 26, 2017

Fox News

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Trump says transgender people cannot serve in US military

President Trump tweeted Wednesday that the U.S. government will not allow transgender people “to serve in any capacity in the U.S. military.” 

In a series of tweets, he wrote: 

"After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow...Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming..victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you."

The president’s tweets came only a few weeks after Defense Secretary James Mattis said he would give military chiefs another six months to conduct a review to determine if allowing transgender individuals to enlist in the armed services will affect the “readiness or lethality” of the force. The deadline for that review was Dec. 1, 2017.

“This is worse than don’t ask don’t tell, this is don’t serve, don’t serve,” The National Center for Transgender Equality said in a written statement. “This is an appalling attack on our service members; it is about bigotry rather than military readiness, reason or science. It is indefensible and cannot stand.”

The Family Research Council praised Trump’s action.

“I applaud President Trump for keeping his promise to return to military priorities – and not continue the social experimentation of the Obama era that has crippled our nation’s military,” FRC President Tony Perkins said in a statement. “The military can now focus its efforts on preparing to fight and win wars rather than being used to advance the Obama social agenda.”

During his confirmation hearing in January, Mattis was asked whether he believed that allowing LGBT Americans to serve in the military or women in combat would undermine the military’s lethality.

“Frankly, senator, I’ve never cared much about two consenting adults and who they go to bed with,” Mattis testified.

The Pentagon has refused to release any data on the number of transgender troops currently serving. A RAND study found that there are between 2,500 and 7,000 transgender service members in the active-duty military, and another 1,500 to 4,000 in the reserves.

Transgender service members have been able to serve openly in the military since last year, when former Defense Secretary Ash Carter ended the ban. Since Oct. 1, transgender troops have been able to receive medical care and start formally changing their gender identifications in the Pentagon's personnel system.

But Carter also gave the services until July 1 to develop policies to allow people already identifying as transgender to newly join the military, if they meet physical, medical and other standards, and have been stable in their identified genders for 18 months. Military chiefs recently announced a delay on allowing transgender people from enlisting.

Key concerns include whether currently enlisted troops have had medical or other issues that cause delays or problems with their ability to deploy or meet physical or other standards for their jobs. Military leaders also wanted to review how transgender troops are treated, if they're discriminated against or if they have had disciplinary problems, the officials said. They were not authorized to discuss internal deliberations publicly, so spoke on condition of anonymity.

[yota691]

 

[Texstorm]

Good Morning Yota ! I agree with President D-Rex Trump , the transgender thing just caused problems and we already have enough.

[Shabibilicious]

9 minutes ago, Texstorm said:

Good Morning Yota ! I agree with President D-Rex Trump , the transgender thing just caused problems and we already have enough.

 

D-Rex Trump?....Is this a reference to Trump's tiny little dinosaur arms and hands?  

 

GO RV, then BV

[tankdude]

You know - I had my "transgender" training about  a month ago. How to handle situations that may arise and what the "official" answers were.  I had to admit - when I joined the Army 33 years ago, I never dreamed that in ANY of my training I would have this scenario briefed to me.

 

"You have a female Soldier in your platoon come to you saying she is uncomfortable showering with another female who has maile genitalia."

 

[Gypsygirl11]

I agree, Its not the place for Transgender people. Trump is really saving their lives for some. Stick to Hamburger Marys. JK. 

There has got to be a line drawn somewhere.

[bostonangler]

Seems those who disagree are the minority... I mean even Shelby from Alabama disagrees on this one.

 

 

McCain criticizes 'unclear' Trump policy on transgender military ban

By Noa Yadidi and Grace Hauck, CNN

 

Updated 1:09 PM ET, Wed July 26, 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Source: CNN

 

Story highlights

• Veterans Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Rep. Ted Lieu also denounced the decision
• Sen. John McCain, the chair of the armed services committee, called it 'unclear'

 

Washington (CNN)Sen. John McCain objected to the Trump administration's decision to reinstate the US ban on transgender people serving in the military Wednesday, saying an announcement by President Donald Trump on Twitter was "unclear."

"The statement was unclear. The Department of Defense has already decided to allow currently-serving transgender individuals to stay in the military, and many are serving honorably today. Any American who meets current medical and readiness standards should be allowed to continue serving," the Arizona Republican said in a statement. "There is no reason to force service members who are able to fight, train, and deploy to leave the military -- regardless of their gender identity. We should all be guided by the principle that any American who wants to serve our country and is able to meet the standards should have the opportunity to do so -- and should be treated as the patriots they are."

McCain, the chairman of the Senate armed services committee, added that no decision is appropriate until the study is complete and reviewed by the secretary of defense, military leadership and Congress.

 

 

McCain's criticism comes one day after he dramatically returned to Washington following surgery for brain cancer. After voting to advance consideration of Republican health care plans, he delivered a well-received speech on the Senate floor calling for more bipartisanship in the chamber.

