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A group of 17 trans American military service members has initiated legal action against the Trump administration for revoking their premature retirement benefits and related entitlements.

Legal Challenge Submitted in US District Court

The legal filing, presented in federal court, characterizes the government's action as "unlawful and invalid" according to legal papers.

This lawsuit comes after the Air Force's confirmation that it would revoke early retirement benefits to all transgender service members with 15 to 18 years of armed forces service, a ruling that effectively pushes them out of the military without retirement support.

"The Air Force's own pension guidelines provides that retirement orders may only be rescinded under very limited circumstances, none of which were applicable in this case," declares the lawsuit.

Plaintiffs and Economic Consequences

Among the listed claimants are Master Sergeant Ireland, Ashley Davis, Staff Sergeant Brimhall and Senior Master Sergeant Walley.

Civil rights organizations representing the affected service members stated that the revocation of premature pension benefits had eliminated financial support and benefits these families were counting on after long years of excellent service to their nation.

"The affected personnel will forfeit $1-2 million in long-term entitlements, threatening their families' economic security," according to the official declaration. "This decision also removes the service members and their families of access to military health insurance, the military health insurance program, which would have granted eligibility for civilian health care providers beyond VA facilities."

Wider Background

The legal challenge occurred during the most recent intensification by the Trump administration to ban transgender people from joining the military and to discharge those currently enlisted. The Department of Defense has claimed that transgender people are medically unfit, something civil rights activists have strongly contested and say constitutes unlawful bias.

In March, a US district judge halted Trump's executive order banning trans individuals from armed forces duty. Federal judge Judge Reyes in the nation's capital determined that the order likely violated their constitutional rights. Pentagon officials have stated in the past that 4,200 service members were diagnosed with "gender identity disorder", which they use as an identifier of being trans.

Air Force Policies

The USAF, however, has stood apart in its implementation of policies that go beyond just discharging personnel from military service. As well as revoking early retirement benefits, the branch rolled out a recent regulation in August to refuse transgender members the opportunity to plead before a board of their peers for the right to continue serving.

The most recent lawsuit, the most recent in a series, is contesting that policy.

Legal Demands

Per the legal filings, the "claimants' pension authorizations remain legally binding". Their attorneys are demanding these "authorizations to be restored" and advocating for "their military records be amended appropriately". The lawsuit also says "interest, costs and lawyer costs" must be accounted for and "further relief as the court deems just and proper."

"Armed forces trained me to command and combat, not withdraw," stated Master Sergeant Ireland, who has 15 years of service. "Removing my retirement sends the message that those principles only apply on the battlefield, not when a service member requires them most critically."