I wanted to follow-up on the news piece that I wrote about President Donald Trump’s decision to reverse the Obama administration policy of allowing transgender individuals to serve in our armed forces.
The typical response from the left that I’ve seen comes with this hashtag:
No one has a right to serve in our armed forces.
Another liberal friend of mine (who served in the Army and should know better) said that it is good that the military is becoming more inclusive.
I don’t want the military to become inclusive. It is effective because it is exclusive.
When I enlisted in the Army (I served in the Army National Guard from 1989 to 1997), I had to go down to the MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) facility that was then in West Des Moines where you would undergo a physical (among other things I don’t quite remember because it was long enough ago). I also had to pass an ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) test.
Today the basic requirements are:
- You have to be a U.S. citizen or green card holder.
- Be in good health.
- Be between 17-40 years old (varies with each branch of the service).
- Have a High School Diploma or GED.
- Pass the ASVAB test.
If you want to be an officer you also have to be a college graduate.
There are things that can disqualify you as well: a criminal background, certain moral transgressions, mental health issues, and medical conditions.
When I enlisted, I wanted to be an MP (military police) and was told that I couldn’t because I wasn’t tall enough (that may have changed but at the time the requirement was 5’8″, I was 5’7″). Did I have a right to be an MP? Of course not, I became a combat medic instead.
My maternal grandfather was rejected for service during World War II because he had flat feet. They tried to draft my paternal grandfather for service in World War II, but let that go when he finally convinced the powers that be he was deaf.
My son wanted for years to join the Army and specifically be a part of a special operations unit. He later changed his mind, but when he was diagnosed with cancer shortly before his 14th birthday and then later suffered a skull fracture he would have been disqualified.
If I wanted to reenlist I wouldn’t be able to because of my age (I possibly could get a waiver for prior service, but that isn’t guaranteed), and, I hate to say, at the moment wouldn’t pass the BMI requirements.
After all of that you still have to make through Basic Training, Advanced Individual Training/Tech School, and meet all of the annual requirements to stay in (weapons qualifications, health requirements, physical training tests, etc.).
“Transgender” is a political term that is used for individuals who believe their gender identity does not match their biological sex. Gender Dysphoria is the clinical term for those in this position. It is a psychological disorder. It is not normal. It is something that comes with a lot of stress.
Lady Gaga tweeted out a stat that, unbeknownst to her, makes the point.
. @POTUS Sincerely, did you know of the group you singled out today, 45% of them ages (18 to 24) have attempted suicide already?
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) July 26, 2017
Her argument essentially is because almost half of transgender individuals between the ages of 18-24 try to kill themselves we should let them in.
Being in the military, especially being called into combat, is a highly stressful environment. It is not a place for people who are struggling with their identity to go figure it out.
Frankly, the military doesn’t care about your identity, another thing that seems to be lost on liberals. You don’t join the armed services to express yourself. Quite the opposite.
Secondly, there is already a high suicide rate among combat veterans, and so Lady Gaga and others think it is a good idea to throw a group known to be unstable in the mix? And give them weapons to boot?
Yeah, a fantastic idea.