Armed Forces News

Defense Secretary James Mattis issued an inter-departmental memorandum Aug. 25, ordering a study to review the policy calling for the discharge of transgender service members. Mattis stated that he intends to carry out President Trump’s request to bar transgender persons from military service, but any new policy would “contain the steps that will promote military readiness, lethality and unit cohesion, with due regard for budgetary constraints and consistent with applicable law.” He is appointing a panel of experts from within the Defense and Homeland Security departments to conduct the study. In the meantime, Mattis said, transgender persons now on active duty can remain in uniform.