In a sweeping directive obtained by Reuters, the U.S. Army has begun ordering the reversal of transgender service members’ official records to reflect their sex assigned at birth. The memo, issued in the wake of President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14183 and a recent Supreme Court ruling clearing the way for a military-wide transgender service ban, lays out the bureaucratic steps commanders must now take—including changes to personnel systems, pronoun usage, and access to gendered facilities.
“Commanders will take immediate measures to update personnel records and administrative systems to reflect biological sex for all individuals,” the internal Army guidance states.
The memo, dated earlier this month, also mandates that all references to soldiers must reflect their biological sex—including pronouns, uniform standards, and salutations like “sir” or “ma’am.” Army Human Resources Command is tasked with overseeing the changes. According to the guidance, even access to “intimate spaces” like showers, bathrooms, and living quarters must now be designated strictly by birth sex, not gender identity.
This internal push marks a major shift in military personnel policy, reversing nearly a decade of progress for transgender troops who had been allowed to serve openly under the Obama and Biden administrations.
From Paperwork to Separation
The move follows the May 8 implementation of the Pentagon’s plan to separate transgender personnel who do not voluntarily leave the service. Active-duty members have until June 6 to self-separate. Guard and Reserve members have until July 6. Those who don’t leave voluntarily face potential involuntary discharge—a process that may include repayment of bonuses and the loss of certain benefits.
The Department of Defense estimates around 1,000 transgender troops will opt to leave. But up to 4,240 personnel across all components could be affected, depending on how many are diagnosed with gender dysphoria or fall under the policy’s criteria.
Critics say the rollout has been haphazard and politicized. Jennifer Levi, a senior director at LGBTQ legal advocacy group GLAD, called the guidance “vindictive and aggressive,” accusing the administration of sacrificing readiness for ideology.
@cbsnewscolorado "I'm an American. I love my country.” Colorado U.S. Army Maj. Kara Corcoran is a transgender service member worried that her service could come to an end after recent executive orders from President Trump which now limit transgender people’s ability to enlist, and a full ban could follow. Corcoran says transitioning during her time in the Army actually allowed her to have an even stronger focus and will continue to provide support for other transgender soldiers through an uncertain future. Read more at the link in our bio. #fyp #colorado #army #transgender #trans #military ♬ original sound – CBS News Colorado
Regulatory Gray Zones Fuel Confusion
As enforcement ramps up, some service members are taking to social media to highlight—or exploit—gaps in policy enforcement. In one high-profile case covered by The Salty Soldier last week, Sergeant Rodriguez, a biologically female noncommissioned officer who identifies as male, used her still-female gender marker in the Army’s system to sidestep male grooming standards.
In a series of TikTok videos, Rodriguez flaunted her ability to wear diamond earrings and keep a beard—something male soldiers cannot do under current regs.
“They can’t make me shave, because I’m still classified as female,” she said in one clip.
Rodriguez’s situation underscores a long-standing issue in military regulation: grooming and appearance standards are enforced based on biological sex, not gender identity. Until now, the inconsistency allowed some transgender troops to navigate the system by exploiting administrative loopholes.
The new Army guidance aims to close those gaps, but it raises new questions about implementation, unit cohesion, and the potential legal backlash. Already, LGBTQ advocacy groups have launched legal challenges to the policy, continuing a years-long battle that previously led to injunctions during Trump’s first term. Groups like GLAD and the National Center for Lesbian Rights argue the ban violates constitutional rights and undermines military effectiveness.
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