Pentagon Announces Policy to Discharge Transgender Troops Without Waivers

The Pentagon has announced that transgender personnel will be removed from military service unless they are granted a case-by-case waiver, according to a memo released on Wednesday.

The memo was made public as part of a court filing challenging President Donald Trump’s executive order, issued in late January, which prohibits transgender individuals from serving in the U.S. military.

“Service members who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria will be processed for separation from military service,” the memo stated.

However, the policy allows waivers in cases where there is a "strong government interest" in retaining a service member who directly supports war-fighting capabilities.

To qualify for a waiver, service members must meet strict conditions, including:

• No history of gender transition
• Demonstrating stability in their assigned sex for 36 consecutive months
• No clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other critical areas of functioning

Earlier this month, another Pentagon memo reinforced the ban on transgender individuals enlisting in the military. Additionally, it ended access to gender transition-related medical care for those currently serving.

The latest memo also states that individuals with a history of the following are ineligible for military service:

• Sex reassignment surgery
• Cross-sex hormone therapy
• Genital reconstruction surgery
• A diagnosis or history of gender dysphoria