Ban idea nonsensical

So the president insists that we can no longer allow transgender people in the military, arguing that it’s a distraction and medical costs for them are too high.

That’s funny, since RAND Corp. studied just that last year in research commissioned by the Defense Department, and concluded that medical costs for gender-transition-related treatment for active-duty military would cost between $2.4 million to $8.4 million per year. In comparison, Viagra and other erectile-dysfunction treatments cost the military $84 million per year, according to the Military Times.

Despite the president’s statement, which was apparently a surprise to the military, the Pentagon says no ban is in effect—yet, anyway.

What’s most egregious to me is that these service members’ desire to serve their country is questioned simply because of their gender identity. Per capita, transgender people serve at a higher rate than us “normals,” and are just as heroic, if not more so for putting up with inanities like this ban.

There are thousands of transgender military members currently serving and retired from the military, and unless they tell you, you probably don’t even know they are transgender. I salute them and their patriotism. You know what patriotism is: love of country, not political ideology. I respect them a lot more than I do anyone telling them they can’t serve.

L.M.L. TERRELL Dayton