It’s robbery. These service members earned their benefits.

they are classifying the discharged soldiers as a threat to national security so that they can't use their time serving the country to seek other employment. they are trying to just crush trans people. 💔

Yep

bsky.app/profile/cath...

thank you for your service? nah. more like, fuck your service and get out.

Unabashed bullying. I’m a 60+ straight white suburban Dad. Liberal Dem. Trans rights are not about some progressive ideology. I just FUCKING HATE bullies.

This is just EVIL👀👀👀👀👀👀👀

animus by govt won’t fare well in court

The New US Military, just a bunch of cowardly, racist, incel omegas.

Just breathtakingly cruel.

That can’t be legal.

Maybe some due process claims. That is why there are boards for administrative separations.

Would that be legal?

this is on the continuum of the right wing -> centrist push to “just ask questions” about trans people in public life vote accordingly

Hope they sue the fuck out of them

They can sue

Six months in, and it’s like the country got blackout drunk and handed the keys to a demolition derby driver. The wreckage? Not just metaphorical. If you're still lounging in political apathy, hoping democracy will DoorDash itself—think again. Every election counts. Treat it like your paycheck.

This is assuming there will be elections and that they will not be rigged. It might be too much to hope for.

THAT HAS TO BE ILLEGAL Please tell me it’s illegal. It’s so fking immoral and just wrong.

It's contractual. They can't just do that.

In order to keep power they must keep their ever diminishing base happy.

This group of monsters is responsible for the building oppression making our streets sick. The drugs crime homelessness school shootings all are because these monsters voting 4 oppressive laws for decades. Making life more difficult. This is the tyrannical regime the founders feared.

At least some of their commanding officers, per reporting, cried while delivering the news

This case is still in court and hangs largely on malicious intent. Doing these things does not help them.

🤬🤬🤬disgusting to treat soldiers so horrible by a prez bone spur

The Project 2025 playbook continues… this is why the some of the Religious Right continues to support Trump regardless of the fact he is a Predator.

🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

It is dehumanization

No rational basis

The GOP and the Trump regime are the worst humans I ever did know.

Even Nixon walked away with a pension.

What did Americans expect from an orange-sprayed turd who took away his disabled nephew's health insurance to force his brother's family to hand over the entire inheritance?

The Cruelty Is the Point

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"Reliance interest."

It’s illegal. Not that “illegal” is a thing anymore.

MAGA is among the lowest form of life.

I do not believe it is legal.

Correct. Punishing people who did nothing wrong, because they think they can get away with it.

I am sure this will also help our veterans. Breaking union contracts representing 80% of the in person VA workers

People that served honorably need to be commended not denied hard earned benefits.

MAGA means cruelty.. They are angry hateful often racists Fools…

I see many lawsuits in the Pentagons future.

They are the most evangelical branch. All the guard rails are gone. We are a nation in distress.

I hope someone is tracking the cost of the law suits for this heinous action. FDT

It sounds illegal

I think it’s legal unfortunately. The military has a 20 or nothing defined pension system. The Air Force did a draw down in 2014 and people with more than 15 and less than 20 who were involuntarily separated were not offered early retirement. Only seperation pay and anything they may have in TSP.

If it's legal then why is this only targeted at trans military members? That's blatant discrimination. Way to ignore that part.

I’m not saying it’s moral, just that it’s most likely legal. An early retirement is “exception to policy” that has to be approved. Most people who are separated between 15-18 year just get separation pay unless it’s a “medical retirement”.

Their whole COUP is about harming We the People. We must stop them.

He spent his entire real-estate career stiffing every contractor possible, so there's a throughline

Every single person shòuld be screaming. This will be you eventually.

I'm sure we can count on the military to uphold its constitutional mandate and oppose Trump's authoritarianism. - Everybody, last December

Not sure how this impacts those under the newer Blended Retirement System since that includes significant investment (with matching funds) into the Thrift Savings Plan—the federal 401(k) type plan

thatsit? that'syourreaction?

Yes, his reaction is that it is causing harm to people. And he's correct. Thanks for you attention to this matter.

