Kaden Ables, Technical Sergeant
U.S. Air Force Reserve, 2018-Present “You're a loadmaster. You're in charge of the plane when it's flying in the sky. But you're also a ramp expediter and you're in charge of everything that happens on the ground. You're like a sky daddy. That's what you are!” I laughed and said, “Oh my gosh, please don't call me that.”
|
Jamie Agapoff, Major
U.S. Army Reserve, 2016-2024 Of the things my grandfather taught me, a respect for honor and authenticity are the most salient. He encouraged me to join the military only after Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was rescinded, believing no one who was willing to sacrifice themself for their country should have to hide.
|
Zaneford Alvarez, Staff Sergeant
U.S. Army, 2013-2025 One day when my battle buddy came by my room, he clocked this yellow sheet of paper on my fridge, crossed that out himself, claiming that I am the reason why he is still alive today.
|
Katie Benn, Captain
U.S. Army Reserve, 2012-2021 U.S. Army, 2021-Present "Embracing my authentic self within the military was not just a personal victory but a testament to the evolving inclusivity of our armed forces.
|
Gizelle Howardsmoot, Petty Officer Second Class
U.S. Navy, 2017-Present "Balancing my commitment to serve with the need to live authentically was a path fraught with challenges, but it ultimately led to a deeper understanding of honor and self-respect."
|
Joey Lee, Chief Master Sergeant
Air National Guard, 2002-Present "Even though I wasn't able to be open during active duty, I cannot imagine who I would be without the military part of me. Now it’s just another facet of me and this body. I'm really grateful for it"
|
Hunter Wilde, Lieutenant Junior Grade
U.S. Navy, 2021-Present "In 2015, when I took the first steps to enlist in the Marine Corps during my junior year of high school, I was not only told no, but also that I did not belong, would never belong, and was not wanted."
|
Erin Krizek, Lt Col
U.S. Air Force, 2005-Present "Facing adversity head-on, I realized that true strength lies not in the absence of fear, but in the resolve to act despite it."
|
Robin Nelson, First Lieutenant
U.S. Army, 2019-Present “My grandpa didn't have a grandson, and I was a happy substitute. He taught me how to hunt, track, and fish. I'd help my dad build demolition derby cars. I'd make a hostage of every poor toad and bug I found, putting them in a ‘terrarium’ before eventually setting them free. I'd wrestle with my uncle like any other little boy. I didn't understand why we had to stop.”
|
Meghan Bastian, Lt Col
USAF (Retired), 1998-2018 "Serving in the Air Force taught me the true meaning of resilience and dedication. Every mission, every challenge, reinforced my commitment to excellence and integrity."
|
Jake Ward
Aspiring U.S. Navy "Throughout my journey, my family's unwavering support was my anchor. Their belief in me gave me the strength to face every challenge head-on."
|
Paulo Batista, Petty Officer Second Class
U.S. Navy, 2022-Present "True happiness comes from living authentically and embracing one's true self, regardless of the challenges faced."
|
Aiden Meyer, Senior Airman
Air National Guard, 2017-2023 "Serving in the National Guard was more than a duty; it was an honor. It allowed me to protect the freedoms I cherish while standing alongside individuals who exemplify courage and commitment."
|
Alyxandra Demetrides, Chief Warrant Officer 3
U.S. Army, 2014-Present "I became a pilot in command during combat missions in Afghanistan. I became an air mission commander flying high risk medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) missions in Korea. Yet I was still afraid for myself and my ability to take care of my family. I would lay in bed at night in a hanger,
sometimes on holidays and weekends, thinking: why? Why would people turn on me despite all I have to offer, all I have accomplished?" |
Blake Dremann, Commander
U.S. Navy, 2005-Present "On July 26, 2017, when President Trump tweeted his thoughts on transgender people in the military, as the first transgender president of SPARTA, I lost the ability to simply help service members navigate the military’s complicated transgender health system. Now I had to lead them through their darkest days and work to make sure we came out on the other side."
|
Caroline Morrison, Specialist
U.S. Army 1999-2001 Army National Guard 1993-2010 & 2023-Present "I will never forget a phone call with my new supervisor. She said, “I want to meet you before drill.” I told her I hadn't had a haircut yet but that I would before I put on my uniform. She said, “Hold on a second,” and made a phone call. She called me back and said, "Don't worry about it. Your days of having to be two different people are over."
|
Aaron Griffin M.D. , Captain
U.S. Air Force, 2017-Present "After being allowed to transition, I spent the next two years working doubly hard to make up for the time that I had been paralyzed by anxiety and depression and unable to absorb new material and concepts. There was a stark difference in my performance before and after starting transition."
|
Emma Webb, Major
U.S. Space Force, 2015-Present "The threats America faces today are more lethal, stealthier, and in a wider range of domains than ever before. The next fight will be our last if we do not remain steadfast in our willingness to accept all who voluntarily dedicate their life to securing our future."
|
Mara "Casper" Jett, Captain
U.S. Air Force, 2020-Present "It took me months of wrestling with myself, of reading up online, of
studying the bible, reconciling my beliefs and my identity, but I eventually figured myself out. I was a woman and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it." |
Alexa Goodrich-Houska, Commander
U.S. Navy, 2009-Present "On top of that, we were in a combat zone, facing the daily pressure of swarming attack craft and drones. Every day was a grind, both physically and mentally. But that makes things sound too clean, sanitized, and flat. I need you to understand that I genuinely believed I would never see home again."
