Carter makes transgender soldier policy official

Defense Secretary Ash Carter today formally announced an end to the ban on transgender service members in the U.S. military. According to Carter, only a recruit’s qualifications should matter. No other issues should create a barrier to service, he said, adding that ending the ban was the right thing to do. But military leaders don’t share Carter’s confidence. Senior commanders have said the Pentagon is moving too fast to implement the changes, which are supposed to be phased in over the next year. Beginning Oct. 1, service members who want to change their gender can begin medical treatment and start the process of changing the sex listed on the military’s personnel database.