Military Mainstreams Transgender

[skb12172]

And will also start covering their surgery. If that isn't one of the final nails in the coffin, you tell me what is. No wonder Russia and China are making us their bitches.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/07/01/us ... oogle.com/

[scipioafricanus]

So which uniform standards do they follow: male or female?

[D5CAV]

If I self-identify as a lesbian trapped in a man's body, does that mean I get to train with the women recruits?

[MarkD]

I belong to a fitness forum too. Some months ago someone who is "gender fluid" (meaning some mornings he woke up and he was a guy, some mornings she was a girl) who wanted to know how that would affect his/her body's reaction to training.

We explained (gently so as not to microagress) that how you feel has somewhere between jack and shit to do with how your body responds to training, it has to do with the chemical make up of your body (particularly presence or absence of testosterone), which has to do with the glands that are present and how they're functioning. IOW while you may decide that morning whether you're a boy or a girl, your muscles will respond however the chemical cocktail that is you tells them to, which won't change depending on whether you wear a skirt.

[g-man]

Because the 9th Cavalry was such a crap unit, and we never should have integrated blacks...[/sarc]

They're people, and they're already serving. Let me say that again for emphasis: They're already serving. The Brits have had open transgender service since '99 with no deleterious effect on readiness. Trans people usually (unlike the confused individual MarkD mentions) have a pretty good grasp on WTF is up as it regards hormones and chemical balances. Please don't conflate the policies of the administration, the machinations of groups you think have 'an agenda', and the individuals who were willing to enlist and sign the blank check payable to the U.S.A for the sum of "Up to, and including my life'.

I'm going to STFU now, since (at least for the rest of this month), I work in the personnel office which is developing this policy. I will say the folks on the team working this are trying really, really fucking hard to get this right.

[First Shirt]

Sounds like they're trying to eat a sh*t sandwich, while making as little mess as possible. And l'm not disparaging their efforts, I just think it's a case of throwing effort after foolishness.

Anorexia and transgenderism are both defined as types of body dismorphia (when the person's view of their body does not match reality). So, why do we force anorexics into mental health treatment, but applaud transgenders? Especially given the high rate of suicide among transgenders? Not being critical, it's a serious question.

[g-man]

Short answer: They've got to be cleared by medical.

Longer answer: In-service Soldiers are being dealt with under further guidance to be published by 1 Oct this year, both in the personnel and medical lanes. Accessions are treated slightly differently, as we can set requirements before folks join.

The relevant portion of the directive memo, as it regards accessions:

(1) A history of gender dysphoria is disqualifying, unless, as certified by a
licensed medical provider, the applicant has been stable without clinically significant distress or
impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning for 18 months.
(2) A history of medical treatment associated with gender transition is
disqualifying, unless, as certified by a licensed medical provider:
(a) the applicant has completed all medical treatment associated with the
applicant’s gender transition; and
(b) the applicant has been stable in the preferred gender for 18 months;
and
(c) If the applicant is presently receiving cross-sex hormone therapy postgender
transition, the individual has been stable on such hormones for 18 months.
(3) A history of sex reassignment or genital reconstruction surgery is
disqualifying, unless, as certified by a licensed medical provider:
(a) a period of 18 months has elapsed since the date of the most recent of
any such surgery; and
(b) no functional limitations or complications persist, nor is any additional
surgery required.

Copy all regarding suicide rates, but a confounding factor there is the general lack of societal acceptance causing isolation and depression... which can be partially mitigated by understanding rather than ostracism.

[PawPaw]

When I was an infantryman, and later a cavalry trooper, or an armor crewman, we had all male outfits.

PT Tests are the great equalizer. The first PT test I ever took was the old 5-event test. Fairly easy, but you had to be in pretty good shape to pass it. When I got into Armor, I had to pass the Armored Crewman's PT test. It was fairly rigorous. In addition to the standard run, pushups, etc, you had to lift a track block on to your back and run 400 yards in a given time. A track block from an M60 series tank weighed upwards of 90 lbs. Then, when you dropped the track block, you had to lift a 40 lb dummy round over your head 60 times. That test separated the men from the boys. This PT test was very job-specific.

Several years later as an MP, we had gals in the unit. It wasn't really a problem, although the first time I went to the field with the MPs and saw my machine gunner applying lipstick, that was a bit of a shock. As I stayed in the MPs for about ten years before I went back inthe Cav, I learned (This was during don't-ask-don't-tell) that a number of my soldiers were what we referred to a "thigh-biters". We also had a certain percentage of "cock-suckers". It never was much of a problem, because there are few secrets in a platoon, whether it's MP, Infantry, Armor, or Cav. Everyone knows everyone else, and I can say that I never really had a problem, either from the perspective of a rookie trooper, or later as a leader, You knew, and you just didn't say anything. If, as a leader, there was indisputable evidence, you started separation proceedings.

I still have a lot of respect for the troopers, the grunts, and the warriors in the service. I'm simply glad that I don't have to serve in Obama's Army.

[g-man]

PT Tests are the great equalizer. The first PT test I ever took was the old 5-event test. Fairly easy, but you had to be in pretty good shape to pass it. When I got into Armor, I had to pass the Armored Crewman's PT test. It was fairly rigorous. In addition to the standard run, pushups, etc, you had to lift a track block on to your back and run 400 yards in a given time. A track block from an M60 series tank weighed upwards of 90 lbs. Then, when you dropped the track block, you had to lift a 40 lb dummy round over your head 60 times. That test separated the men from the boys. This PT test was very job-specific.

Biology dictates that any objective standard which can accurately identify individuals suited to these tasks will eliminate a higher percentage of women than men. Whether or not this blinding flash of the obvious will 'be acceptable' remains to be seen.

[Vonz90]

PT Tests are the great equalizer. The first PT test I ever took was the old 5-event test. Fairly easy, but you had to be in pretty good shape to pass it. When I got into Armor, I had to pass the Armored Crewman's PT test. It was fairly rigorous. In addition to the standard run, pushups, etc, you had to lift a track block on to your back and run 400 yards in a given time. A track block from an M60 series tank weighed upwards of 90 lbs. Then, when you dropped the track block, you had to lift a 40 lb dummy round over your head 60 times. That test separated the men from the boys. This PT test was very job-specific.

Biology dictates that any objective standard which can accurately identify individuals suited to these tasks will eliminate a higher percentage of women than men. Whether or not this blinding flash of the obvious will 'be acceptable' remains to be seen.

We still need a like button