Never Leave Anyone Behind

Never Leave Anyone Behind
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Transgender Military Ban

By Francis Garcia

I joined the service in November of 2000 and proudly served as an Officer in the U.S. Army. It was my dream come true to serve just like so many in my family had done previously, well before World War II. The more recent member of my family, my grandfather whom I admired so much, was a huge inspiration to me and the catalyst for me to join the Army. There was no better place to be and the relationships built there would last a lifetime. You see, we all come from different communities, backgrounds, and yes, even gender identities, but the one thing that always unites service members is that we love our country so much that we are willing to lay down our lives for it. We rose above obstacles to serve this great nation. It was my honor to represent the best this country has to offer and care for those under me knowing the weight of that responsibility. That is what serving meant for me and many others, and if I get called back today, I would still serve proudly.

Knowing how I felt about my service, I would never have imagined waking up in the morning of July 26, 2017, and our very own soldiers being under attack. Not from another country or some terrorist organization, but from our own government. People that have been serving proudly, the same way I did, were told they were a “burden” and a “disruption” to the same units in which they currently serve, and they have been serving for years. I could not believe my eyes when I saw the news reports and social media posts that our own commander-in- chief and our military leaders; our own brothers and sisters, going against what we always stood for as a country.

As a soldier, you learn two things early on. One, always have a battle buddy, and two, you never leave anyone behind. This situation went against both.

President Trump, the commander-in- chief of the United States Armed Forces, rejected our brothers and sisters, and he left them all behind claiming they are unfit to be next to us. This ban was never about performance or even unit cohesion; it was about making a statement against diversity, in a country that was built on diversity. It goes against the founding principles and fundamental tenets of the founding fathers, upon which our country was established. The very reason why so many people immigrated to the United States and risked everything to be free!

Let’s think about this for a moment. In a 2012 article, CNN reported that it costs around $850,000 to train a soldier for just one year. Time magazine reports an estimated 11,000 transgender service members currently serving their country in the armed forces. The cost to replace those soldiers at a basic level will cost the taxpayer $9.35 billion dollars. The Washington Post reported that the cost of transgender health care for active duty service members is $2.4 to $8.4 million annually; a total of 0.13 percent out of a $6.2 billion dollar health-care bill for the military. This will take approximately 1,113 years to show a return on investment if that’s what they are looking for. Let that sink in for a bit.

So, it’s not about the money. Could it be about religion? “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Matthew 5:9. It doesn’t say; some of you, white only, straight, European, black, Jewish. No, it’s a blanket statement: “Peacemakers.” There is no discrimination in that statement, and it includes anyone willing to be a peacemaker. So why are we doing this to our own peacemakers?

While serving in the US Army, I have seen and even experienced attacks, but never from my own commander-in- chief or my very own military leadership. The way these Tweets so easily discarded transgender service members is beyond appalling, and I refuse to go quietly into the night while others suffer. I will fight for those that cannot defend themselves and will fulfill my vow to defend them “against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” I will do everything I can to help my brothers and sisters

BECAUSE IT IS WHAT THEY WILL DO FOR US WITHOUT PREJUDICE. We owe it to our transgender service members, just like any other soldier.

I am a proud American soldier, disabled veteran, and a transgender woman.

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