The AP is reporting the Pentagon is finalizing a plan to lift the ban on transgender service members.
The Associated Press has just reported that the Pentagon is finalizing a plan to lift the ban on transgender individuals in military.Â
“Pentagon leaders are finalizing plans aimed at lifting the ban on transgender individuals serving in the military,” the brief report states. “Senior U.S. officials say an announcement is expected this week.”
The AP adds the Pentagon’s plan would give the military “six months to determine the impact and work out details, with the presumption that they would end one of the last gender- or sexuality-based barriers to military service.”
Until then, the report notes, no changes or leniency is expected to be given transgender individuals who either are currently in the military or who apply to join.
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter (photo) in February told participants at a town hall in Afghanistan that transgender Americans should be allowed to serve. The President’s Press Secretary subsequently told reporters President Obama agrees.
“I come at that from a fundamental starting point,” Carter had said while speaking with troops earlier in the year. “It’s not something I’ve studied a lot since I became secretary of defense. But I come at this kind of question from a fundamental starting point, which is that we want to make our conditions and experience of service as attractive as possible to our best people in our country.”
He added that he is “very open-minded” about the issue, and said that the only “important criteria” is, “Are they going to be excellent service members?”
“I don’t think anything but their suitability for service should preclude them,” from serving, he added.
UPDATE I: 2:46 PM EDT –
Chris Geidner at Buzzfeed adds, “the decision could be announced as soon as Tuesday,” noting that a source “told BuzzFeed News that Defense Secretary Ash Carter met with President Obama last week to discuss the issue.”
Image via U.S. Dept of Defense/Twitter