(Image via Twitter)
Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced during a press conference at the Pentagon on Thursday that the policy prohibiting transgender people from serving openly in the military has been rendered null and void.
He explained that the decision to lift the ban was not only determined as a matter of principle, but also as a necessary policy change to ensure the U.S. military avails itself of “all talent possible.”
“The Defense Department and the military need to avail ourselves of all talent possible in order to remain what we are now: the finest fighting force the world has ever known,” said Carter.
“Our mission is to defend this country, and we don’t want barriers unrelated to a person’s qualifications to serve preventing us from recruiting or retaining the soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who can best accomplish that mission.”
He argued that as a matter of principle, “Americans who want to serve and can meet our standards should be afforded the opportunity to compete and do so.”
Carter added that, “The reality is, we have transgender service members serving in uniform today, and I have a responsibility to them and to their commanders to provide them both with clear and more consistent guidance than is provided by current policies.”
Along those lines, Carter said that transgender service members will no longer have to go outside military-provided medical care for treatment.
He noted that the added healthcare costs would represent “an exceedingly small proportion” of expenditures.
“Effective immediately, transgender Americans may serve openly, and they can no longer be discharged or otherwise separated from the military just for being transgender,” said Carter.
The Defense Department will be eliminating policies that result in transgender service members being treated differently.
Check out a clip from the announcement below.