All 4 service chiefs on record: No harm to units from transgender service

COL Charles Williams - It will be interesting, or challenging, particularly for the small unit leader. In my opinion, more thought should be put into standards for enlistment/commissioning. My approach would have been that an individual having gone through the full transition process, counselling, surgery, personal records changed, etc, having fully adopted their new gender, then fine meeting all other enlistment/commissioning standards, welcome aboard. There will be other problems, the burden being on the small unit leader, but over time they will be overcome. Whether this change will be a benefit to the overall mission of the Armed Forces, only time will tell.

I agree that if our senior leaders state this is the way ahead then it is the way ahead and we get on board or get out. I am not for the transgender movement for personal reasons and I don't think the DoD should pay for surgeries etc because they are elective and not medically necessary but leadership has spoken and we need to move out. In several years this will be in the noise and something else will take its place.

I have been against people who choose to join just for education, and I will also likely be against joining just to transition for the same reasons.

If you have already transitioned, or have already made a career of the military and want to transition, I don't see any issues therein.