Transgender troop reacts to deadline to voluntarily leave military

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (KCTV) - Transgender troops only have a few weeks to turn-in their uniforms.

The Pentagon set a departing deadline of June 6 for active service to self-identify for voluntary separation.

It comes days after the Supreme Court’s decision to allow the Trump istration to enforce a ban on transgender, while other legal challenges proceed.

“It’s frustrating,” U.S. Army Maj. Kara Corcoran said. “We will see a purge of transgender military service .”

Corcoran, who is stationed in Leavenworth, Kansas, has spent 17 years serving the U.S. She has worked as an infantry officer and has been deployed to places like Afghanistan.

During her career, Corcoran also transitioned from a man to a woman. A decision that she says comes without regret.

“My transition helped me optimize my performance,” she explained. “I was living a lie my entire life and having to battle with the fact that I had gender dysphoria.”

Officials plan to identify transgender service with medical records that show gender dysphoria diagnosis. Those would then be involuntarily forced out of service.

“I will not voluntarily separate. I will involuntarily separate,” she said. “You will have to tell me to my face that I am not fit.”

Transgender service also have the option to apply for early retirement. It requires 18 to 20 years of service.

“I will likely not be able to transition to early retirement,” the 17-year service member said.

Corcoran says retirement is not her biggest concern.

“We are Americans who raise our right hand and want to serve our country. We want to be here for you, the American citizens, to defend your American values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

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