Air Force to deny retirement pay to transgender members separated from service
16 days ago
- #retirement-benefits
- #transgender-military-ban
- #US-Air-Force
- The U.S. Air Force will deny early retirement benefits to transgender service members with 15-18 years of service, separating them without retirement pay.
- Transgender service members must choose between a lump-sum separation payment or involuntary separation.
- About a dozen service members were initially told they could retire before the decision was reversed.
- The Pentagon's policy, upheld by the Supreme Court, bans transgender troops and offers separation payouts.
- Transgender troops describe the separation process, including reverting service records to birth gender, as 'dehumanizing'.
- Legal challenges are expected due to the perceived arbitrariness and cruelty of the decision.
- Master Sgt. Logan Ireland, with 15 years of service, expressed feeling 'betrayed and devastated' by the policy.
- The Pentagon uses 'gender dysphoria' diagnosis to identify transgender troops, though not all transgender individuals have this condition.
- Active duty troops had until June 6 to voluntarily identify for payouts, while Reserve and National Guard had until July 7.