Military readiness should be based solely on merit, not gender

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has put President Donald Trump’s new policy regarding transgender people in the military on hold. Mattis plans to convene with members of the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security before determining the best way to implement the president's proposed ban of transgender people in the U.S. military.

Last week, President Trump issued a memo to the Pentagon that would ban transgender would-be recruits from signing up for military service. The memo also gave Mattis the authority to decide the status of transgender people who are already serving.

Mattis announced in a statement Tuesday, “The department will carry out the president’s policy direction, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security.  As directed, we will develop a study and implementation plan, which will contain the steps that will promote military readiness, lethality, and unit cohesion, with due regard for budgetary constraints and consistent with applicable law.”

He went on to add, “Our focus must always be on what is best for the military’s combat effectiveness leading to victory on the battlefield. To that end, I will establish a panel of experts serving within the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to provide advice and recommendations on the implementation of the president’s direction.”

Stu Burguiere said on today’s “Pat & Stu” that any action taken regarding transgender people in the military should be based solely on merit. “Not on feelings, not on evil conservative hatred,” said Stu of the military ban. “It should only be done on merit. Period. If it improves the force, good. If it doesn’t, sorry."

Pat Gray added, “If you’ve got a transgender person who’s as skilled as, say, Rambo, I say leave that transgender person in the military."

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