That last sentence just got you a follow 😏

All you do is repost other people’s original thoughts. thatsit. that’syourreaction.

And that's your reaction? What is it you think he is supposed to do? What are you doing?

If they fucking served …..

You think you have seen it all. But no! Disgraceful. Lawsuits?

There’s the problem: the goal posts keep getting moved, no matter who you are. Veterans, students, foreign students & workers, immigrants, home loans, etc etc. No one can trust a single thing from the U.S. government.

I doubt it will hold up in court since the US would be breaking a contract

The point is they pleased the knuckle draggers, first by trying, and then by excoriating the courts.

💯 💯 💯 cruelty ... sue the military to hell!

Mother fuckers

The only thing we can hope for at this point is that the backlash from all of this abuse is so severe that it grinds every republican into a greasy spot on the pavement, where they can be easily hosed into the sewer.

From which they came

not sure the air force has final say on this

This was essentially already knowable from the initial (illiterate, bigoted) DOD guidance. First link at this page: www.defense.gov/News/News-St...

Christian love.

If they can do this to one group serving their country they can and do it to any other group serving their country.

Never just sticking the knife in. Always got to twist it too.

We're officially a shithole country.

they are always this kind of thing.

From what I read, the affected members have from 15-18 years so don’t automatically get the retired pay they would have had at the 20 year mark. There is an early retirement process that they could use to get an exception but it looks like that’s not going to be approved. Not defending this at all!

they applied for the exception, and it was approved. and then the approval was rescinded. the 23 may memo cited in the 4 august disapproval specifically invited those servicemembers to apply for TERA.

Some days I wish ERISA applied to government and church employers.

So many MAGA policies designed to make ignorant white trash laugh

A contract is a contract.

It’s deplorable.

If they are human and served how can they possibly deny legally?

@democrats.senate.gov

i'd say, 'that's against the law'. but what is the point. do something, America. just one thing even, but something.

What's your suggestion?

for starters, arrest the leaders defying the laws for which they are respectively responsible.

the organization responsible for executing the law is the executive branch. if you want people to do arresting, take it up with guy "elected" to be in charge of that organization. ostensibly, that should be harris at this point because the audit on the election indicated she won by a landslide.

i know it. and yet, the federal courts are shining stars these days. they're being ignored but that's not really solvable. the government must fall.

… engendered by hate and hostility, I have to assume.

Will this stand in court, Professor?

What an evil country.

And some serious issues of self conflict I think.

something something equal protection

Insulting

😡😤🤯

republicans rejoice watching others suffer because of the decisions made by republicans

And these:

The performative cruelty is the whole point.

The cruelty is the point.

Insidious and evil

It's also illegal and likely unconstitutional. But "the courts will save us" 🤦

Given that the Supreme Court recently ruled that discrimination against trans people isn’t discrimination, it’s likely not unconstitutional.

🤬🤬🤬

Inhumane

Cruel callous criminal.

Messaging: forget about serving your country. The regime despises you and your service.

Deny US Air Force access to all high school students in all high schools!

Oh? For a good 7, maybe 9 seconds, I stopped thinking about all the other things Trump & his lackeys are doing to prove their worth with MAGA, so called. Who, by the way, still don’t have a clue (amazing, no?) Trump is on a mission to benefit himself & screw all others, 24/7/365 or 366.

Trump is on a mission of retribution.

Absolutely! Most of them served for years even though that was not how they wanted to live. Congress offered early retirements around 2013 when they decided the Pentagon staff was too large. Not offering early retirement to these trans soldiers is just hateful. I hope they all sue for millions.

Do you think that's also true of RFk Jr's decision to pull funds for mRNA vaccine research?

Quick answer: has RFKj presented the research on which he based his decision? (no) Are there copious existing studies showing the lack of threat within mRNA technology? (yes) So it is very much to cause harm, and I think it’s feasible to apply that to the majority of whimsical decisions they make

I'm not so sure. I'm wondering if it's a boondoggle, because there are rumors that the $500 million will be diverted into RFK Jr's approved research—which could mean he's lining the pockets of his cronies.

