trans and the military

[punkflash54]

I don't know if its been asked here before but can you join the military or are there any branches you can join if you are transsexual. I've had chest surgery and my name changed. My best friend just left for the navy and she was making it sound really good. Just curious if anyone else has had experience with being trans and in the military

[Zerro]

If you're in the US, you would HAVE to enlist and serve as female, and even then, since you've had top surgery and the like...You would be disqualified, I believe. The US military is very against having trans* folks in it, from my experience.

[Nygeel]

Can't be an out trans person in the US military.

[wheat thins are delicious]

Can't be an out trans person in the US military.

This unfortunately.

[conformer]

Pretty much what everyone else said. Being diagnosed with GID makes one "unfit" for service or something like that.

However, I have talked to a couple of trans people in the military and one person told me that their platoon and sergeants are very supportive of them being trans and they were trying to help him get his top surgery paid for by the military. (The military pays for one surgery for those enlisted I guess.)

Also, there are two trans guy on this collab channel that I found last week or so ( http://www.youtube.com/user/PostcardStupid ) and in one of the guy's intro videos (I think Ireland's) he said that he was about to start testosterone and he was actively serving in the military.

[veritatemfurto]

hope you guys don't mind a gal butting in...

ALOT of peeps inquire about serving their country

already been discussed in the Politics section of this site: https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,116438.new.html

As per the Service-members Legal Defense Network in regards to the current stipulations of the UCMJ even after DADT:

To join the military, potential service members are required to undergo a physical examination as part of the
induction process. During this examination, the military may disqualify a candidate if the potential service member
has had any type of genital surgery. A history of genital surgery may result in a disqualification for "major
abnormalities and defects of the genitalia."

Furthermore, even if the candidate has not had surgery but openly identifies as transgender, the military considers
this to be a disqualifying psychiatric condition, labeling "transsexualism" and "transvestism" as "psychosexual
conditions."

An individual may request a medical waiver of any disqualifying condition from the Department of
Defense. The availability of medical waivers varies among the service branches. SLDN is not aware of a waiver
ever being granted to a transgender service member.

So, since you've already had the top surgery, and have a paper trail about being trans, you are not currently eligible for service. (Canada and New Zealand do take transitioning members though)
but, there is HOPE for the US (if not for our generation, then the next!... see the other thread)

[wheat thins are delicious]

Pretty much what everyone else said. Being diagnosed with GID makes one "unfit" for service or something like that.

However, I have talked to a couple of trans people in the military and one person told me that their platoon and sergeants are very supportive of them being trans and they were trying to help him get his top surgery paid for by the military. (The military pays for one surgery for those enlisted I guess.)

Also, there are two trans guy on this collab channel that I found last week or so ( http://www.youtube.com/user/PostcardStupid ) and in one of the guy's intro videos (I think Ireland's) he said that he was about to start testosterone and he was actively serving in the military.

If someone sees that and turns him in, it's all over for him, so I think that was a bad idea for him to post.

I've heard of one guy, taking T and getting top surgery while in the military, but he is a high ranking official, changed his name to something masculine but foreign, so if you heard it you wouldn't know whether it was a male or female name, and is still for all intents an purposes a female in there.  You have to do it privately, the military can't know. 

[Henri]

A history of genital surgery may result in a disqualification for "major
abnormalities and defects of the genitalia."

So if your genitalia is "abnormal," you aren't capable of serving your country? Can't lift a gun? My my, that makes so much sense.

Despite all evidence to the contrary, I will try continuing to believe that humans are sensible creatures.

[Devlyn]

It will be good when the policies change. As far as major defects and abnormalities, well, all your body parts get a thorough inspection! They can reject you for crooked fingers. Hugs, Devlyn