Two transgender cadets have been denied commissions because of a loophole in Pentagon policy regarding new recruits or new officers, the New York Times reports.
The transgender policy covers only those on active duty and the two cadets are being treated as new officer candidates since they are trainees.
Brad Carson, the architect of the transgender policy, said its authors “envisioned that the same rules that apply to active-duty service members today would also apply to service academy personnel, because they’re already in the military.”
Riley Dosh, a West Point cadet, last year came out as a transgender woman and figured she would transition while serving in the Army.
"Why am I different than the numerous transgender officers enlisted who are already currently serving and have been allowed to transition?"
The other cadet is out of the Air Force. Neither will be allowed to join the ranks of the military’s newest officers because the Pentagon has not yet established processes for accepting new transgender troops in its ranks.
West Point Superintendent Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen Jr. requested a "medical waiver" from the Pentagon to allow Dosh her commission. But the Pentagon denied the request because Defense Department officials "did not think it appropriate" to grant a waiver while the policy was still under review.
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