. . . and MBE for the Army’s top transgender officer
THE British Army’s highestranking transgender officer has been made a Member of the British Empire in the New Year Honours List.
Captain Hannah Winterbourne, of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, transitioned in 2015 after serving on the front line in 2011 Afghanistan as a man.
The trailblazing officer is considered a role model to increasing numbers of troops who are applying to change gender.
Confirming her MBE on Twitter, Capt Winterbourne, who lives in Wiltshire with her actor husband Jake Graf, who is also transgender, said: ‘Honestly such an honour… Completely overwhelmed.’ She has described the Army as the ‘perfect environment to transition’. About 40 Army personnel are understood to be receiving gender reassignment treatment.