08-20-2025
In May 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered active-duty transgender troop members to identify themselves and voluntarily leave the military. At the time of the order, there were about 2.1 million military personnel across active duty, National Guard, and the Reserves. Defense officials believe about 4,240 service members have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, with about 3,200 service members receiving gender-affirming hormone therapy, and about 1,000 receiving gender-affirming surgery. Following the order, about 1,000 members voluntarily identified themselves. About 500 of them were in the Army, hundreds were in the Navy, and at least 50 were in the Marines.
In August 2025, the U.S. Air Force announced that it would deny all transgender service members who have served between 15 and 18 years the option to retire early. They must leave without retirement benefits. These senior members have the choice to take a lump-sum separation payment that is offered to junior members or simply be removed. This choice will result in a substantial loss of financial, medical, and other benefits that could equal hundreds of thousands of dollars to each. An Air Force spokesperson told AP that these members had been allowed to apply for an exception to the requirement that they leave the service. However, none of those exceptions had been approved. Approximately twelve service members had been “prematurely notified” that they could retire before the military reversed that decision.
AP reviewed the memo issued by the Air Force. It said the choice to deny retirement benefits was made “after careful consideration of the individual applications.”