Openly transgender US military personnel could soon be assessed for "deployability" before being dismissed, according to a memo due to be sent to the Pentagon in the coming days. The decision by Donald Trump to push forward with his controversial plan has been labeled"discriminatory and unpatriotic" by America's largest civil rights organization.First reported by the Wall Street Journal, and subsequently confirmed by Reuters, the memo will direct Defense Secretary James Mattis to ban all new transgender applications, stop spending on medical treatment for active duty personnel, and remove transgender service members from duty if he considers them unfit for deployment—meaning preventing them from serving in a war zone, participating in exercises, or living for months on a ship.
The memo comes after Trump surprised everyone—including the Joint Chiefs—on July 26 by announcing that the government would no longer "accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the US Military." Trump cited health care costs and unit disruption as the reasons behind his decision.
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