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The Pentagon
ended its ban on openly transgender people serving in the U.S.
military last year under Defense Secretary Ash Carter. That
repeal lowered one of the last barriers on who could serve in
the military and came after a 2011 decision to end the U.S.
military's ban on openly gay and lesbian people.
A Pentagon spokesperson verified the contents of the memo, but
declined further comment on the document.
The memo instructed each military branch to examine their
"readiness to begin assessing transgender applicants into
military service on July 1, 2017."
In the memo, dated 8 May, Defense Secretary Robert Work
instructed chiefs of each military branch and service
secretaries to submit their reports by 31 May.
(Additional reporting by Phil Stewart; Editing by Sandra Maler
and Andrew Hay)
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