The U.S. Army has implemented a significant policy shift, barring transgender individuals from joining its ranks and discontinuing gender transition procedures for current service members. This decision, effective immediately, pauses all new enlistments for those with a history of gender dysphoria and halts scheduled or planned medical interventions related to gender transition.
This announcement follows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's recent ban on transgender individuals entering the military. The Army emphasized that current transgender service members will be treated with dignity and respect.
This policy shift is part of a broader military reform spearheaded by Secretary Hegseth, focusing on operational readiness and de-emphasizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Hegseth has stated his commitment to treating all service members equally, judging them based on individual merit and dedication to the mission, regardless of background.
This move has sparked legal challenges, with 20 state attorneys general filing a brief in support of a lawsuit against President Trump's executive order banning transgender individuals from military service. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell criticized the ban as cruel and contradictory to the administration's stated respect for the military.
The Army also announced the cessation of DEI programs within its ranks and indicated that soldiers discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine are now welcome to return with back pay.
President Trump's initial executive order argued that identifying with a gender different from that assigned at birth is incompatible with the qualities required of military personnel. While estimates suggest between 9,000 and 14,000 transgender individuals serve in the military, precise figures remain unavailable.
Data from the Congressional Research Service reveals that the Department of Defense spent approximately $15 million on transgender-related medical treatments for active-duty service members between 2016 and 2021.
