Quote:Mattis freezes transgender policy; allows troops to continue serving, pending study
 
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis late Tuesday announced that transgender troops will be allowed to continue serving in the military pending the results of a study by experts. 

The announcement follows an order from President Trump — first announced in a tweet — declaring that transgender service members can no longer serve in the military, effectively reversing an Obama administration policy. The order also affects the Department of Homeland Security, which houses the Coast Guard.

"Once the panel reports its recommendations and following my consultation with the secretary of Homeland Security, I will provide my advice to the president concerning implementation of his policy direction," Mattis said in the statement. "In the interim, current policy with respect to currently serving members will remain in place."

Mattis' move buys time for the Pentagon to determine how and if it will allow thousands of transgender troops to continue to serve, whether they will receive medical treatment, or how they will be discharged.

As Defense Secretary, Mattis has emphasized that he has little tolerance for policies that detract from military readiness or the Pentagon's effectiveness on the battlefield. At the last moment in June, he delayed the Pentagon's plan to accept new transgender troops. His reasoning: He demanded more study to determine the effect of recruiting them on the Pentagon's ability to fight and win wars.

Under the Obama administration, the Pentagon rescinded a longstanding ban on transgender troops from serving. It also outlined how those troops could receive medical treatment, including gender reassignment surgery, if it was deemed medically necessary.

Trump's order by tweet on July 26 caught the Pentagon by surprise. The tweets said there was no room in the ranks for transgender troops and that the government would no longer pay for their medical treatment.

Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, responded by saying that the Pentagon would not change its policy until it was notified officially by the White House.

The president issued that notification Friday night. It directed Mattis to study the issue and determine how to implement Trump's direction. It was assailed by advocates for transgender troops who called it discriminatory, and the American Civil Liberties Union has filed suit against it.

Anyone at all concerned if the military aid they are getting in Texas is from a transgender person? Asking for a friend. (It's for @POTUS )

— The Glenn (@3TProductions) August 29, 2017

(08-29-2017, 11:44 PM)GMDino Wrote:

Anyone at all concerned if the military aid they are getting in Texas is from a transgender person? Asking for a friend. (It's for @POTUS )

— The Glenn (@3TProductions) August 29, 2017

(08-29-2017, 11:59 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: It's fair to ask if a potentially mentally ill person is around and in charge.

(08-29-2017, 11:59 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: It's fair to ask if a potentially mentally ill person is around and in charge.

(08-29-2017, 09:01 PM)GMDino Wrote: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/08/29/mattis-orders-pentagon-allow-transgender-troops-continue-serving-pending-study/614711001/

(08-13-2017, 11:48 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: The reason trump came out against them was because of the studies ran by the military. He was providing cover for those studies.

(08-29-2017, 11:17 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: This will end up being no more transgenders. Will move the current lot to jobs they won't harm themselves or others. There won't be any more coming once Mattie has it sorted. There won't be any medical treatments to chop hogs or do hormone treatments.

Which is how it should go.

(07-05-2017, 08:35 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: Let's try freedom.

(08-30-2017, 09:43 AM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: Anyone in uniform is at an increased risk of mental illness compared to cowards like Trump who didn't have to balls to serve.

(08-30-2017, 11:16 AM)PhilHos Wrote: Right, everyone who didn't serve is an effing coward! Trump's a coward! I'm a coward! Like 80% of the country are cowards! 

Give me a break. I've never understood why people need to make shit up to criticize Trump when there's so much legitimate stuff with which to work with.

(08-30-2017, 11:23 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: Maybe he's specifically referring to draft dodgers. 

(08-30-2017, 10:03 AM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: I'll be your "step and fetch boy" . . .


Well, so much for trying freedom. Pretty sad you would abandon it so easily. For an alleged Libertarian, you care surprisingly little about personally liberty.

How do you and Trump know how it should be? Neither of you have any military experience. Neither of you have read the studies you claimed Trump gave cover to which were ran by the military because the military didn't run those studies therefore Trump didn't provide cover to studies which only exist in your imagination.

(08-30-2017, 11:16 AM)PhilHos Wrote: Right, everyone who didn't serve is an effing coward! Trump's a coward! I'm a coward! Like 80% of the country are cowards! 

Give me a break. I've never understood why people need to make shit up to criticize Trump when there's so much legitimate stuff with which to work with.

(08-30-2017, 12:21 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: So let's be clear I am anti liberty if I think it's best that we do not put people in the military who have a high likelihood of mental illness?  

It's obvious the studies have shown this is the case Mattis is holding off to get their ducks in a row and cancel the policy.   Like I said they will allow the ones already in there to stay but place them in a position they won't affect anyone or anything.    And they won't be offering the chop or hormone treatments either.

(08-30-2017, 12:21 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: So let's be clear I am anti liberty if I think it's best that we do not put people in the military who have a high likelihood of mental illness?

It's obvious the studies have shown this is the case Mattis is holding off to get their ducks in a row and cancel the policy. Like I said they will allow the ones already in there to stay but place them in a position they won't affect anyone or anything. And they won't be offering the chop or hormone treatments either.

(08-30-2017, 01:52 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: Do you mean the results Mattis waiting on?  If the studies have shown that then why is he waiting to see the results of the studies if the studies have already shown that?

Jesus Christ.

(08-30-2017, 01:54 PM)GMDino Wrote: I honestly can never tell if someone is trolling or their personal belief/bias is SO strong they literally cannot see the words that prove them wrong.

(08-30-2017, 01:48 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: Did Trump accidentally dodge the draft?  

(08-30-2017, 01:48 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: Did a former president discriminate against kids with silver spoons from volunteering for the military to serve in Vietnam the same way that draft dodging kid with the silver spoon is discriminating against transgender individuals who want to volunteer for the military to serve in Afghanistan?

(08-30-2017, 01:48 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: Compared to the individuals who are willing to risk their lives for this country despite Trump's discrimination; yes, he is a coward.

(08-30-2017, 01:50 PM)GMDino Wrote: Mattis specifically said he's waiting for the results of the studies.  If those already exist maybe they should be forwarded to him. 

(08-30-2017, 03:46 PM)PhilHos Wrote: What does accidentally have to do with it? Why did he dodge the draft? From cowardice? Or maybe just because he could - due to wealth or whatever?

Quote:Has nothing to do with the topic I mentioned.

Quote:In other words, facts don't matter to you. Glad to know for future reference.