The U.S. Air Force announced on Thursday that transgender service members with 15 to 18 years of service will no longer have the option to retire early. Instead, they will be discharged without retirement benefits. This decision has been met with disappointment from affected service members, with one sergeant expressing feeling betrayed and devastated.
Under the Trump administration’s policy, transgender service members are already facing expulsion, and this new move adds to their challenges. They now have to choose between accepting a lump-sum separation payment or being removed from service without retirement benefits. Despite the option for service members with 15 to 18 years of honorable service to request an exception to policy, none of these requests were approved.
Approximately a dozen service members were initially informed that they could retire early before the decision was reversed. This development further highlights the ongoing challenges faced by transgender individuals in the military under the current administration’s policies, which have been criticized for their impact on the transgender community.
The decision to deny retirement benefits to transgender service members was made following a review of individual applications, as stated in a memo obtained by The Associated Press. Shannon Minter of the National Center for LGBTQ Rights described the move as devastating and a breach of commitment to these service members.
This decision comes in the context of broader actions targeting transgender rights by the Trump administration. The administration has issued executive orders and policies that have raised concerns and fear among the LGBTQ+ community. The financial implications for transgender service members are significant, potentially costing them hundreds of thousands of dollars in denied benefits over their lifetimes.
Legal challenges are expected to arise in response to this decision, with advocates and legal experts criticizing the move as arbitrary and cruel. The impact on military members who have dedicated their lives to serving the country is seen as severe and unjust. It is anticipated that similar actions may be taken by other branches of the military in the future.
One of the affected service members, Logan Ireland, a master sergeant with 15 years of service, shared his feelings of betrayal and devastation upon learning that his retirement was being denied. This decision affects a significant number of active-duty and National Guard transgender troops, with differing estimates provided by officials and advocates.
The policy change required active-duty troops to identify themselves by a certain deadline to receive a payout, with a similar requirement for National Guard and reserve troops. The Pentagon plans to use existing processes to identify any transgender service members who do not voluntarily come forward. This development adds to the challenges faced by transgender individuals serving in the military and highlights ongoing debates surrounding transgender rights and military service policies.