WASHINGTON − The Air Force yanked retirement pay for some transgender airmen forced out of the military by the Trump administration after telling them their applications were approved.
The Pentagon moved to purge transgender servicemembers from the ranks of the military earlier this year. They were offered a "separation" payment – the amount would be doubled if they left voluntarily, according to a February memo from department leadership.
The Air Force said in May that transgender airmen who had served between 15 and 18 years could withdraw their request for voluntary separation pay and instead apply for early retirement.
Around a dozen who applied were told "prematurely" that they were approved, according to an Air Force statement. Then the Air Force backtracked.
"After careful consideration of the individual applications, I am disapproving all" of them, Brian Scarlett, the Air Force's acting assistant secretary for manpower and reserve affairs, wrote in a memo first obtained by Reuters.
