I want to transition. I also want to go to college. My options (to keep relatively debt free) are to try the military again. Any input?

I presume you are a USA citizen. The USA armed forces don't 'encourage' transgender people as far as I am aware.

In Australia the armed forces will pay for your transition, including GCS.

So it depends where you are.

 Yes, I am. i should have included that. I'm a US citizen and they're not too keen on trans people. They actually bar openly transgender people from serving.

What are your options if you don't join the armed forces? Sounds like you'd be able to transition and go to college but struggle financially. Is there anyway to avoid that last part?

I just began HRT about a month ago.  My school provides a lot of financial aid and it covers the medical insurance.  The insurance covers psychological counseling, HRT, and GRS.

Maybe you can perform a search for schools that offer this service or something similar.  When I did a Google search of "transgender care schools", I see several websites with a list of several school's names that support transgender students, and I even see my school on most of those lists.  You can attend a university if that is what you prefer doing, and you can still transition... that is what I am doing!

One could postulate that the armed forces is not a healthy environment for a transgender person. If you have enough control over your needs to delay your transition that might work, but my first instinct is that would be a mistake.

I agree about the armed forces unless you know you can suppress and live with it.  Or you can wait until spring to see if the rules change, assuming you are in the US.


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I think the advice to attend college clearly makes the most sense.  The college degree will help you greatly later on in life when time comes to find a job that pays you a salary which allows you to not only fully transition but to live a more comfortable life financially.  I would find one of the colleges to attend that offers you not only a level of care relating to your gender issues but also a degree of understanding and safety as to your living accommodations and social life while in school.  As I know you are aware, not all college age students are understanding and accepting of students outside of what they consider the mainstream.  Again, as has been said many times in this forum, transition is a process which takes time.....many months and in some cases many years.  It is very difficult to speed the process up and have a successful outcome.  There are just too many varied things that have to be undertaken in a progression of steps over time.  Your college years will allow you to do that as well as get an education to support you after you transition.

I personally would not consider the military as the culture you would live and work in would not be conducive to either the physical or mental aspects needed for transition.  I can only imagine the frustration and angst that would create for you.   Whatever you choose......best of luck and always think ahead.........move forward to achieve your goal.  You will find that it is all worth it!