( CNN ) -- Three years after the repeal of `` do n't ask , do n't tell , '' the now-defunct law prohibiting gay men , lesbians and bisexuals from serving openly in the armed forces , many Americans might not know that a significant form of discrimination still exists : The U.S. military bans transgender people . Military recruiters are required to turn down attempts by transgender Americans to enlist . If , after joining the military , service members are discovered to be transgender , they are fired . No other federal agency operates this way . Because of the Pentagon 's ban , an estimated 15,500 transgender people serving in the military have to hide and lie about who they are . This has devastating consequences for them , and makes it impossible to access medically necessary health care without risking discharge . Careers are ruined , and the military wastes resources training competent service members and then firing them when their gender identity is discovered . That 's just what happened to Landon Wilson , a transgender man who served as a Navy cryptologist in Afghanistan last year . Landon was so good at his job that his superiors put him up for a promotion . But in the course of preparing the paperwork , a colleague discovered that Landon was born a girl , so he was sent home and ushered out of the Navy . Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced three months ago that he is open to reviewing the ban , and the White House expressed support . However , since Hagel 's announcement , no progress has been made toward a resolution , and some observers have questioned whether the military could include transgender personnel without difficulty . Transgender ex-Navy SEAL : Here 's a question for you . To answer that question , a commission of leading legal , military and medical experts , including the U.S. Army 's former chief medical officer , has completed a study on how to implement inclusive policy . The commission , which I co-chair , conducted an analysis of foreign military forces , as well as U.S. military experiences of previously excluded populations . Our research indicates that allowing transgender personnel to serve will be neither burdensome nor complex . We found that as with any policy change , the implementation of an inclusive approach should be handled in a thoughtful and deliberate manner . That said , we found that the administrative and regulatory changes needed to implement inclusive policy are minimal , and that strong leadership will be sufficient for avoiding any potential problems . Before implementing the repeal of `` do n't ask , do n't tell , '' the Pentagon created an internal working group that took a year to formulate advice about how to repeal the ban . Its guidance was based on extensive research , including a survey it administered to 400,000 service members . Additionally , the military commissioned the RAND Corporation to complete a simultaneous study on the same implementation questions the internal Pentagon working group was considering . While the working group and the RAND report produced useful recommendations , the snail 's pace approach to implementation was based on the need to build political support , not by any complexities involved in lifting the ban . Because `` do n't ask , do n't tell '' was a congressional statute , the administration had to persuade a bipartisan coalition in Congress to support repeal , and the extensive research on implementation helped those efforts . But eliminating the restrictions on transgender service membersâ€ ” and embracing them as equal and respected members of our nation 's armed forcesâ€ ” does not require the repeal of any law . Since the ban can be lifted without waiting for Congress , there is no reason for delay : The Obama administration should immediately announce a moratorium on firing transgender service members , and begin implementing a policy of inclusion . President Obama has made it clear that when Congress will not help him solve the nation 's problems , he can and will take executive action to get meaningful work done . Lifting the military 's transgender ban is a win-win opportunity because the policy will strengthen both the armed forces and our democracy .
Shannon Minter : ` ` Do n't ask , do n't say '' gone , but military still bans transgender people . Minter : All transgender people in the military must resign or they will get kicked out . Minter : Careers are ruined ; talent and training lost . Policy change would not be difficult . Minter : Military could end the harassment of transgender service members and drop the ban .