Defence Secretary James Mattis allows transgenders to serve in military

WASHINGTON: Defence Secretary James Mattis has signed a memorandum that allows transgender troops to serve in the military while he studies an order by President Donald Trump banning them from US forces.

His announcement comes barely a week after Trump signed a memorandum that banned recruiting transgenders in the US military, as he reversed a decision taken by his predecessor Barack Obama.

"Once the panel reports its recommendations and following my consultation with the secretary of Homeland Security, I will provide my advice to the president concerning implementation of his policy direction. In the interim, current policy with respect to currently serving members will remain in place," Mattis said in a statement yesterday.

"I expect to issue interim guidance to the force concerning the president's direction, including any necessary interim adjustments to procedures, to ensure the continued combat readiness of the force until our final policy on this subject is issued," he said.

The Department of Defence, he said, has received the Presidential Memorandum, dated August 25, 2017, entitled "Military Service by Transgender Individuals".

The Pentagon will carry out the president's policy direction, in consultation with the department of homeland security, Mattis said.

"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 said.

He said the plan will address accessions of transgender individuals currently serving in the United States military.

The focus must always be on what is best for the military's combat effectiveness leading to victory on the battlefield, he added.