Transgender troops testify for the first time before Congress.

Decorated Transgender Troops to Testify Before Congress

Associated Press
BY JULIE WATSON AND JENNIFER McDERMOTT
Feb. 27, 2019

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Lindsey Muller served in the Army as a man for nearly a decade before telling her commanders in 2014 that she identified as a woman and would resign because military policy barred transgender personnel. Her superiors, citing her outstanding performance, urged the decorated attack helicopter pilot to stay so she did.

After then-President Barack Obama changed the policy, she started dressing in uniform as a woman. Muller went on to be recommended for a promotion as the surgery to complete her gender transition was scheduled, but the operation was postponed in 2017 when President Donald Trump announced on Twitter that he was reinstituting the ban.

With the ban now blocked by lawsuits, transgender troops Wednesday will testify for the first time before Congress.

This undated photo provided by her wife Jessica Kibodeaux shows Lindsey Muller and her dog Emma hiking in the Cheyenne Mountains west of Fort Carson, Colo. Muller, a 19-year combat veteran who served multiple tours in Iraq, diligently followed the Pentagon guidelines to transition. In the nearly three years since the U.S. military welcomed transgender people into the armed forces in 2016, they have served without incident. Some, like Muller, have earned prestigious medals or received other forms of recognition. (Jessica Kibodeaux via AP) THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

In the nearly three years since the U.S. military welcomed transgender people into the armed forces, they have served without incident. Some, like Muller, have earned prestigious medals or received other forms of recognition.

They say they stand as proof against President Donald Trump's argument that their presence is a burden.

"Once you meet transgender people who have served in the different branches ... it's really hard to dismiss the fact that you will find Purple Heart recipients, Bronze Star winners, attack aviators, Navy SEALs," said Muller, who will not be testifying but is a plaintiff in one of four lawsuits challenging the ban. "We've been here, and we will continue to be here regardless. In what capacity is up to the administration."

The hearing will be held by the subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee chaired by Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier. Speier introduced bipartisan legislation in February that would prohibit the Department of Defense from denying the enlistment or continued service of transgender people if Trump's ban takes effect.

Similar legislation was introduced in the Senate. It's unclear whether the legislation would be voted on as a stand-alone bill or be folded into the defense bill, which could be harder for Trump to veto.
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Air Force Veteran Helped Fellow Vets Overcome Ended Own Fight

'I tried'… Final message of transgender Air Force veteran who helped fellow vets through suicidal struggles kills herself
By JULIAN ROBINSON FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 04:50 EST, 26 June 2015

Jess Shipps, of Hampton, Virginia, was found dead on Tuesday, friends say
Served in the military for 10 years before leaving to pursue life as a woman
Wrote 'I tried' on Facebook on the day she died, according to her friends
She saved 'countless' lives by helping LGBT veterans with their problems

A transgender Air Force veteran who helped fellow vets overcome their own suicidal struggles wrote 'I tried' on Facebook before killing herself, it has been revealed.

Jess Shipps, of Hampton, Virginia, was found dead on Tuesday, two years after leaving the military to pursue a life as a woman.

Her last note on Facebook - written the same day as her death - was revealed as friends remembered her work with other LGBT servicemen and women battling their own demons.
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Who said rich people don't serve in the military?

Retired Army Officer and Chicago Billionaire Becomes Latest High-Profile Transgender Veteran
Business Insider
BRIAN JONES
AUG. 27, 2013

In an announcement via her company last week, the normally private billionaire and retired lieutenant colonel formerly known as James Pritzker announced she is transgender and would henceforth like to be known as Jennifer Natalya Pritzker.

"This change will reflect the beliefs of her true identity that she has held privately and will now share publicly. Pritzker now identifies herself as a woman for all business and personal undertakings," the statement said.

According to Raw Story, Pritzker, 62, enlisted in the Army in 1974 and earned her commission as an infantry officer in '79. After stints with the 82nd and 101st Airborne, she transitioned to the Illinois National Guard. She retired from the military in 2001.

But Pritzker was obviously better known for her wealth than her military ties. Her family owns the Hyatt Hotel branch, the Marmon group, and a large stake of the Carnival Cruise Line, among others.

Her cousin is current U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker.
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