There are very few people who actually have knowledge of the effects medical issues take on Unit Readiness. For 5 years I was the Unit Status Readiness Officer for several units. Commanders use these reports to tell them the readiness level of each unit all the way down to the company level and all the way up to Corps level.

Deployment- Transgender soldiers are non deployable while undergoing transition mental health care, surgeries, and hormone replacement. Much like many other medical issues and circumstances. The common medications are available while deployed, but many others are not available and makes a soldier non-deployable. Hormones make a trans soldier non deployable for the whole time once started on them. That soldier is now a hindrance to the unit's readiness and filling a space in which a deployable soldier could fill. Males are 100% more likely to be raped while deployed compared to females.

Garrison- During Garrison time, soldiers are required to attend all appointments. Trans soldiers have even more than most other soldiers, except for those that are in the process of a Medical Evaluation Board with a final result of a medical discharge. Both of these conditions would make the soldier unavailable to participate in training and work. This causes schisms in the unit and effects unit morale, and the morale of the soldier. Trans soldiers enter into the transition voluntarily, while all other medical issues are non voluntary. If soldiers want to transition, they can wait until after service. Otherwise Trans soldiers are not joining for unselfish reasons, and only for selfish reasons. We serve our country and the citizens of our country. My opinions on this subject is irrelevant. I could not care what a soldier's gender or sexual orientation is. As a Platoon leader, I only cared if a soldier could be useful to the team. If they are not capable of fulfilling the mission, they will be removed.