President Trump's administration implements new measures to identify and separate transgender service members from the U.S. military forces.
According to The Hill, the Defense Department has issued a directive requiring gender dysphoria screening during annual physical examinations as part of its broader initiative to remove transgender individuals from military service.
The Pentagon's acting head of personnel and readiness signed a memorandum instructing senior officials to begin identifying affected service members through the Defense Department's Periodic Health Assessment. This new screening process represents a significant shift in military health evaluation procedures, directly targeting service members who may experience gender dysphoria, a condition where individuals do not identify with their biological sex.
President Trump's January executive order declared gender dysphoria "inconsistent" with military readiness, effectively reversing a Biden-era policy that had permitted transgender individuals to serve openly. The administration has not provided specific evidence demonstrating how gender dysphoria impacts military fitness or deployment capabilities.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's initial attempts to implement the policy faced legal challenges. However, a recent Supreme Court decision has cleared the way for the administration to proceed with enforcing the transgender service ban.
The Pentagon estimates approximately 4,200 service members may be affected by this policy change, significantly higher than the 1,000 individuals who have self-identified as having gender dysphoria.
Active-duty service members diagnosed with gender dysphoria have until June 6 to voluntarily separate from the military, while reserve forces face a July 7 deadline. Those choosing voluntary separation before these dates may qualify for separation pay.
The Defense Department has established a two-tier system for separation benefits. Service members who leave voluntarily within the specified timeframe will receive more favorable separation packages compared to those who remain past the deadlines.
Unit commanders have been granted authority to identify service members showing "symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria" for medical review, adding another layer to the identification process.
The military's annual health assessment will now include specific questions designed to identify service members with gender dysphoria. This systematic screening approach represents an unprecedented step in military medical evaluations.
Military medical personnel will conduct individualized medical record reviews for service members identified through the screening process or by their commanding officers.
The Pentagon's chief spokesperson Sean Parnell has indicated that affected service members who do not voluntarily separate may face forced removal with reduced benefits.
The Defense Department's implementation of gender dysphoria screening during annual physicals marks a decisive step in President Trump's military transgender ban. This policy affects thousands of service members, with the Pentagon identifying 4,200 potentially impacted individuals. As the June and July deadlines approach, transgender service members must decide whether to separate voluntarily with full benefits or risk forced removal with reduced compensation.
