While Defense Secretary Ash Carter maybe open to the idea of lifting the transgender ban in the U.S. military, certain quarters have expressed apprehensions to the seemingly informal declaration the new Pentagon chief told troops in Afghanistan in February.

A report by the AP says certain officials are now speaking in hushed tones within the military as to how the changes could happen, once Carter makes true on his word to lift the ban. It seems the concerns currently affecting some of the military bracket concern the housing of the transgender troops, the bathrooms they will use, their designated area of berthing on ships, as well as how their presence will affect the cohesiveness of the units to work and stay together.

Transgender people, by virtue, aren’t accepted to become part of the U.S. military service. However, studies and surveys over the years discovered they actually exist in the military. In fact, some of them are even in the active duty military and the reserves. Transgender people are those who sometimes take hormone treatments or have surgery to change their physical appearance. The presence of some of these transgender people are known sometimes by their respective unit commanders and sometimes their peers.

In explaining his views in February before the troops in Afghanistan, Carter said it shouldn’t be the sexual preference of those people that should be highlighted in the assessment of whether they can join the military or not. "Are they going to be excellent service members? And I don't think anything but their suitability for service should preclude them."

Still, the ranks are bothered. Among their issues also include the question as to who should pay for the transgender’s medical treatment and costs associated with any his/her transition. They also question if the person will be given a different physical training standard to comply with.

The military is currently reviewing a 40-page list of medical conditions that states recruits, among many other medical requirements, must be free of any contagious diseases or medical, physical, mental or psychological conditions and must not have “sexual conditions or disorders, including transgender,” the AP report says.

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