The US Air Force announced Thursday that transgender service members who have served between 15 and 18 years will not be able to obtain early retirement benefits.

Those transgender service members – forced out of the Air Force under President Trump’s January executive order targeting “gender radicalism” in the military – will instead have the option to take a lump-sum separation payment or be removed.

The move follows President Trump’s executive order banning transgender people from the military. AP

The Air Force, however, approved early retirement for self-identifying transgender service members with 18-20 years of honorable service.

“Although service members with 15-18 years of honorable service were permitted to apply for an exception to policy, none of the exceptions to poli

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