Daijiworld Media Network- Washington
Washington, Feb 28: The Pentagon has issued a 30-day deadline for the removal of transgender service members from the US military, in compliance with an executive order signed last month by President Donald Trump.
A memo sent to defence department leaders on Thursday instructs military branches to establish procedures by March 26 for identifying personnel diagnosed with gender dysphoria or undergoing treatment for the condition. Once identified, the military will have 30 days to begin separating them from service.
The directive stems from an earlier executive order issued by Trump, which sought to ban transgender individuals from military service. The policy has been met with legal challenges and widespread criticism from human rights organizations.
Preliminary estimates suggest that hundreds of transgender service members could be identified through medical records, though they represent a small fraction of the 2.1 million active-duty troops, according to US officials.
The new Pentagon policy, strongly supported by President Trump and defense secretary Pete Hegseth, argues that transgender individuals do not meet military standards due to medical, surgical, and mental health considerations.
“The medical, surgical, and psychological constraints on individuals with gender dysphoria are incompatible with the high physical and mental standards required for military service," said Darin Selnick, Defence Undersecretary for Personnel, in the memo.
The directive also asserts that gender is immutable and that allowing individuals to transition undermines military integrity and effectiveness.
Human rights activists and legal experts have condemned the move, arguing that it places transgender service members in a difficult and humiliating position.
Sarah Warbelow, vice president for legal affairs at the human rights campaign, highlighted that under the new guidelines, transgender troops would be forced to self-identify or risk being reported by their colleagues.
“This policy is a forced outing of transgender service members. Troops who have confided in friends will now be outed without consent. If a transgender woman serves, she will now be misgendered and referred to as ‘he’ and ‘sir’ by official mandate,” Warbelow stated.
According to US officials, approximately 600 transgender personnel serve in the Navy, while 300 to 500 serve in the Army. These individuals are at risk of removal once identified through medical records.
With the March 26 deadline fast approaching, legal challenges continue, but for many transgender troops, the uncertainty over their future in uniform has already begun.