The Arizona Republican was joined by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who pushed back against Trump's decision to reinstate the ban barring transgender individuals from serving "in any capacity" in the US armed forces.

 

 

 

Read More

Trump's plan, which he announced via Twitter on Wednesday morning, reverses a policy initially approved by the Defense Department in 2016, which was still under final review, that would allow transgender individuals to openly serve in the military.

Some lawmakers denounced the move as discriminatory while others claimed potential economic benefits of cutting Pentagon funding for transgender-related health care costs.

"You ought to treat everybody fairly and give everybody a chance to serve," Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, said on CNN's "Newsroom" Wednesday, adding, "You have to remember our military force is a volunteer force."

 

 

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi in a statement that the policy change is a "cruel and arbitrary decision designed to humiliate transgender Americans who stepped forward to serve our country."

Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the armed services committee, noted the irony of the announcement's date.

"Today, on the anniversary of President Harry Truman's order desegregating the United States Armed Forces, President Trump is choosing to retreat in the march toward equality," Reed said in a statement.

Several military veterans also spoke out against the decision.

"I served on active duty in the military, and I can tell you we don't care about gender orientation or identity or who you love, we just care if you can shoot straight and complete the mission," said Rep. Ted Lieu, D-California, on CNN's "Newsroom." "This is actually hurting our military readiness, and I hope he reverses his decision."

 

<img alt="Rep. Lieu calls transgender ban awful decision" class="media__image" src="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170726095848-ted-lieu-reacts-transgender-tweet-nr-large-169.jpg">

 

 

Rep. Lieu calls transgender ban awful decision

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Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat and retired Army lieutenant colonel, echoed similar sentiments in a statement.

 

Trump to reinstate US military ban on transgender people

"When my Black Hawk helicopter was shot down in Iraq, I didn't care if the American troops risking their lives to help save me were ***, straight, transgender or anything else. All that mattered was they didn't leave me behind," Duckworth said.

However, not all reactions have opposed the President's new policy.

"I'm pleased to hear that President Trump shares my readiness and cost concerns, and I'm glad the President will be changing this costly and damaging policy. Military service is a privilege, not a right. We must ensure all our precious defense dollars are used to strengthen our national defense. Now, we can focus on rebuilding our military and addressing the growing threats around the world," Missouri Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Missouri, told CNN.

Hartzler proposed an amendment that was defeated last month that would have banned Pentagon funding for gender reassignment surgery and other transgender-related health care costs.

Edited July 26, 2017 by bostonangler

[DinarDavo]

If someone is unable to deal with their given gender they may have greater issues that could compromise their ability to quickly process life and death decisions for themselves and/or others.    

[Texstorm]

For the record ! I don't care how many of ya'll are ***. KEEP IT TO YOURSELFS ! Don't make me or cause me or inconvenience me because you are. Gays don't deserve anymore rights than any other American. If laws are made to accommodate you because you think that you deserve more than I.....kiss my bass ! No on second thought I take that back..... sheitte !

[coorslite21]

This will just reduce one more distraction in the Service. Another belief of mine is that women should not have any part in front line warfare. Just too many risks involved in potential capture and with giving them extra cover  as most males have been taught is the right thing to do. Women can be Generals if they meet the grade.....I just don't think it is right to have them dodging bullets........as always....just my old school opinion....

[Whatshername]

Our military is the LAST place we should tolerate Social Engineering.

Former Transgender Says Trump Is Right About Disallowing Trans in the Military

July 26, 2017 BFH

 

The very term “Former Transgender” will tell you everything you need to know about the left’s “science” of gender.

 

It’s “fluid,” as in, “subjected to my flights of fancy,” or my mental illness.

 

Daily Signal-

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump tweeted that he wouldn’t allow transgender individuals to serve in the military:

 

 Follow

Donald J. Trump 

 

✔@realDonaldTrump

After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow……

 

 

 

✔@realDonaldTrump

….Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming…..

 

✔@realDonaldTrump

….victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you

 

I think he made the right decision—and as someone who lived as trans-female for several years, I should know.

 

When I discovered Congress voted earlier this month to not block funding for transgender-related hormone therapies and sex change surgeries, I wondered if it considered how devastating this will be to the fitness, readiness, and morale of our combat-ready troops.

 

In July, the House of Representatives voted down Missouri Republican Rep. Vicky Hartzler’s amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, which would have banned the military from funding such treatments.

 

Paying for transition-related surgeries for military service members and their families is beyond comprehensible.

 

Perhaps they have forgotten that our military was forged to be the world’s strongest fighting force, not a government-funded, politically correct, medical sex change clinic for people with gender dysphoria.

 

Gender dysphoria, the common diagnosis for one who feels at odds with his or her birth gender, develops from prolonged anxiety and depression. People are not born that way.

 

The “proof” for a diagnosis of gender dysphoria is having strongly held feelings—but feelings can and often do change over time.

 

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