How do you feel having a transgender Soldier on the front lines or holding NCO leadership Slot in your unit?

SGT Vince Albert Dickson — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 23:41:31 -0500

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2016 11:44 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 23:44:01 -0500

I have absolutely no problem with it. I don't care about anyone's personal life. As long as they are the best leaders to their soldiers, who should care?

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2016 11:57 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 23:57:42 -0500

Show me how good or bad of a leader they are, then I'll tell you.

Response by MAJ Bryan Zeski made Feb 25 at 2016 12:07 AM

MAJ Bryan Zeski — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 00:07:37 -0500

I don't have "Transgender Soldiers." I have Soldiers. Period.

Our Leaders are Professionals. I expect them to behave like it. If they do the job, they get credit. If they don't do the job, they get replaced.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Feb 25 at 2016 1:45 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 01:45:51 -0500

What would be their half-life in combat?

Response by SSgt David Tedrow made Feb 25 at 2016 1:56 AM

SSgt David Tedrow — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 01:56:52 -0500

Just by the question it sounds as if you are looking for an "out" to not respect the person as a leader. Leaders, in themselves, are people that can lead. That being said, a leader should be judge on their leadership abilities and not on their sex, race or sexual preferences. Let's stop looking for reasons to not accept people before they can prove their abilities.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 25 at 2016 7:02 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 07:02:35 -0500

We all are soldiers, is all about performance

Response by LTC Thomas Tennant made Feb 25 at 2016 8:19 AM

LTC Thomas Tennant — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 08:19:29 -0500

Maybe I'm being just old and crotchety, but WTF over. I'm come to accept gays and lesbians as part of our national fabric but I think this whole transgender thing is too far out there. God and nature made you a man or woman ... deal with it and be the best person you can be. If you are a man in love with another man...so be it. The same for woman loving woman. But a woman wanting to be a man and vice versa.... I just can not wrap my mind around it. Finally, if you are a good Soldier you keep these things to yourself and keep a low profile....don't draw fire guys and gals.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 25 at 2016 8:20 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 08:20:02 -0500

A keen eye would need to be kept for SHARP/EO violations in other soldiers, but other than that; black, white, skinny, husky, short, tall; I don't care. Cover me while I move and watch my six. I respect you as a soldier, I don't look past that. If you're a crappy soldier, I'll do my best to help you get better.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 25 at 2016 8:49 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 08:49:49 -0500

Truthfully, I have better things to worry about. If I have a TG person serving with me, I will hold them to the same standard as all the other troops. Honestly, I will probably have a little discomfort initially, but I will work hard to treat that Soldier fair and based on job performance.

Response by SSgt Dan Montague made Feb 25 at 2016 9:33 AM

SSgt Dan Montague — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 09:33:26 -0500

My only complaint would be, if there is someone on active or reserve duty who wants a sex change, the US tax payers should not be paying for it or any follow up surgeries and medications needed.

Response by CPT Mark Gonzalez made Feb 25 at 2016 9:52 AM

CPT Mark Gonzalez — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 09:52:07 -0500

It doesn't matter what you think the Army will soon tell you what our values are on this issue. Be progressive, be professional enough to shut your mouth or hits the bricks.
If you feel morally conflicted you can always talk to your chaplain.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 25 at 2016 9:57 AM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 09:57:00 -0500

I'm dealing with it now. There are challenges that senior level leadership is going to have to figure out, but for the rest of us the only thing we can do is treat them like any other Soldier/Leader. You don't have to like the new policy, but you have to support it fully, or get out.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 25 at 2016 10:49 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 10:49:45 -0500

Can I be transgender and get a few more minutes allotted to my run time? Not particularly interested in a surgical procedure, but the additional 10% body fat allowance sounds like a square deal to me.

How about DoD writes a policy on how to actually deal with the system we have rather than dictate and figure it out later. Horrible leadership on this issue.

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made Feb 25 at 2016 10:58 AM

CSM Richard StCyr — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 10:58:23 -0500

The beauty of the military is that it has always been a merit based organization (at least for as long as most of us have been alive) where folks compete against a known standard. So as long as someone can meet the standard it shouldn't matter what they are. That said, the only standard based question I can think of would be the APFT, would a TG person who was a male but switched to a female have an unfair advantage being scored against the female event tables due to body composition, and if so, how is that going to be accounted for so as not to skew the scoring . I also stopped assuming that senior leaders had taken these kind of questions into account a long time ago, and hope there are still folks asking the hard standard based questions of them and not just rolling over and sucking it up for political correctness.