Yes, I didn’t have enough characters to include his decision *really* imperils pharma P/L sheets. But, that doesn’t mean it’s not an intrinsically harmful decision. Novavax (nanoparticle protein-based adjuvant) was effective, but they aren’t making cancer curing mRNA formulas similar to Pf/Mod

I think we certainly agree there is no “help” or “benefit” from these myriad WTAF decisions which make zero sense to the laypeople of the country

See Anthony's wording: "nothing more than the bare desire to harm" I was asking if that's *all* there is in RFK Jr's decision. Because I think there's more—like corruption.

My apologies for muddying the water Hope someone here knows the answer…

RFK Jr is a sociopath. He doesn't care if people come to harm.

Of course he is…that’s all this administration is about. It’s like they read Hunger Games like a how-to manual.

In the case of trangender service members being denied retirement benefits, it's clearly an intent to harm. In the case of RFK Jr, it's a lack of a duty to protect. He's a sociopath as evidence by his fascination with road kill, eating dogs, and letting his grandchildren swim in sewage water.

I hope they sue.

What they are doing is pure EVIL. Call it what it is.

Cruelty is a display of dominance. That's all.

True, it's cruel and disgusting. I think the other main purpose is to keep people talking about trans and woke stuff by whatever means. He sees it as a dividing issue for Dem agenda, and a distraction from Epstein, incompetence and corruption too.

is a class action suit appropriate? don't know the criteria for such but sure seems like it is.

Wait! What? How is that possible?

Of course, the the prevailing opinion among right wing democrats when they see this news, is to say that we should let republicans ban trans people from sports 🤦🏽‍♂️

Hateful fascist psychopaths.

Depraved and disgusting. Sue the holy shi*e out of them!!!!!!

Yep, the costs from litigation and administrative arbitrage will far exceed any supposed financial savings.

That IS THEIR MONEY!! They earned it!! They DESERVE it!!

How can this be legal?

So cruel and unjust.

Air Force has a reputation as the most evangelical of the armed services

It is cruel and immoral to deny retirement benefits to people who served their country.

Isn't this what they did in the 80s when they started taking folks pensions and healthcare away; they're Republicans -- they just steal it

How do you POSSIBLY DENY retirement pay WHEN THEY ALREADY SERVED?

When the tide turns, and it certainly will, those who advocated, enabled and collaborated with this action should be stripped of all their government benefits, including those for health and retirement.

Let’s drive those unemployment numbers up even higher. Good work MAGA

That’s the entire point of the Trump administration: to cause pain and humiliation to marginalized groups. But the worst thing about it all is how happy this makes Trump supporters. All marginalized groups now live in constant fear and that’s why his supporters voted for him.

But but but they -earned - that money. It's theirs. We are living through an era of failed expectations.

This administration is all about creating underclasses.

I can’t wait for these lawsuits.

This HAS to be illegal, isn't it? I mean... isn't there a contract in place for paying these earned benefits? Anyway, pretty crazy how the Repub party gets to retain the mantle of superpatriots while constantly (constantly!) treating troops like garbage.

There isn’t a breach of contract because they haven’t reached the number of years required for retirement pay. Is it the right thing to do? No.

So sad for our country

I'm not surprised when this administration has already deported x military non citizen As the poem says... "then they came for me..."

These last few months have been hell just watching as the stupidest and meanest among us destroy and demean people. Stripping people of their lives, their happiness, and just ability to exist. Fuck this shit. On top of it all, the leader of it all is a Pedo.

It's blatant discrimination. We used to care about that.

Seems very likely to be reversed before it does too much damage.

100% cruelty

It’s breach of contract plain and simple

And people like Pete and Gavin and Ritchie and the rest of those feckless hateful Dem electeds and former electeds are helping foment this anti-trans bigotry with their horrid rhetoric.

If they served, they earned the pay. it is utterly immoral to steal this benefit from anyone.

Cruelty, for cruelty's sake. That's all this is.

As a trans person, this is the transgender issue Dems need to focus on and not sports.

Yeah, cause we all know ya gotta pick and choose where you draw a line.

Unfortunately, that is where we are right now. Whether it’s right, wrong, or ideal, we need to pick winning issues that the public can support. I’m in Florida and I’m living with these issues everyday.

