The move means that #transgender #ServiceMembers will now be faced with the choice of either taking a *lump-sum* [meager] separation payment offered to JUNIOR troops [regardless of their actual status] or be removed from the service.

An #AirForce [#USAF]spox told AP that “although service members with 15 to 18 years of HONORABLE service were permitted to apply for an exception to policy, none of the exceptions to policy were approved.”

#Trump #Hegseth #discrimination #military #LGBTQ #hate

The #Republican president also has sought to block federal spending on #gender-affirming #medical care for those under age 19—instead promoting talk therapy only to treat young #transgender people. In addition, #SCOTUS has allowed him to kick transgender #ServiceMembers out of the #military, even as court battles continue. #Trump also signed another #ExecutiveOrder to define the #sexes as only male & female.

#law #discrimination #bigotry #LGBTQ
#CivilRights #HumanRights #privacy
#BodilyAutonomy

#Israel, w/5 days of missile strikes, has done considerable damage to #Iran & believes it can now deal a permanent blow to Tehran’s #nuclear program—particularly if it gets a little more help from the #US.

But deepening American involvement, perhaps by providing the Israelis with bunker-busting #bombs to penetrate Iranian nuclear sites built deep underground or offering other direct #USmilitary support, comes w/ enormous political risk for #Trump. [& actual risk for US #ServiceMembers.]

“#DEI initiatives were designed to complement—not replace—meritocracy. They aim to ensure that all #ServiceMembers are evaluated fairly & have equal access to opportunities, thereby strengthening the #military as a whole.

“So I ask again: Why should young #BlackAmericans serve under a govt & military leadership that doesn’t respect their presence, their contributions or their history?

#Trump #military #USpol #hate #discrimination #bigotry #racism #WhiteSupremacy

“But #Black #ServiceMembers have historically faced significant barriers to advancement, & these barriers still remain. As of 2023, Black individuals constituted 19.5% of enlisted personnel but only 9.2% of officers. Black officers are particularly underrepresented at the highest levels; only 6.5% of generals are Black. These discrepancies suggest systemic challenges that disproportionately affect promotion outcomes based on #race.

#Trump #military #discrimination #racism #WhiteSupremacy

“Of course, #Hegseth & his supporters argue that their opposition to #DEI stems from a commitment to fairness & meritocracy. They assert that their aim is to benefit all #ServiceMembers, including #Black personnel, by eliminating what they perceive as divisive policies.

#Trump #military #USpol #hate #discrimination #bigotry #racism #WhiteSupremacy

“More disturbingly, the admin & its ideological allies are erasing the accomplishments of #Black #ServiceMembers from the nation’s #military narrative. Units such as the 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the #HarlemHellfighters; the #TuskegeeAirmen; the #MontfordPointMarines; & the #BuffaloSoldiers are no longer central to the story the military tells about itself.

#Trump #USpol #hate #discrimination #bigotry #racism #WhiteSupremacy

“Under #Trump & #Hegseth, the environment for #Black #ServiceMembers is deteriorating. To my eyes, the campaign against ‘wokeism’ is not about #military readiness or discipline. It’s a thinly veiled attack on diversity, equity & inclusion — values that reflect both the reality of the #American people & the strength of a united fighting force.”

#USpol #hate #discrimination #bigotry #racism #WhiteSupremacy