|
Jamie Hash, Senior Master Sergeant
U.S. Air Force, 2011-Present "I found myself sitting in on key-decision meetings with the Joint Staff, the Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, and even the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, an uncommon experience for enlisted members... Additionally, I was selected for promotion to Senior Master Sergeant after receiving the highest promotion board score in my career field."
|
Chase Payne, Sergeant
Army National Guard, 2016-Present "I want people to know that transgender soldiers just want to serve. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I don't want special treatment. I'm just a soldier that happens to be trans. People don’t understand, or seem to forget, that female to male trans people exist."
|
Amy, Chief Petty Officer
U.S Navy 2002-Present "... I thought if someone had told me 20 years ago on those decks that one
day I’d be here, living my true self and serving my country, I would not have even conceived it to be possible, and yet, here I was. " |
Jayce Saldivar, Master Sergeant
U.S. Air Force 2006-2010 & 2014-2021 U.S. Space Force 2021- Present "The moment I decided to leave the Air Force was the moment in which I overheard a conversation at work. One of my friends told someone it would be ok if DADT was overturned because we could “always get them with friendly fire.” Of course, ‘them’ in this conversation was gay people. In that moment, I knew that, even if overturned, I would be living in fear, and I didn’t want that. It was time to go."
|
Jordan Barnhartt, Second Lieutenant
U.S. Marine Corps, 2023-Present "Any time you put the real you out there, it can be terrifying. They met me with love, openness, and questions on how they could show their love going forward. I knew I had nothing to worry about and was reassured by the people I cared about."
|
Riley Townley, Chief Petty Officer
U.S. Navy, 2010-2024 (Retired) "I had finally made it, I had achieved a large degree of career success and my life had finally started to feel like my own. I had to look myself in the mirror, however, and understand why I still didn’t like myself. Why did I feel so sad?"
|
Riordan Ledgerwood, M.D., Major
U.S. Army, 2014-Present "2021 was an incredible year of change for me. It was my transition from training doctor to an independent physician, but of course that wasn’t the only transition. The moment the trans ban was lifted in Jan 2021, I sought care to finally become more than a shell, more than a zombie in
cranberry scrubs." |
Katie Schmid, Sergeant First Class
U.S. Army, 2005-Present "To put it another way, I lived 30 years in the closet. I'm not interested in going into another one."
|
Kazper Lewis, Captain
U.S Army, 2020-Present "Our differences are what makes our military the best in the world; everyone provides insight due to their unique perspectives and our training and doctrine allow us to speak the same language."
|
Elizabeth Soske, Master Sergeant
U.S. Air Force, 2005-Present The journey to acceptance was long and painful. The military environment, with strict norms and deeply ingrained prejudices, was not a safe space for someone like me. When "don't ask don't tell" was repealed, I hesitated to come out, fearful of the repercussions. But the more I learned about the transgender community, the more I realized that I had been part of this community all along.
|
'Jordan', Lt Col
U.S. Air Force, 2009-Present "I am a decorated combat pilot, an accomplished staff officer, a winner of multiple awards, from squadron level to Headquarters Air Force, and, in the eyes of the Air Force, an upstanding man and loving husband and father, but I am also a transgender woman."
|
Tyler Billiet, Technical Sergeant
U.S. Air Force, 2013-2023 "Another option with the AF as a prior-service recruit is Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape (SERE). When I was first considering joining the military I was interested in the Marines and also SERE with the Air Force, I was just too uncomfortable doing either of those things as a woman. Now that problem is solved! Haha."
|
Logan Zapor M.D., Captain
U.S. Air Force, 2017-Present "The stress of the uncertainty was intense. The first military doctor I came out to was in October 2017 because I had been sleeping 2-3 hours a night for weeks and felt like I was ripping apart at the seams. They simply left the reason why I was so stressed out of my notes, just as so many had for gay soldiers during the DADT era. After all, medical school was more than enough reason to be that stressed all on its own."
|
Ryan Goodell, Chief Petty Officer
U.S. Navy, 2011-Present "The Navy was finally allowing me to deploy onboard a ship, which was something that I had desperately wanted to do and, frankly, was a motivating factor in my joining. I didn’t want that to end because I was putting myself before the needs of the service, but the tradeoff was that I was destroying my mental health."
|
Aaren Battle, Sergeant
U.S. Marine Corps , 2017-2023 When I was deployed and the topic of transgender service came up, I ended up with spit on my face. My Tech Sergeant made it vehemently known that, “Anyone who cannot deploy, should not serve!” He held the misconception I’ve come across the most, that gender transition “takes one out of the fight for too long.” I know hundreds of transgender service members, most of whom have deployed."
|
Charlene Cash, Major
U.S. Marine Corps , 1997-2022 (Retired) "The vast majority of those who serve do so selflessly, with honor, and with a commitment to something greater than themselves. Transgender individuals are no different. My journey through the Marine Corps, marked by moments of doubt, fear, and ultimately, resilience has taught me that change, both personal and institutional, is not only possible but necessary."
|