Pentagon leaders are finalizing plans aimed at lifting the ban on transgender individuals in the military, with the goal of formally ending one of the last gender- or sexuality-based barriers to military service, senior U.S. officials told The Associated Press. An announcement is expected this week, and the services would have six months to assess the impact of the change and work out the details, the officials said Monday. Military chiefs wanted time to methodically work through the legal, medical and administrative issues and develop training to ease any transition, and senior leaders believed six months would be sufficient. The officials said Defense Secretary Ash Carter has asked his personnel undersecretary, Brad Carson, to set up a working group of senior military and civilian leaders to take an objective look at the issue.Pentagon leaders are finalizing plans to formally end one of the last sexuality-based barriers to military serviceA concerns involved in the repeal of the ban includes whether the military would conduct or pay for the medical costs of gender transitioningThe military wants at least six months to tackle questions about where transgender troops would be housed and what bathrooms they'd useThe transgender issue first arose when security leaker Chelsea Manning, arrested as Bradley Manning, requested hormone therapy behind bars
In a statement to _, Carter said, 'we must ensure that everyone who's able and willing to serve has the full and equal opportunity to do so. In a statement to The Associated Press, _ said, 'we must ensure that everyone who's able and willing to serve has the full and equal opportunity to do so.