The U.S. Air Force issued a memo earlier in August denying early retirement to all transgender service members with between 15 and 18 years of military service and giving them a choice: quit or be forced out with no retirement. Today, the Colorado Democratic Party, Colorado Democratic Veterans Council (CDVC), and the Stonewall Democrats of Colorado condemned the move as punitive and discriminatory.
The Air Force decision reverses retirements that had already been approved, forcing separations without pensions, instead offering only one-time lump-sum payouts.
“We stand with every veteran and service member who has faithfully served our country,” said Scott Merrifield, the Chair of the CDVC, in a news release. “To strip retirement benefits from transgender service members who have honored their commitment is an egregious breach of trust and an act of discrimination. No individual should be punished for their identity, especially after serving in uniform. This policy undermines morale, betrays service, and sets a dangerous precedent.”
Early retirement opportunities have generally been offered to those with 15 or more years of honorable service.
The joint statement by the Colorado Democratic Party, CDVC, and the Stonewall Democrats of Colorado said that the Air Force’s refusal to extend this to transgender service members is “discriminatory, undermines cohesion, and denies lifetime pensions, healthcare, and other earned benefits.”
Jared Bynum, the chair of the Colorado chapter of Stonewall Democrats, argued the policy change ignores the sacrifices made by transgender service members.
“Trans service members are patriots who have made personal sacrifices to serve their country,” Bynum said. “Denying them the respect and benefits they earned is abhorrent and stands in direct opposition to our values of equity and justice.”
The joint statement called on the Department of Defense, the U.S. Air Force, and Congress to reverse policies targeting transgender service members, restore all previously approved early retirement benefits, and implement “inclusive, equitable policies that honor all who serve” regardless of their gender identity.
“After careful consideration of the individual applications, I am disapproving all Temporary Early Retirement Authority exception to policy requests in Tab 1 and 2 for members with 15-18 years of service,” stated the memo that was signed by Brian Scarlett, who is performing the duties of the assistant secretary of the Air Force for Mainpower and Reserve Affairs. The memo was first reported by Reuters.
Regular retirement for those in the Air Force happens after twenty years. In May, the Air Force announced via memo that servicemembers with 15 to 18 years of service could retire under an exception to Temporary Early Retirement Authority (TERA).
NBC News reported last week that transgender service members who had previously had their retirement approved had been revoked under a new Air Force directive. An Air Force spokesperson told NBC that those that retirements rescinded “were prematurely notified that their TERA applications under the gender dysphoria provision had been approved, but higher level review was required under the DOD gender dysphoria policy for those members (between 15 and 18 years of service.”
The Colorado Times Recorder reached out to the U.S. Air Force to clarify what that higher level of review entails and why that led to approved retirements being rescinded, this article will be updated if and when we receive a response.
The policy change is the latest move by the Trump administration as it seeks to ban transgender people from joining the U.S. military and remove those who are currently serving. The move comes after a U.S. Supreme Court decision in May that allowed the enforcement of Trump’s transgender service ban. Multiple federal judges had blocked the executive order barring transgender troops from serving prior.
Research has indicated that Trump’s previous ban on transgender service had a negative impact on military readiness, unit cohesion, and nation security. In the previous Trump administration, fifty-six generals, admirals, and officers from every service branch argued that the ban would “degrade readiness even more than the failed ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy.”
According to the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the policy will cost transgender service members hundreds of dollars in denied benefits over their lifetime.
