Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Dave Pine, Supervisor
Subject: Resolution opposing President Donald Trump's statement re the service of transgender service members in the United States military
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution opposing President Trump's declaration banning transgender people from serving in the United States military.
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BACKGROUND:
On July 26, 2017, President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter: "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 U.S. Military." President Trump justified the Tweet by writing: "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." If implemented, President Trump's statement would override President Barack Obama's policy of allowing transgender people to serve openly in the military. It is unclear if President Trump's statement is meant to apply to transgender service members currently serving in the military.
Although there is limited research on the number of transgender persons serving in the military, a UCLA study published in 2014 estimated 15,500 transgender people currently serve in active duty, the reserves, and the National Guard. A more recent RAND study estimated between 1,320 and 6,630 transgender active service members. According to The Washington Post, the upper estimate of transgender medical costs in the military amounts to a thousandth of one percent of the Defense Department's annual budget. The UCLA study also estimated that 134,300 transgender people are military veterans or retired. Only about 1% of the general American population chooses to serve in the military.
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