Response by PO1 Jason Bishop made Feb 25 at 2016 11:21 AM

PO1 Jason Bishop — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 11:21:23 -0500

I really don't like to be discriminatory for any reason, but for someone to have an identity crisis where they feel they are one gender trapped in another gender's body is a flat out psychological issue. Whether you want to call it a problem or not, it's still a psychological issue, and in no way a physical issue. That in itself is the problem. The military needs focused personnel who can fit the standards in place, not people battling with an identity crisis and wasting time and money to accommodate them. There is already way too much focus on being politically correct which detracts from the mission and wastes resources. People need to realize not every job is for them. I really wanted to be an astronaut, but at 6'3" and 260lbs, I wouldn't even be considered because of my size and the resources required to put my big ass into space. I'm not going to go out of my way to demand equality and claim discrimination because they wouldn't let me be an astronaut.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 25 at 2016 11:31 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 11:31:21 -0500

I say it depends on what we believe they/we are fighting for.

If we're fighting for survival, I suppose every warm body counts. If we're fighting for universal acceptance of just about any choice someone can make, then I suppose they make logical additions. Personally, I used to think we were fighting for something more than that, and I guess that way of thinking is no longer acceptable...So there goes pretty much the whole concept I based my service, and consequently, my life on. Probably says it all right there.

If I cared to elaborate? Well, we've had adulterers, perverts, drunks, drug addicts, debtors, thieves, liars and just about everything else fighting and leading in our armed forces since 1776. My experience is that we've always run a little fast and loose with "morality" when it comes to those we ask to fight our wars for us. I don't see how transvestites and transgenders will be any different. However, I will say that in all that time, we never officially sanctioned or lionized someone's choice to cheat on their spouse, hang out at the strip club, drink/smoke/inject themselves into oblivion, spend outside their means, take what wasn't theirs, or make up stories to escape consequences. We put everyone in a clean uniform on parade, told them to write home to their mothers and had the Padre come out once a week and say a few words of wisdom. If nothing else, we pretended our warriors were moral for the sake of the masses back home who don't know any better and need to believe the nation they pay taxes to and live in is generally in-line with their ideologies.

In keeping with that idea, I say we recognize our warriors' gender as function of what "equipment" they have for the purposes of uniforms, facilities and standards. Yes-all of the above should be different as the genders are different. If they came by that by biology or surgery/medication/supplement...lets not make it a political issue. If they're still biologically what they came out of the womb as, I don't see how their "identity" should be any more public than another service member's porn preference.

If we could keep things that simple, we might avoid a lot of the current unpleasantness.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 25 at 2016 11:35 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 11:35:55 -0500

A Soldier is a Soldier. An NCO is an NCO. I don't care if they stand or squat when taking a leak. Do they get the job done? Do they take care of their troops? Do they lead from the front? That is what I care about.

Response by SSG Eddye Royal made Feb 25 at 2016 12:56 PM

SSG Eddye Royal — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 12:56:43 -0500

In 1990s we as leaders we just going to put people that were homos OUT, and STAMP, the DD-214, with the WORD in "RED". So the person does not get a leadership role, nowadays the the US need people or BODIES, and young people to replace the 40s and 50 year old. Technology is not going to do it all on the field.

Response by SFC J Fullerton made Feb 25 at 2016 2:50 PM

SFC J Fullerton — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 14:50:48 -0500

Sensitive subject now days. The debate boils down to whether or not gender dysphoria, or transgenderism, is a psychological disorder or not, and if so, does it interfere with performance of duty, or good order and discipline (a frowned upon phrase now days, I get it). There is no doubt that AR 40-501 will soon be revised to eliminate this as a DQ medical condition. But what about the many other DQ'ing medical conditions for initial enlistment or retention that do not affect duty performance? How many otherwise qualified people are rejected for enlistment ( or certain MOS's) for medical issues that can be controlled and have no limitations that would affect performance. I find it kind of crazy that a peanut allergy and bee stings can be permanent medical disqualification but hormone medication and sex change operations for a male identifying as female is OK. Is this more about forcing the military to conform to a certain ideology than it is about fair opportunity?

