President Trump has announced the military will no longer allow transgender individuals to serve in the military in “any capacity.” The Obama administration had previously authorized transgender people to serve.
What’s at stake here is the balance between rights, financial costs, and military readiness. Trump justified his decision by claiming that transgender recruiting poses excessive medical and readiness costs.
Others disagree.
They point to a 2016 Rand report which found only around 2,450 transgender personnel serve in the U.S. military. More importantly, Rand asserted that transgender service does not substantially affect force readiness.
Yet we shouldn’t take the objectivity of this study for granted.
After all, in its recommendations, the report was firmly in tune with the Obama administration’s beliefs. That makes me skeptical it was truly accurate. Rand is a private corporation that derives significant business from government. It has a natural inclination to please the government. Rand certainly knew that Obama wanted the findings it found.
Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean Trump’s decision is the right one. It might be that Trump is trying to keep the military happy. Certainly, the president knows that U.S. military leaders are uncomfortable with transgender service. They fear that transgender service risks upsetting morale, especially in aggressive combat infantry units. And their personal philosophies also tend to be more conservative. That’s why, for example, senior military leaders opposed ending the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy towards homosexuals, even though doing so had no negative impact.
My point of view is quite simple: If the Rand report is accurate and transgender service poses only marginal readiness difficulties for the military, transgender people should be allowed to serve. We need as much talent in the military as possible.
Conversely, if the military’s perspective is right, and transgender service negatively affects force readiness, the ban is the correct course of action. And let’s be clear, the military might be right. When it comes to women serving in combat infantry units, for example, the force readiness questions are real. By opening those positions to female personnel, the Obama administration put social justice politics first.
Ultimately, the U.S. military should be a welcoming institution that respects all who wish to serve. But the military’s first priority must always be clear and unequivocal: victory in war.
