The move will come into effect from 1 January.
Donald Trump announced in July of this year that he would not allow transgender individuals to serve in the US military in any capacity, thus reversing a policy put in place by Barack Obama a year earlier.
The US president tweeted at the time: “After consultation with my generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States government will not accept or allow … transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the US military.”
He continued: “Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming … victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.”
Back in October, a federal judge in Washington on Monday blocked US president Donald Trump from banning transgender people from serving in the US military, allocating a victory to transgender service members who accused the president of violating their constitutional rights.
However, Pentagon official Maj. David Eastburn announced today that transgender people can enlist in the military beginning 1 January 2018, despite President Donald Trump’s opposition. The President’s ban attempts have already been ruled against by two federal courts.
BREAKING: Pentagon says it will allow transgender people to enlist in the military beginning Jan. 1, despite Trump's opposition.
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 11, 2017
As of 1 January, potential recruits who identify as transgender will have to overcome a strict set of physical, medical and mental conditions for them to join the armed services.
Eastburn went on to tell The Associated Press on Monday that the new guidelines mean that the Pentagon can disqualify potential recruits with either gender dysphoria, a history of medical treatments associated with gender transition or those who underwent reconstruction.
However, such recruit hopefuls will be allowed in if a medical professional confirms their clinically stable position in their preferred sex for 18 months, noting as well that they are free of significant distress or impairment.
Maj. Eastburn confirms that the enlistment of recruits who identify as transgender will start in January and go on amid the legal battles.
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