The US Army is moving forward with mandatory training sessions for male soldiers despite a decision by Secretary of Defense James Mattis to impose a six-month delay on an Obama era order integrating transgender soldiers into the military.
A copy of the PowerPoint presentation and accompanying lesson plan were revealed to The Federalist by an active duty Army officer who completed the training session, along with 40 other soldiers, instead of their regularly scheduled morning physical training.
The new guidelines call for male soldiers to ensure an “inclusive environment” by “developing friendships” with “transgender soldiers.”
“Social interactions and developing friendships with peers are what contribute to a positive work environment,” the presentation indicated. “Maintain an inclusive environment and do not gossip. In accordance with good order and discipline, do not ask a colleague or subordinate for their personal information unless it is mission related.”
“This includes information about a Soldier’s gender identity, sexuality, medical challenges, and/or gender transition.”
Under the new guidelines, a soldier is only required to obtain a letter from a medical doctor stipulating they have achieved “stability in their preferred gender” to officially change their “gender marker” in the Army’s personnel database (DEERS).
From that point forward, a soldier is “expected to adhere to all military standards associated with their gender” and use the “billeting, bathroom and shower facilities” of their new gender.
The military will now encourage service members to engage in “real life experience” activities during their gender transition process. Real life experience, or RLE, is defined as the “phase in the gender transition process when the individual commences living socially in the gender role consistent with their preferred gender.”
RLE, which will “generally occur in an off-duty status and away from the Soldier’s place of duty prior to the change of the gender marker in [the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System] DEERS,” can include wearing wigs, makeup and clothes associated with the opposite gender.
The PowerPoint presentation advises soldiers to “understand that you may encounter individuals in barracks, bathrooms or shower facilities with physical characteristics of the opposite sex despite having the same gender marker in DEERS.”
Transgender soldiers are not expected to “modify or adjust their behavior based on the fact that they do not ‘match’ other soldiers.” Instead, the other soldiers are order to “accept living and working conditions that are often austere, primitive, and characterized by little to no privacy.”
The Emergency Election Sale is now live! Get 30% to 60% off our most popular products today!