Transgender sailors, Marines offered benefits to voluntarily leave service or face being kicked out
The Department of the Navy recently announced that transgender sailors and Marines have the option to voluntarily separate from the service by March 28, or risk being involuntarily removed, which would result in a significant reduction in benefits. This decision is in line with an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in January, which prohibits transgender individuals from serving in the military, and subsequent orders from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth instructing the service branches to begin separating transgender troops.
Acting Secretary of the Navy Terence Emmert stated in a memo that the Department of the Navy recognizes male and female as the only two sexes, and believes that “an individual’s sex is immutable, unchanging during a person’s life.” As a result, individuals with a history or symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria may no longer serve in the military and are given the option to voluntarily depart by March 28. After this date, the Navy will proceed with involuntary separations.
The memo also outlined that individuals who have undergone cross-sex hormone therapy or gender reassignment surgery are disqualified from military service. However, the Navy clarified that they will not actively search through medical records or health assessments to identify transgender service members, unless specifically requested to do so.
Transgender service members who choose to voluntarily separate will receive double the separation pay compared to those who are involuntarily removed. For example, an E-5 with 10 years of experience would receive $101,628 in voluntary separation pay, as opposed to $50,814 for involuntary separation pay. Exceptions to this policy may be granted on a case-by-case basis if it is deemed that retaining or recruiting transgender individuals directly supports warfighting capabilities.
The decision by the Navy comes amidst ongoing legal challenges to the transgender military ban. LGBTQ advocacy groups have filed lawsuits seeking to block the ban, arguing that it is discriminatory and harms individuals who have met all qualifications to serve. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation and Lambda Legal have been vocal in their opposition to the policy, calling it “morally reprehensible” and “fundamentally un-American.”
Despite the controversy surrounding the ban, Navy leaders have previously defended LGBTQ service members. Former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday publicly supported a nonbinary Navy officer featured in a video about LGBTQ representation in the Navy, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity and diversity within the armed forces.
As the Navy moves forward with implementing the transgender military ban, the debate over the policy’s impact on service members and military readiness continues. The outcome of ongoing legal challenges will likely shape the future of transgender individuals serving in the U.S. military.
