Quote from: RobynD on August 06, 2017, 09:06:48 PM
Very cool. I'm not sure who is heading the US Dept of Transportation now, but the CG is not a branch of the military unless there is a declared war, so they could defy this no problem.
Coast Guard has moved! In 2002 it was realigned from Department of Transportation to the newly-created Department of Homeland Security. As you point out, it can be realigned to DOD/Navy during wartime, but the last time that happened was World War II.
The Coast Guard is a funny organization. While it follows a military form of organization, its chief activities are law enforcement and maritime safety, rather than preparing for or waging war (like Army, Navy, Air Force, and USMC). Given its current alignment outside of DOD, a move to rescind the DOD policies that allow trans folks to serve in the military likely wouldn't apply to the Coast Guard.
Making a potential DOD trans ban apply to Coast Guard would take some finesse, administrative sophistication, and diligence on the part of the White House - something that Trump does not display. Trump likes to think he can just rule by decree: by executive orders, or even just by angry tweets. Fortunately government doesn't work that way.
