The Pentagon has issued final orders to begin forcing transgender service members from the U.S. military, giving those affected until June 6 to resign voluntarily or face discharge.
The May 15 directive, obtained by The Advocate, instructs all branches to identify troops with a diagnosis, history, or even symptoms “consistent with” gender dysphoria. Under Trump administration policy, those who do not seek voluntary separation by the deadline will be processed for involuntary removal, now cleared for enforcement following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on May 6.
“Commanders who are aware of service members in their units with gender dysphoria, a history of gender dysphoria, or symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria will direct individualized medical record reviews,” the memo states.
The order follows the Court’s decision to stay an injunction in Shilling v. United States, allowing Trump’s January executive order banning trans military service to take full effect. Discharges had been temporarily paused under a lower court ruling, but the stay has cleared the way for implementation.
Troops removed under the policy will be assigned an RE-3 reentry code and barred from reenlisting or serving in any Reserve component unless a Senate-confirmed official grants a waiver that advocates say is inattainable. Military departments are also required to submit compliance reports to the Pentagon by June 15.
The memo also confirms that the Department of Defense has reinstated its ban on gender-affirming medical care for active-duty transgender troops. A previous court order had forced the Pentagon to temporarily restore access to care such as hormone therapy and surgery, but that ruling was also stayed.
According to Stars and Stripes, a senior defense official confirmed that commanders may also initiate screenings for troops who don’t self-identify but are suspected of being transgender. “This is also consistent with what we expect and require of commanders generally,” the official said, framing the surveillance as part of standard medical oversight.
National Center for Lesbian Rights legal director Shannon Minter called the Pentagon memo “disturbing.” He told The Advocate that it was particularly troublesome because the Department of Defense is proceeding with discharges despite the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals having not yet ruled on whether to allow a preliminary injunction issued by D.C. District Judge Ana Reyes in Talbott v. USA to proceed.
“From the beginning this policy has been implemented in a rushed and chaotic manner that is completely unnecessary and deeply disrespectful to these service members, who deserve at the very least clear information and an orderly process so that they can make informed decisions that will have such a profound effect on their lives and their families,” Minter said.
He said the guidance “raises more questions than it answers,” including how the Pentagon will identify trans troops and what these people are supposed to do. “It is also deeply concerning that the separation codes that this guidance indicates will appear on the records of officers who are involuntarily separated will create the false impression that they are some sort of risk to national security. This is grossly untrue and will needlessly limit their civilian employment opportunities.”
SPARTA Pride, a nonpartisan organization of transgender service members and veterans, affirmed the contributions of those currently serving.
“Transgender Americans have served openly and honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces for nearly a decade,” the group said in a statement to The Advocate. “Thousands of transgender troops are currently serving, and are fully qualified for the positions in which they serve. No policy will ever erase transgender Americans’ contribution to history, warfighting, or military excellence. Transgender service members have a unique fighting spirit and will continue to defend the Constitution and American values no matter what lies ahead.”
The military will identify affected personnel through the Individual Medical Readiness program, a routine health evaluation process now being used to enforce the administration’s ban. The directive emphasizes compliance with medical privacy laws but directs commanders to begin medical record reviews immediately for those suspected of being transgender.
While service members processed for discharge will receive transitional benefits such as temporary health coverage, financial counseling, and job assistance, they will be barred from SkillBridge, a widely used program for civilian career preparation.
The order arrives alongside a parallel effort in Congress to make the ban permanent. A new bill drafted by Rep. Barry Moore of Alabama would codify the exclusion of transgender people from military service into federal law and expand it by revoking the security clearances of some trans veterans.
For thousands of active-duty troops, the countdown has already begun.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.
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