Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Thursday 28 February 2019
Military spent about $8M on transgender care since 2016

By JULIE WATSON and JEN- about 23,000 psychothera-
NIFER McDERMOTT py visits and about 160 sur-
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Lindsey geries.The administration's
Muller served in the Army expected policy would al-
as a man for nearly a de- low transgender people
cade before telling her to serve if they remain in
commanders in 2014 that their biological sex. It would
she identified as a woman grandfather in current ser-
and would resign because vice members, though the
military policy barred trans- government has also said
gender personnel. Her su- it retains the right to elimi-
periors, citing her outstand- nate that protection.
ing performance, persuad- Transgender troops say
ed the decorated attack the ban mirrors the "don't
helicopter pilot to stay. ask, don't tell" policy that
After then-President Barack prohibited gay men and
Obama changed the pol- women from serving open-
icy, she started dressing in ly in the armed forces be-
uniform as a woman. Mull- fore Congress repealed it in
er went on to be recom- 2010.
mended for a promotion Army Lieutenant Gen. Tom
as the surgery to complete Spoehr, who retired in 2016
her gender transition was when transgender troops
scheduled, but the opera- started serving openly, wit-
tion was postponed in 2017 nessed no problems. But he
when President Donald In this Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019 photo released by the her office, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, agrees with Trump's policy
D-Calif., left, gives challenge coins to U.S. Army Maj. Ian Brown, right, and other military service
Trump announced on Twit- members to thank them for their service, in her office at the Capitol following the State of the Union because of suicide rates
ter that he was reinstituting address in Washington. among people with gen-
the ban. Associated Press der dysphoria.
With the ban now blocked "The military has to work with
by lawsuits, transgender you will find Purple Heart folded into the defense bill, plete her transition when the preponderance that
troops Wednesday were recipients, Bronze Star win- which could be harder for Trump tweeted in 2017 that the data and evidence say
set to testify for the first time ners, attack aviators, Navy Trump to veto. the Pentagon "cannot be people with gender dys-
before Congress. SEALs," said Muller, who will Among those set to tes- burdened with the tremen- phoria are at much greater
In the nearly three years not be testifying but is a tify will be five transgender dous medical costs and risk of harming themselves
since the U.S. military wel- plaintiff in one of four law- troops and Pentagon of- disruption that transgender and not being at their best,"
comed transgender peo- suits challenging the ban. ficials including Vice Adm. in the military would entail." said Spoehr, director of The
ple into the armed forces, "We've been here, and we Raquel Bono, the direc- She has since gotten the Heritage Foundation's Cen-
they have largely served will continue to be here re- tor of the Defense Health surgery and continues to ter for National Defense.
without incident. Some, like gardless. In what capacity Agency, and James Stew- serve. U.S. Army Maj. Ian Brown,
Muller, have earned pres- is up to the administration." art, acting under-secretary While the Supreme Court 38, disagrees that trans-
tigious medals or received Trump has cited "tremen- of defense for personnel in January lifted national gender troops have more
other forms of recognition. dous medical costs" as a and readiness. injunctions by two courts, problems than the general
They say they stand as reason for the ban. They are expected to be two others remain in place. military population.
proof against President According to new data questioned about whether Military chiefs testified be- "At the end of the day, as
Donald Trump's argument from the Defense Depart- there is evidence that sup- fore Congress last year that a trans soldier, I'm going to
that their presence is a bur- ment provided to the House ports excluding transgen- they found no problems do my job to the best of my
den. Armed Services Committee der personnel. The Ameri- with transgender troops on ability, and that's to fight for
"Once you meet trans- ahead of the hearing, the can Medical Association morale. everyone's freedoms," said
gender people who have military has spent about $8 has stated there is none. An estimated 14,700 troops the two-time Bronze Star
served in the different million on transgender care Muller, a 19-year Iraq com- on active duty and in the recipient who transitioned
branches ... it's really hard since 2016. The military's bat veteran, diligently Reserves identify as trans- from female to male while
to dismiss the fact that annual health care budget followed the Pentagon gender but not all seek advising the Army's deputy
tops $50 billion. The Asso- guidelines to transition. She treatment. The Defense chief of staff in operations
ciated Press obtained the was grounded after go- Department treated 1,525 and planning. "That's not
data Wednesday. ing on hormone replace- service members between going to change."
The hearing will be held by ment therapy, though July 1, 2016 and February 1, During Master Sgt. Erika
a subcommittee chaired non-transgender people 2019, who were diagnosed Stoltz's first post-transition
by Democratic Rep. Jackie on hormone replacement with gender dysphoria, a deployment, she received
Speier who introduced bi- therapy routinely receive condition of extreme dis- a humanitarian award for
partisan legislation in Feb- waivers to keep flying. tress from not identifying her hurricane relief work in
ruary that would prohibit Since then, Muller has been with one's biological gen- the Caribbean.
the Department of Defense an aviation safety officer der. Currently about 1,071 "There have been people
from denying the enlist- in South Korea, overseeing are serving, including 20 who have blatantly run
ment or continued service 1,100 troops near the de- senior officers. The military into the face of certain
of transgender people if militarized zone. Her com- spent about $8 million on death to save another sol-
Trump's ban takes effect. mander recommended transgender care, includ- dier," said the combat vet-
Similar legislation was in- her for a promotion, calling ing about $5.8 million on eran with two Bronze Stars.
troduced in the Senate. It's her the best battalion offi- psychotherapy and about "They're not worried about
unclear whether the legis- cer in the brigade. $2 million on surgeries most- what gender they are,
lation would be voted on At the time, Muller was ly for breast reductions and they're just trying to save
as a stand-alone bill or be scheduling surgery to com- hysterectomies. There were their buddy."q