10 Transgender Soldiers Have Come Forward Since Ban Lifted
Military officials have confirmed that ten transgender soldiers are asking for preferred gender recognition from the Army according to American Military News.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced in June that the ban on transgender service members serving openly would be lifted. RAND reports that there are between 2,500 and 7,000 transgender service members in active duty and between 1,500 and 4,000 in the reserves.
On October 1, the ban was lifted and Army Secretary Eric Fanning approved the guidelines of the policy earlier this month. The next step is the Army will receive educational programs on all of the new changes including how to process and the criteria involved when a service member wants asks for their gender to be changed.
"Training has to be developed by November 1 and it must be completed by next July," reports American Military News. "Commanders have 30 days to respond for the active duty troops request and 60 days to respond to requests for soldiers in the National Guard and Reserve."
Once transgender troops have legal documentation of their gender change they will be allowed to use the bathroom, uniforms and fitness standards of their preferred gender.
"Is the Army ready? Well, we are educating ourselves, and we are trying to get ready," said Gen. Mark Milley in an interview with The Associated Press. "We're well-past the issue of debating and arguing about transgender. We are now into execution, to make sure the program is carried out with diligence, dignity, respect."
