DOJ tells court transgender troops must be fired before suing over revoked retirements

"After the Trump administration moved to bar transgender people from military service, affected troops were pushed to choose between voluntary separation and removal. For those with 15 to 18 years in uniform, early retirement under the Temporary Early Retirement Authority offered a narrow path to leave with pensions and benefits intact."

"By June, the Air Force had approved those requests. Service members received official retirement orders and dates, and many began preparing to transition to civilian life after more than a decade of service. Weeks later, the military reversed course."

"In August, Air Force leadership rescinded the retirement orders, concluding that many of the early-retirement approvals should not have been granted. The decision erased scheduled retirement dates and stripped service members of access to pensions, forcing them to remain in uniform or face separation without long-term benefits."

The Justice Department filed to dismiss 16 of 17 plaintiffs in a lawsuit by transgender Air Force members challenging revoked retirements. The government argues active-duty service members cannot sue for retirement pay they have not yet received. The case stems from 2025 policy shifts where transgender troops were offered early retirement under the Temporary Early Retirement Authority as an alternative to removal. The Air Force approved these retirements by June, issuing official orders and dates. However, in August, the military rescinded the approvals, erasing retirement dates and stripping access to pensions. Service members were forced to remain in uniform or face separation without long-term benefits, disrupting years of planning and financial security.

Read at Advocate.com