So many anti-trans laws continue passing across the country that it’s hard to keep track of all of them, but the United States Air Force is taking a stand on behalf of transgender service members and their families.
On March 24, the Department of the Air Force issued a press release saying that the DAF will provide resources to support their LGBTQ members and their families, such as medical and legal assistance.
If any service member or a family member needs help with medical treatment or need support, “They should start with DAF medical treatment facilities.”
The announcement was not mentioned in the Biden administration release on the Trans Day of Visibility that was published at the end of March; the DAF statement release was reported in the press just last week.
“The health, care, and resilience of our DAF personnel and their families is not just our top priority—it’s essential to our ability to accomplish the mission,” Under Secretary of the Air Force Gina Ortiz Jones says in the release. “We are closely tracking state laws and legislation to ensure we prepare for and mitigate effects to our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Medical, legal resources, and various assistance are available for those who need them.”
The release also says that any member that feels they need to leave their current location due to the anti-trans laws can request relocation with assistance from the Air Force.
“As is the case with all our family members, if the support a family member needs becomes unavailable, commanders can work to get the service members to an assignment where their loved ones can receive the care they need,” Jones adds.
DAF also says that their members can lean on the Exceptional Family Member Program in case they need to move to a different state with a safer environment for them and their family.
“The Exceptional Family Member Program is another resource available for all active component Airmen and Guardians to assist families with special needs during the PCS process to include navigating medical, legal, and educational support for dependents during relocation,” the release says.
At the end of the release, the DAF offers other local resources where their members can get more support.
