Service members-that is anyone who had an active contract with the Military Services as of the effective date of the updated policy and relied on that policy for the purpose of accession in their preferred gender or received a diagnosis of gender dysphoria and are pursuing a gender transition under the rules of that policy-are considered exempted  (also known as "grandfathered") and will be covered under the 2016 policy, provided they either received or had a diagnosis of gender dysphoria confirmed by a military medical provider. Those exempted Service members will be allowed to continue with transition plans as approved prior to the effective date of this policy, to include medical treatments and gender marker change.

No, in fact, the new policy actually prohibits the involuntary separation of Service members solely on the basis of gender identity and ensures equal application of military standards regardless of gender identity in order to maintain military effectiveness and lethality. Also, like the 2016 policy, this policy only applies to the subset of transgender individuals who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria by a military medical provider. It's important to note that this policy provides an exemption to all Service members who relied on the 2016 policy to serve in the preferred gender, pursue gender transition, and obtain a gender marker change for official records and recognition, even after the new policy takes effect. This includes individuals contracted for military service in the delayed entry program, officer candidates throughout our various commissioning programs, and currently serving personnel with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria.

Not at all. The proposed policy eliminates any real or perceived barriers to gender expression. So long as Service members meet the standards associated with their biological sex, transgender

persons may serve openly. While all Service members must adhere to military standards when on duty, they may express their gender however they wish when not on duty.

Service members may live socially in their preferred gender while off duty. However, on duty, all Service members must adhere to the standards or requirements associated with their biological sex (e.g., height-weight standards, physical fitness standards, uniform and grooming standards, and requirements regarding berthing, bathroom, and shower facilities).

Service The updated policy represents the Department's best military judgment based on a thorough and extensive review of all available data, having weighed the risks associated with maintaining the previous policy against the costs of adopting a new policy that was less risk-favoring. The policy updates began on June 30, 2017 when then-Secretary Mattis delayed the implementation of the accession of transgender persons into the Military Services per the 2016 policy. On September 14, 2017, in consultation wih the Secretaries of the Military Departments and the Service Chiefs, Secretary Mattis established a Panel of Experts (POE) charged with conducting a comprehensive review of "military service by transgender individual, focusing on military readiness, lethality, and unit cohesion, with due regard for budgetary constraints and consistent with applicable law." On February 22, 2018, Secretary Mattis recommended a new policy to the President (the 2018 policy), and the following month on March 23, 2018, the President withdrew his August 2017 memorandum and allowed the Department to implement the new policy. The new policy, however, could not take effect until now because court orders delayed implementation.

There remains considerable scientific uncertainty surrounding the efficacy of gender transition as a treatment to gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria often requires significant medical treatment ranging from cross-sex hormone therapy to sex-change surgery. The range of treatment options, the length of treatment, the various comorbidities that may occur, and the success of the treatment options are highly individualistic. The military is focused on worldwide deployability, combat readiness, and lethality. It is not an organization that can regularly accommodate severe medical conditions requiring sustained medical intervention and exceptions to policy that may limit mobility, deployability, and individual readiness.

Consistent with a service member whose ability to serve is similarly affected for reasons unrelated to gender identity or gender transition, each individual diagnosed with gender dysphoria after the effective date of the updated policy will be evaluated for retention purposes in accordance with all appropriate medical and administrative policy guidance. Rest assured, necessary care consistent with law and Department of Defense policy will be provided for as long as the individual remains a service member.