• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

U.S. Air Force to deny early retirement benefits to some transgender service members

W_Heisenberg

W_Heisenberg

Trade Representative of Heard and McDonald Islands
DP Veteran
Joined
Sep 6, 2019
Messages
26,529
Reaction score
28,800
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Moderate
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force said Thursday it would deny all transgender service members who have served between 15 and 18 years the option to retire early and would instead separate them without retirement benefits. One Air Force sergeant said he was "betrayed and devastated" by the move.

The move means that transgender service members will now be faced with the choice of either taking a lump-sum separation payment offered to junior troops or be removed from the service.

An Air Force spokesperson told The Associated Press that "although service members with 15 to 18 years of honorable service were permitted to apply for an exception to policy, none of the exceptions to policy were approved." About a dozen service members had been "prematurely notified" that they would be able to retire before that decision was reversed, according to the spokesperson who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal Air Force policy.


What’s happening is they are kicking out transgender personnel. This posed a problem for transgender personnel who were close to 20 years and had the potential to receive full retirement if not for the fact they were being forced out early.

In May the USAF basically promised them that even though they were being forced out they could still get full retirement benefits even if they had not served a full 20 years and instead served only 15 to 18 years.

Now the USAF is reneging on that promise.
 
ncguy said:
"compassionate conservatism" strikes again..led by "christian love" no doubt.
Click to expand...

You make a promise, you follow through.

Right? That’s what I was taught.

Trump’s management of the government is creating a situation where people aren’t going to trust the government anymore for anything.

Unfortunately, I think it’s true that religious belief motivates this sort of thinking, that it is appropriate for the government to not fulfill its promises when interacting with transgender people because the actions of transgender represent a moral abomination in their view.
 
W_Heisenberg said:
You make a promise, you follow through.

Right? That’s what I was taught.

Trump’s management of the government is creating a situation where people aren’t going to trust the government anymore for anything.

Unfortunately, I think it’s true that religious belief motivates this sort of thinking, that it is appropriate for the government to not fulfill its promises when interacting with transgender people because the actions of transgender represent a moral abomination in their view.
Click to expand...
Exactly what promise are we talking about? Is it a written promise?
 
W_Heisenberg said:
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force said Thursday it would deny all transgender service members who have served between 15 and 18 years the option to retire early and would instead separate them without retirement benefits. One Air Force sergeant said he was "betrayed and devastated" by the move.

The move means that transgender service members will now be faced with the choice of either taking a lump-sum separation payment offered to junior troops or be removed from the service.

An Air Force spokesperson told The Associated Press that "although service members with 15 to 18 years of honorable service were permitted to apply for an exception to policy, none of the exceptions to policy were approved." About a dozen service members had been "prematurely notified" that they would be able to retire before that decision was reversed, according to the spokesperson who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal Air Force policy.


What’s happening is they are kicking out transgender personnel. This posed a problem for transgender personnel who were close to 20 years and had the potential to receive full retirement if not for the fact they were being forced out early.

In May the USAF basically promised them that even though they were being forced out they could still get full retirement benefits even if they had not served a full 20 years and instead served only 15 to 18 years.

Now the USAF is reneging on that promise.
Click to expand...
They should sue the government for breach of contract.
 
slavablueberryjam said:
Post things online and things will surely change!
Click to expand...
What do you propose? Storming the capital? An insurgency? You think the Trump white house cares or the slim majority of Republicans care what anyone things but their shrinking base?
 
Cosmo said:
Exactly what promise are we talking about? Is it a written promise?
Click to expand...

In May the USAF sent out an internal memo and public guidance stating that those affected by the new ban could apply for early retirement. In doing so, the USAF formally invited transgender personnel to apply for early retirement. Some of the personnel also received official approval and retirement orders. These are not spoken or informal arrangements. These actions represent a formal, official promise by the USAF to its transgender personnel.

Yesterday's announcement to reverse this decision absolutely represents a broken promise.

The government should just give these people what they promised them, and move on.
 
W_Heisenberg said:
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force said Thursday it would deny all transgender service members who have served between 15 and 18 years the option to retire early and would instead separate them without retirement benefits. One Air Force sergeant said he was "betrayed and devastated" by the move.

The move means that transgender service members will now be faced with the choice of either taking a lump-sum separation payment offered to junior troops or be removed from the service.

