The Army Is Finally Manning Up About Medical Treatments
In August of 2013, PFC Bradley Edward Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison for Espionage, after releasing the largest set of classified documents ever leaked to the public.
Assigned in 2009 to an Army unit in Iraq as an intelligence analyst, Manning had access to classified databases. In early 2010, she leaked classified information to the WikiLeaks website, and confided this to an online acquaintance, who informed Army Counterintelligence, and Manning was arrested.
While in the Army, Manning was diagnosed with gender identity disorder, or gender dysphoria. In a statement issued the day after sentencing, Manning, who professes to have felt female since childhood, announced a desire to begin hormone replacement therapy and wanted to be known as Chelsea.
The United States Army has announced that it has approved Manning’s hormone therapy while she serves time in Ft. Leavenworth Disciplinary Barracks.
In a memo written on February 5th, Col. Erica Nelson, the commandant of the Forth Leavenworth Disciplinary Barracks, stated that “After carefully considering the recommendation that (hormone treatment) is medically appropriate and necessary, and weighing all associated safety and security risks presented, I approve adding (hormone treatment) to inmate Manning’s treatment plan.”
This is a significant precedent, and one that is causing a good deal of controversy. Transgender individuals are not allowed to serve in the U.S. military and the Defense Department does not pay for hormone treatments. The Department of Veterans Affairs, however, does provide the treatment for veterans.
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“The Army’s decision means it is simply fulfilling its obligation to provide Manning with medical care,” said Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. According to Keisling, Manning has been diagnosed with a medical condition, and failing to treat it would be cruel and unusual punishment. But not everyone agrees. Pete Sepp, President of the National Taxpayers Union, objects to tax payer money being used to provide Manning’s hormone treatments, arguing that Manning’s fame would allow her to raise funds privately.
Those praising the military for this step should keep in mind that the Army didn’t do this willingly; they have been denying the treatments for over a year and a half, but after lawsuits from Manning, who is represented by the Civil Liberties Union, they finally relented and reversed their decision.
But according to USA TODAY, just last month Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James told them that the ban on transgender troops is likely to be reassessed and should be lifted.
