Pirate's Cove

Nothing says stable and reliable while handling weapons in action against the enemy like being majorly depressed and having a high suicide rate, putting the mission and fellow service members at risk

(NY Times) President Trump is preparing to give the Defense Department formal authority to expel transgender people from the military in an upcoming order, barring the Pentagon from recruiting transgender troops and cutting off payment for sexual reassignment surgery and other medical treatments for those already serving.

A White House memo that is expected to be sent to the Pentagon in coming days gives Jim Mattis, the secretary of defense, six months to enforce the transgender ban that Mr. Trump announced abruptly last month in a series of tweets. The directive was confirmed Wednesday by a person familiar with its contents but who was not authorized to discuss its details and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The authority has not yet been finalized. Once it is approved, it would allow Mr. Mattis to force out transgender service members by setting a legal standard of whether they would be able to deploy to war zones or for other lengthy military missions.

This was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, however, their article is behind the paywall.

“It is unconscionable that the commander in chief would take aim at his own, loyally serving troops for political reasons at a time when the military needs to focus on real threats,” said Aaron Belkin, the director of the Palm Center, a research institute that had worked with the military to devise its policy on admitting transgender service members.

“Imposing one set of standards for transgender troops, and another set of standards for everyone else is a recipe for disruption, distraction and waste,” Mr. Belkin said.

Except, there are all types of standards of who can serve in the military and in specific units. Color blind? Don’t expect to serve in special forces or fly a plane. To join, one must pass certain physical requirements, including weight and physical fitness. Mental fitness is also a requirement. Having major depression and/or being suicidal are issues that would keep someone out.

(Daily Caller) The American Military Partner Association, a pro-LGBT organization, condemned the memo as a “vicious assault.”

“Despite the overwhelming bipartisan condemnation of his reckless tweets, President Trump is still pushing forward with his vicious assault on transgender service members,” said AMPA President Ashley Broadway-Mack in a statement. “His foolhardy assertion that transgender service members are not able to deploy is simply not rooted in fact. Transgender service members are just as deployable as any other service member. These brave men and women are already risking their lives for this country around the world. They have earned their right to appropriate medical care, and President Trump’s attempt to rip that away is beyond unconscionable.”

Just as deployable? Someone who is very likely to be depressed and suicidal isn’t exactly the person you want next to you during a firefight. Appropriate medical care? The U.S. military shouldn’t be paying for sexual reassignment surgery. If the gender confused want it, let them pay for it. On their own time. Not taking lots of time off from their job to transition. And, let’s face it, if you want to cut your own testicles and penis off while taking hormones and such, you’re mentally disturbed.

You can’t join the military if you have a long list of mental disorders, such an eating disorders, sleep walking, antisocial attitudes, ADD, OCD, and so much more, including

Mood disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, psychoses, and other unspecified depressive issues are disqualifying.

Any history of suicidal behavior, that includes discussions, gestures, or the actual attempt is disqualifying. A history of self-mutilation is also disqualifying.

And, technically, being a transvestite is still considered a mental disorder by the US military, regardless of Obama’s order.

Crossed at Right Wing News.