The U.S. Air Force announced on Thursday that it would deny early retirement benefits to transgender service members who have served between 15 and 18 years, a decision that has left many feeling betrayed. Instead of allowing them to retire with benefits, these service members will be separated from the service without any retirement compensation. One sergeant expressed his devastation over this decision, stating he felt "betrayed and devastated."
The new policy indicates that transgender service members must choose between accepting a lump-sum separation payment available to junior troops or facing involuntary removal from the military. An Air Force spokesperson confirmed to the Associated Press that while exceptions to the policy could be applied for by service members with 15 to 18 years of honorable service, none were granted. Approximately a dozen service members were reportedly informed prematurely that they would be allowed to retire before policy changes reversed this decision.
A memo reviewed by the Associated Press highlighted that the choice to deny retirement benefits was made "after careful consideration of the individual applications." This change comes as the Pentagon accelerates the separation of all transgender personnel under the ban previously enacted during the Trump administration.
The separation process has already experienced difficulties, particularly following the Supreme Court's ruling in early May that permitted the Pentagon to enforce the ban on transgender troops. Shortly after, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth introduced a policy enabling openly serving transgender individuals to either voluntarily leave with a large, one-time payment or be involuntarily separated at a later date.
Pentagon officials framed this policy as a means to treat all impacted service members with "dignity and respect." However, reports from late July indicated that many transgender troops found the separation process to be dehumanizing. The process reportedly included reverting service records back to the individual's birth gender, prompting accusations of "open cruelty" from those affected.
Shannon Leary, a lawyer specializing in employment discrimination cases involving LGBTQ+ individuals, anticipates legal challenges to this recent policy change, describing it as "arbitrary on its face and cruel." She emphasized the service commitment of these military members and noted that it is standard practice to offer early retirement to all members who have completed over 15 years of service. Leary also expressed concern that other military branches might follow the Air Force's lead.
Logan Ireland, a master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force with 15 years of service including a deployment to Afghanistan, shared his personal experience with the new policy. He recounted how he was informed of his denied retirement by his chain of command, who delivered the news with tears in their eyes, leaving him feeling betrayed and devastated.
As of December 9, 2024, the Pentagon reported approximately 4,240 active-duty troops diagnosed with "gender dysphoria," using this diagnosis as a primary method to identify transgender service members. However, not all transgender individuals experience gender dysphoria, suggesting that the true number of transgender personnel in the military may be higher than reported.
The current policy stipulates that active-duty transgender troops had until June 6 to voluntarily identify themselves and receive a payout, while National Guard and Reserve personnel had until July 7 to do the same. Pentagon officials indicated plans to rely on commanders and existing annual medical screenings to identify any transgender service members who do not come forward.
