Military adds gender dysphoria screening to troops' annual physical amid transgender ban

(The Hill) — The Defense Department will start screening troops for gender dysphoria during their annual physicals as part of the agency-wide effort to kick transgender service members out of the U.S. military, according to a new memo published Thursday. 

The document, signed by the Pentagon’s acting head of personnel and readiness, orders senior officials to “immediately commence the identification of affected Service members” via the DOD Periodic Health Assessment.

“Commanders who are aware of service members in their units with gender dysphoria, a history of gender dysphoria or symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria will direct individualized medical record reviews of such service members to confirm compliance with medical standards,” the memo states, referring to the diagnosis of when someone does not identify with their biological sex. 

Upon taking office in January, President Trump revoked a Biden-era order that allowed transgender members to serve in the military and issued an executive order declaring gender dysphoria “inconsistent” with the military’s mission of maintaining a fighting force ready to deploy, effectively banning transgender troops. Administration officials have not given any explanation as to how having gender dysphoria makes someone unfit for military service.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth quickly moved to implement the policy at the Pentagon, but the directive was stalled after it was challenged in the courts. 

But earlier this month, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to begin enforcing the transgender troop ban, with Hegseth directing the Pentagon to swiftly start removing such individuals from the military in early June if they do not leave on their own.

Around 1,000 troops who have self-identified as being diagnosed with gender dysphoria will start the voluntary separation process, Pentagon’s chief spokesman Sean Parnell said last week.

Defense officials, however, estimate that there are far more service members affected by gender dysphoria than the 1,000 who self-identified, placing the number at 4,200, a Pentagon official told reporters Thursday.

Under Hegseth’s memo, active-duty transgender service members can opt to separate voluntarily until June 6 and could be eligible for voluntary separation pay. The deadline for Reserve forces is July 7. 

If such service members do not do so by then, they will receive a lower severance package and can be forced out, the official said.

To determine who might not be leaving on their own accord, the military will use troops’ annual health assessment to attempt to root out individuals, with questions about gender dysphoria added to the process. 

Unit commanders can also flag service members they oversee for “symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria.”