Transgender Sailors and Marines Must Decide by March 28 to Leave Voluntarily

Per a Military Policy change transgender individuals must leave voluntarily are face being forced out.

The policy, which was released to the fleet as a NAVADMIN after being filed in court by administration officials defending the ban against a lawsuit, is in line with the Defense Department-wide policy released last month that said service members who choose to separate would be eligible for separation pay that is twice as much as they would receive if they later get kicked out.

The military policy states that an "individual's sex is immutable, unchanging during a person's life,"  "After 28 March 2025, the [Department of the Navy] will initiate involuntary administrative separation for these personnel and others who are disqualified for military service."

Even as the services are rolling out their policies, a federal court appears poised to block the transgender service ban from taking effect.

At least two lawsuits have been filed against it, and a federal judge in Washington, D.C., hearing arguments in one of the lawsuits has appeared deeply skeptical of the Trump administration's defenses. That judge said at a hearing Wednesday that she expects to issue a ruling by next week on whether to block the ban from taking effect while the lawsuit works its way through the legal system.

The Pentagon is moving to ban transgender people from serving in the military to fulfill an executive order President Donald Trump signed in January that declared that being transgender is "not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member."

Officials in the Pentagon have not offered any details or examples to substantiate that claim per a report by Military.com

The policy the Pentagon put out to implement Trump's order says troops with a history of gender dysphoria, who "exhibit symptoms" of gender dysphoria, or who have transitioned to their gender identity are disqualified from service.

Gender dysphoria is the medical term for the distress caused by someone's gender identity not matching their sex assigned at birth.

The policy also outlines some exemptions, but advocates say the criteria for a waiver are impossible for any transgender service member to meet.

Per the policy in order to qualify for a waiver, a transgender service member would have to be stable in their birth sex for 36 months, never have transitioned to their gender identity, and be willing to serve in their birth sex. The military service must also prove there is a "compelling government interest in retaining the service member," which subsequent guidance clarified to mean the service member has some sort of special skill or training.

However, the offer for sailors and Marines who self-identify themselves for discharge, though driven by Pentagon policy, is generous and unique for the Department of the Navy, which includes the Marine Corps.

Under the policy those who request voluntary separation by March 28 will receive double the normal involuntary separation pay.

Normally, involuntary separation pay is 10% of a service member's annual base pay multiplied by their years of service.

Some of the publicly serving transgender service members -- both officer and enlisted -- have served for more than a decade, so these payments can easily be more than $100,000 even before being doubled.

They will also have any remaining service obligation waived and will not have to repay any bonuses tied to their service obligation they received before Feb. 26, 2025.

To read the official military statement visit 
https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Portals/55/Messages/NAVADMIN/NAV2025/NAV25055.txt?ver=dGRaKyd08iHgtyHMFx54XQ%3d%3d

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