Transgender Air Force Master Sergeant at Center of US Government Lawsuit Calls New Court Ruling 'Meaningful'

Air Force Master Sergeant Logan Ireland told Military.com that a federal court's dismissal of a Justice Department motion is a "meaningful victory" for him and 17 other airmen embroiled in a lawsuit against the U.S. government.

Ireland is at the center of the lawsuit, Ireland v. US, along with 17 other transgender service members from the U.S. Air Force and Space Force amid claims that they all received retirement orders prior to having those orders revoked without explanation. The personnel, who each have dedicated more than 15 years of their lives to service to the United States' benefit, filed litigation to preserve their salaries and retirement benefits.

Counsel for the plaintiffs claim that these service members will lose $1 to $2 million in lifetime benefits that jeopardize their families’ economic security. It would also strip the members and their families of access to TRICARE, the military health insurance program, which provides access to civilian health care providers beyond VA facilities. Plaintiffs are represented by GLAD Law, the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, Stapleton Segal Cochran LLC, and the Law Office of Jeremy Spiegel.

"This ruling is a meaningful victory because the court rejected the DOJ’s attempt to push most of us out of the case before our claims could even...

Under USC 10, 18 years (sanctuary) is the standard, not 15 years for full retirement. Hit 18 and they have to allow you to complete 20 years. Sanctuary is the holy grail for reservists, but applies to active duty as well. During the war the threshold was fought numerous times in military and civilian venues and was upheld.

Regarding the transgenders. Medically retire them. If they served beyond their first enlistment they will receive a substantial severance package, and may be eligible for some VA benefits including a stipend. With what little I know about the case that may be the sticking point. At what level does the VA rate transgenderism? While most trans would argue they are normal to get VA benefits they have to argue trans is abnormal. If the VA does not rate it as 100% or Individually unable to work, they will lose benefits associated with retirement. I had to deal with this as part of my job during the war. I fought tooth and nail for the warfighters, hated the scammers.

The DoW should Medically sever them and let the VA work out any compensation for their mental illness. While the severance package would be substantial, it is a one time deal unless the VA rates them. They want a standard retirement becasue it is worth more money over a lifetime. Without 100% from the VA they get no base privileges, no TRICARE for Life and a very small monthly stipend from the VA. If the VA determines they are unable to work, they could rate 100% disability privileges. Gender dysmorphia does not prevent you from working so unlikely. They should take a medical severance and fight with the VA for a disability rating.

None of what I suggested is unfair to them. Everyone sympathetic to them fails to understand one aspect of this. Wear the uniform prescribed for your biological sex. Do not participate in HRT treatments and in five years you get a full retirement. No different than do not do drugs for 20 years and you get a full retirement. Failure to do that and they now have a medical condition that precludes continued service in the military. In the end they and their lawyers are playing on the public's sympathy for veterans, especially those who went to war. But as transgender they are not deployable and like anyone not deployable they need to be severed. Honorably but never allowed back into the service.

They shouldn’t be in the military.

The risk to the blood supply alone is reason enough not to allow them in: https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/testing/index.html

But they were allowed.

Now those that served honorably deserve to get what they were promised.

Either let them serve out their time to 20 (not recommended - there will be a lot of theatrics - negative impact), or early retirement at 15. They other alternative is to give them a lump sum settlement. In either case, I suspect this will get pushed through the courts anyway (no matter what you do) and they will get something in the end, probably more than what is deserved.

But changing the rules on someone, and then giving them the boot, if they served honorably, is a very dishonorable act.

It’s completely unfair.

People get passed over twice and get shown the door because of performance at 16 years as a O-3 for example.

You didn’t meet certain performance requirements.

That’s not the case with these guys.

You leave that minor detail out.

The guy you’re talking about is ALREADY an E-7.

That is far beyond what is needed to serve out to 20. I think, an E-7 can serve out to about 24+ years.

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You do not need to convince me that homo’s have no place in the military.

They pose a risk to the blood supply.

It’s a world where you’re buddies will see your naked ass in a patrol base taking a dump.

Normally, from personal observation, most of these people are all sort of ways screwed up in other ways.

But, they were permitted in, they served honorably, and no matter what you think of this behavior, we “owe” them their side of the contract.

They signed a contract. The government wrote that contract. They kept their side of the bargain.

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