Transgender military forces will be allowed to continue serving pending the results of a study, Defense Secretary James Mattis announced Tuesday.
NEW: Statement by SecDef Mattis on Transgender ban pic.twitter.com/QhB19NWidG
— Jason Leopold (@JasonLeopold) August 29, 2017
“Our focus must always be on what is best for the military’s combat effectiveness leading to victory on the battlefield,” he wrote, saying he’s establishing a panel of experts from the Pentagon and Homeland Security.
“Once the panel reports its recommendations and following my consultation with the secretary of Homeland Security, I will provide my advice to the president concerning implementation of his policy direction,” Mattis said in his statement.
“In the interim, current policy with respect to currently serving members will remain in place.”
The announcement follows a decision, announced by President Donald Trump in a tweet in July declaring transgender service members can no longer serve in the military, effectively