An Air Force spokesperson told The Associated Press that "although service members with 15 to 18 years of honorable service were permitted to apply for an exception to policy, none of the exceptions to policy were approved." About a dozen service members had been "prematurely notified" that they would be able to retire before that decision was reversed, according to the spokesperson who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal Air Force policy.


What’s happening is they are kicking out transgender personnel. This posed a problem for transgender personnel who were close to 20 years and had the potential to receive full retirement if not for the fact they were being forced out early.

In May the USAF basically promised them that even though they were being forced out they could still get full retirement benefits even if they had not served a full 20 years and instead served only 15 to 18 years.

Now the USAF is reneging on that promise.
Click to expand...
It’s disgusting and despicable to treat those who served this way.

The shame of this administration will last generations.
 
Absentglare said:
It’s disgusting and despicable to treat those who served this way.

The shame of this administration will last generations.
Click to expand...

The shame of this administration will last generations [for those who are capable of feeling shame].
 
W_Heisenberg said:
In May the USAF sent out an internal memo and public guidance stating that those affected by the new ban could apply for early retirement. In doing so, the USAF formally invited transgender personnel to apply for early retirement. Some of the personnel also received official approval and retirement orders. These are not spoken or informal arrangements. These actions represent a formal, official promise by the USAF to its transgender personnel.

Yesterday's announcement to reverse this decision absolutely represents a broken promise.

The government should just give these people what they promised them, and move on.
Click to expand...
Being able to apply doesn’t mean you’re going to get it. However, the individuals who had already received approval and orders should have been able to retire with whatever benefits were specified.
 
W_Heisenberg said:
In May the USAF sent out an internal memo and public guidance stating that those affected by the new ban could apply for early retirement. In doing so, the USAF formally invited transgender personnel to apply for early retirement. Some of the personnel also received official approval and retirement orders. These are not spoken or informal arrangements. These actions represent a formal, official promise by the USAF to its transgender personnel.

Yesterday's announcement to reverse this decision absolutely represents a broken promise.

The government should just give these people what they promised them, and move on.
Click to expand...
So post the memo and the one supposedly reversing it.
 
Moon said:
Being able to apply doesn’t mean you’re going to get it.
Click to expand...

1. It is likely that most, if not all, of those who applied would have received approval because the reason the process was set up in the first place was a way to make up for the fact that the choice to continue to 20 years was taken from them. And we can lean on historical precedent for this because when similar events took place in the past. For example, during previous mass force reductions, the USAF would issue mass-approvals.

2. The USAF set up a process to apply, and it is now removing that process, and that's the explicit broken promise.

There's no way to polish this turd. The Trump admin is doing them dirty, and all the excuses in the world can't make up for that fact.

Moon said:
However, the individuals who had already received approval and orders should have been able to retire with whatever benefits were specified.
Click to expand...

Well, that's not going to happen now.

All of their approvals have been rescinded.

You can thank Trump and his political appointees for the government breaking its promise. And you need to know the government broke its promise in your name. On your behalf.
 
Dumb.
 
W_Heisenberg said:
1. It is likely that most, if not all, of those who applied would have received approval because the reason the process was set up in the first place was a way to make up for the fact that the choice to continue to 20 years was taken from them. And we can lean on historical precedent for this because when similar events took place in the past. For example, during previous mass force reductions, the USAF would issue mass-approvals.

2. The USAF set up a process to apply, and it is now removing that process, and that's the explicit broken promise.

There's no way to polish this turd. The Trump admin is doing them dirty, and all the excuses in the world can't make up for that fact.



Well, that's not going to happen now.

All of their approvals have been rescinded.

You can thank Trump and his political appointees for the government breaking its promise. And you need to know the government broke its promise in your name. On your behalf.
Click to expand...
They also did in your name and on your behalf. Kind of how representative government works.
 
Moon said:
They also did in your name and on your behalf. Kind of how representative government works.
Click to expand...

Yeah, and that's why this news is upsetting.

Aren't you upset?
 
W_Heisenberg said:
Yeah, and that's why this news is upsetting.

Aren't you upset?
Click to expand...
I thought that was clear from my first post. Having served in the Air Force I’m not too surprised they are screwing people over. They consider it a feature, not a bug.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom