It's one thing to say the military won't pay for gender reassignment surgery and another to say you can't serve at all if you are transgender. I might even be on board with the military not paying for gender reassignment surgery. There are plenty of things my healthcare didn't cover when I was on military coverage. What I'm definitely not on board with is banning people from serving in the military if they are fit to serve. It's stupid.

I believe there might be a post or two on the board here advocating zeroing out the Pentagon budget. Not sure how what Trumply did is worse in regards to positive outcomes for military personnel reassignment surgeries, but what do I know ?

(July 26, 2017 at 2:10 pm)vorlon13 Wrote: what do I know  ?

Probably about as much as I do.

The military spends five times as much on Viagra as it would on transgender troops’ medical care

Quote:“The implication is that even in the most extreme scenario that we were able to identify … we expect only a 0.13-percent ($8.4 million out of $6.2 billion) increase in health care spending,” Rand's authors concluded.

By contrast, total military spending on erectile dysfunction medicines amounts to $84 million annually, according to an analysis by the Military Times — 10 times the cost of annual transition-related medical care for active duty transgender servicemembers.

The military spends $41.6 million annually on Viagra alone, according to the Military Times analysis — roughly five times the estimated spending on transition-related medical care for transgender troops.

(July 26, 2017 at 2:35 pm)Mathilda Wrote: The military spends five times as much on Viagra as it would on transgender troops’ medical care

Quote:“The implication is that even in the most extreme scenario that we were able to identify … we expect only a 0.13-percent ($8.4 million out of $6.2 billion) increase in health care spending,” Rand's authors concluded.

By contrast, total military spending on erectile dysfunction medicines amounts to $84 million annually, according to an analysis by the Military Times — 10 times the cost of annual transition-related medical care for active duty transgender servicemembers.

The military spends $41.6 million annually on Viagra alone, according to the Military Times analysis — roughly five times the estimated spending on transition-related medical care for transgender troops.

The military seems to spend a lot on frivolous bullshit. Like that time they were buying freaking gun scopes with prayers on them.

---

But hey not like our military can boast after all were the country that

Bought submarines that sink or catch fire

Have helicopters that fall out of the sky

Allowed ourselves to go from a military power to nothing

And sent our troops to afghanistan in jungle camouflage

It's our armies problem. Some of the best troops sailors and pilots in the world . No  equipment to give them.

(July 26, 2017 at 10:52 am)Shell B Wrote:

(July 26, 2017 at 10:34 am)Cthulhu Dreaming Wrote: Shocked I am.  Shocked!

He said he was a friend of the LGBT community! Who would've thought he was just saying that to gain political points?

Surely, you jest. Are you really going to tell me you thought Trump was sincere? At what point did you realize he's not? What tipped you off?

(July 26, 2017 at 2:54 pm)Rhondazvous Wrote:

(July 26, 2017 at 10:52 am)Shell B Wrote: He said he was a friend of the LGBT community! Who would've thought he was just saying that to gain political points?

Surely, you jest. Are you really going to tell me you thought Trump was sincere? At what point did you realize he's not? What tipped you off?

I assure you, I do.

Well with any luck 45 will shoot of his mouth one too many times and he will get booted out, or fuck things up so bad he gives us a chamber in congress and becomes a 1 term president in 2020. Either way I don't see him lasting.

(July 26, 2017 at 1:30 pm)Tizheruk Wrote:

(July 26, 2017 at 1:16 pm)Minimalist Wrote: It's just part of the republicunt agenda to make their idiot, racist, jesus-freak, base feel important.

But min were not allowed to call them racists it hurts there feelings. And they will call you intolerant . Because now tolerance means respecting bigots and renaming bigotry "a different opinion " And if you fight them your called a violent radical .

As if I care.

Fuck 'em.

When it comes to the military, the first priority should be getting the job done as smoothly as possible, period.

Political correctness or being "fair" shouldn't matter. There are many people who want to join the military or want to have a particularly prestigious position in the military and they can't for reasons like asthma, ADHD, diabetes, history of mental illness of any sort... pretty much any type of medical/health condition raises red flags and may disqualify someone from the military or from particular positions within it. It isn't fair, but it isn't supposed to be. It's the military. They have a job to do. Either you meet the rigorous requirements or you don't. No accommodations.

So the big question is, do transgender people being in service hinder or complicate anything in any way? If the answer is yes, then I agree with the ban. If the answer is no, then of course I disagree with it.

As an outsider, I personally I don't see why or how a transgender person would hinder anything or be any sort of liability, but I am an outsider and am aware there may be something I'm missing or not thinking about. I know there are arguments from both sides, as I've got military friends on my facebook right now saying they approve of the ban and others saying they don't - both stating their reasons why or why not. So there's obviously disagreement on this within the military community itself.

At the end of the day, the decision should be made objectively based on what's best for the military and its mission. Not based on politically correctness, and not based on any sort of bigotry against trans folks.