Response by SPC Ethan Reddick made Feb 25 at 2016 2:51 PM

SPC Ethan Reddick — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 14:51:38 -0500

As long as they can do their job it doesn't matter sexual orientation or gender identity.

Response by SSG Drew Cook made Feb 26 at 2016 10:51 AM

SSG Drew Cook — Fri, 26 Feb 2016 10:51:00 -0500

A servicemember's sexual orientation is irrelevant. Whether they can lead and follow is what I always cared about.

Response by MCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2016 3:51 PM

MCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 15:51:04 -0500

Are they tactically and technically proficient?

If they are, I don't care if they have tits or nuts (or both or neither), I can use them.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 29 at 2016 3:05 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 03:05:55 -0500

Can they do the job properly? If so, this isn't an issue. If not, train. If not because they're pulling an EO card, train them harder as that isn't a valid excuse.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Feb 29 at 2016 6:25 PM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 18:25:07 -0500

I don't care as long as they can soldier on and do the job.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 29 at 2016 6:28 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 18:28:14 -0500

Can he or she work and fight? That's what matters.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 5:58 AM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 05:58:50 -0500

I feel like we (transgender servicemembers) are already here serving on active duty and in the Reserves. The coming policy changes are just ensuring that we get the same respect as our cisgender peers and are only judged on our abilities to lead and serve.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 1:09 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 13:09:07 -0500

So long as they perform their job everyone will be ok with it. But on the other hand, can I wake up tomorrow and say " I feel like I'm a girl " and go pee in the girls bathroom? I foresee a lot of EO/SHARP complaints not within the fine prints.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2016 5:17 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 17:17:53 -0500

I guess my question is what difference does it make? If the soldier is capable and exercises that capability what else matters?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2016 5:41 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 17:41:24 -0500

If that person can do the job..no problem here. You did say "soldier"..yet you lead picture is anything but. I think having "chelsea" manning's picture up there is kind of misleading

Response by PFC Tuan Trang made Mar 10 at 2016 7:05 PM

PFC Tuan Trang — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 19:05:54 -0500

I have no problem with that, it not the gender who play the role, i think it they leadership mind and willing to help or step up.

Response by 1SG James Wise made Mar 23 at 2016 10:36 AM

1SG James Wise — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 10:36:08 -0400

As long as they paid for everything themselves and didn't force taxpayers to foot the bill, AND they can do their job to standard - well more power to them. At least they have the guts to do more than most of the rest of this country's citizens have bothered to do in their self-centered lives.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 14 at 2016 9:02 PM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 14 Apr 2016 21:02:28 -0400

You respect them and judge them for their ability to lead... They are first and foremost sailors, soldiers, marines, or airmen and you see them for that. I would follow a leader to hell and back I don't care they are transgender.

Response by SPC Michael Mullins made Apr 22 at 2016 9:47 PM

SPC Michael Mullins — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 21:47:03 -0400

An awesome thing about the military uniform is that it is not gender specific we all wear the same one. So how a soldier or leader identifies outside of work doesn't matter. all that matters is how they perform as a leader and and the rank on their collar/chest.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 19 at 2016 7:05 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 19:05:13 -0400

My only question is who pays the bill?

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2016 10:42 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 10:42:55 -0400

I would be more concerned about their abilities to Lead and Perform than to what they identify as.

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made Jul 28 at 2016 2:21 PM

CSM Richard StCyr — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 14:21:09 -0400

One of the things I always liked about the Army was that everything was performance and merit based. That said, if they can do the job then their welcome to it.
I do however have concerns for how a transgender Soldier would be treated if captured. Some of our enemies have a pretty dim view and abhorrent record for the treatment of LGBT folks in their own community let alone how a POW would be treated.
But I'm sure cultural concerns like that have been considered by the powers that be.

Response by SFC Thomas Howes made Sep 25 at 2019 5:27 PM

SFC Thomas Howes — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 17:27:12 -0400

I don't care just don't want them to use government money to get the change. just like I don't like them using government money to let women do breast implants.

Response by SFC Alice Shue made Feb 4 at 2020 11:02 PM

SFC Alice Shue — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 23:02:51 -0500

Please no!!

Response by SFC Dave Parker made Feb 22 at 2020 11:08 PM

SFC Dave Parker — Sat, 22 Feb 2020 23:08:59 -0500

I think these people are mentally unstable and shouldn't be in sensitive positions.