You take the fight to them instead of conceding every damn time. This is an excuse for copping out

It’s not copping out. It’s being strategic and realistic. I don’t want my rights riding on a trans sports or child healthcare case. I much rather take my chances with a trans military or insurance issue.

More horseshit.

No, it’s not. And by conceding, you are allowing them to win on issues they might not otherwise be able to win on.

And that is the problem: I have gay & trans immediate family members. But the Dems need to fight this and pick winning issues, which unfortunately is not every issue.

No, Dems need to fight for civil rights, not issues that poll well. Poll chasing and letting republicans strip civil rights away is a horrific idea

You can be an idealist or realist. In the current political environment, it’s about picking and promoting the issues that will get the most support.

I am being a realist. There are not enough concessions you can make in the universe to prevent the leopards from eating your face. Believing that if you let Dems be transphobic about sports, that Republicans won’t do this, is frankly, delusion. *No* trans issues have support in the US

Pretty much everybody has a gay relative and more are becoming aware of the number of trans. More than most think. All these folks should be left alone. It’s a private matter.

Trans people are statistically extremely rare, much rarer than cis gay people. But that’s not relevant. I am not saying that you believe that you support the Republican position to harm trans people, but I am saying that you give them permission to do so by not defending civil rights.

Civil rights apply to every person - citizen or not.

You have to pick your battles.

Horseshit.

Picking your battles is choosing what energy to put against what shit. Perhaps retirement benefits, which those veterans are legally due, is a better fight, giving trans people a legal standing, than high school sports. School battles are better fought at the local level which humanizes the issue.

How about we focus on both. The idea that we should just let republicans control the narrative and let them ban trans people from sports because according to you it’s “not important” is exactly the thing they’re counting on when doing this shit.

"How about we focus on both" How about we understand that there are wedge issues that are political traps?

How about we understand that civil rights aren’t a wedge issue and that they are non-negotiable, and capitulation on them is a political trap.

How about we understand that wishing wedge issues don't involve civil right shows a fundamental misunderstanding of what wedge issues are.

How about we understand that the fact that civil rights aren’t a wedge issue and are non-negotiable shows that those who believe they are a wedge issue and are negotiable shows a fundamental misunderstanding of what wedge issues are.

No, "civil rights" aren't a wedge issue. "Trans women in girls sports" is. www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...

I wish that weren't the case, but shouting later and repeating the same argument, over and over, doesn't change the polling numbers.

As I mentioned in my original post, the polling numbers do not matter. Civil rights are non-negotiable. Evidently there is need to shout and repeat the same argument over and over for people to get it. Civil rights is a hill to die on. No debate, no compromise.

Trans women in women’s sports is a civil rights issue.

The sports issue isn’t even an issue in 99.9% of the country. People don’t understand it and it scares people needlessly. We SHOULD fight when there’s a fight to be had, but it’s mostly straw men. Having earned benefits withheld is something all Americans CAN relate to and being relatable

💯

often dispels fear of “the other”

Did the military pure bloods (covid culture victims) get retirement pay?

IMO not just to harm but to reassert social control by terrifying everyone, so any identity sees they can be targeted if they step too far out of line.

This is so fucked up

Rollin, rolling, rollin, get those lawsuits rollin…

Abandoned by an ungrateful nation

USAF - withholds pensions for everyone whose girth exceeds single bucket seat travel. If your arse is too far for a bucket seat flight of 24hrs then you won’t receive your pension. Watch them kick up a storm…

This is the government saying "You are not a man or a woman; you are literally not a human being to us."

Cruelty is the point. These are cruel and evil people.

If their ranking is changed to dishonorable discharge then 🤔

true, I bet that's how they try to get out of it. They're already saying trans troops were 'unfit' because they 'lied all the time about who they were'; will prob try to use that to slap them with less than honorable discharges. Bastards.

Its time to stop standing for the flag and cheering for the military at sporting events, parades, etc... I will not applaud cruelty.

They’re gonna start getting some harm back and they’re gonna deserve every bit of it. Fucking evil.