Department of Defense Orders Halt to Gender Transition Medicine, Procedures

The military refers patients seeking procedures to the private sector.

The U.S. Department of Defense said in a new memorandum it has stopped medical procedures and procedures for military personnel identified as transgender and other personnel with gender discomfort (GD).

“Within the direct care component in military care facilities, service members over the age of 19 and all other eligible beneficiaries will only receive GD mental health care and counseling,” said Dr. Stephen L. Ferrara, Secretary of Health Affairs and Defense, in a memo dated May 9.

“Apart from consulting on GD diagnosis and mental health care and providing counseling… staff will refer all other GD care (e.g., cross-sex hormone therapy) to the private sector.”

The Department of Defense did not return a request for comment by publication time.

Gender discomfort refers to when a person believes that they are different from their own gender.

After taking office in January, President Donald Trump said, “Expressing false “gender identity” from an individual’s gender cannot meet the strict standards required for military service.”

Defence officials later said that all troops with a history of gender discomfort will be discharged with limited exceptions. The process was suspended after a court ruling on the policy. The Supreme Court on May 6 maintained these decisions, allowing officials to resume the process.

Authorities said on May 8 that they had released a unit of about 1,000 people identified as transgender or who have gender discomfort.

Ferrara said in a new memo sent to the Defense Health Agency director and deputy secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force, it is offering new guidance in light of the Supreme Court decision.

This includes emphasizing that military doctors will not perform surgeries to help transition into gender, such as breast removal.

Ferrara also said that all unscheduled, scheduled and planned surgical procedures “related to the promotion of sexual assignments for service members diagnosed with GD” have been cancelled, as well as previously approved surgical exemptions. Ferrara said his office will accept exemption requests for care that are deemed medically necessary to address surgical complications.

The military allows healthcare providers to continue receiving the military with gender discomfort that is receiving the cross-sex hormone until it is isolated if they recommend that route “to prevent further complications.”

However, the Department of Defense will no longer pay for the newly launched crosshormones, as ordered by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses, according to the memo.