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Seventeen 17 transgender US Air Force members has filed a lawsuit against the former president's government for revoking their premature retirement benefits and associated benefits.

Legal Challenge Submitted in US District Court

The legal filing, presented in US district court, characterizes the government's action as "illegal and void" according to legal papers.

This lawsuit follows the Air Force's confirmation that it would revoke premature pension benefits to all trans military personnel with 15 to 18 years of military experience, a decision that effectively pushes them out of the armed forces without pension benefits.

"USAF's own pension guidelines provides that pension authorization may only be rescinded under very limited circumstances, none were present here," states the legal complaint.

Plaintiffs and Financial Impact

Among the named plaintiffs are Master Sergeant Ireland, Ashley Davis, Staff Sergeant Brimhall and Senior Master Sergeant Walley.

Civil rights organizations acting for the impacted military personnel stated that the revocation of early retirement support had eliminated financial support and benefits these families were counting on after many years of excellent service to their nation.

"These service members will lose $1-2m in long-term entitlements, jeopardizing their families' economic security," according to the legal statement. "The action also strips the service members and their dependents of access to military health insurance, the military health insurance program, which would have provided access to private medical services beyond VA facilities."

Broader Context

The lawsuit occurred during the most recent intensification by the former administration to prohibit trans individuals from joining the military and to discharge those already serving. The Pentagon has claimed that trans individuals are medically unfit, something human rights advocates have pushed back on and say represents unlawful bias.

In March, a federal judge blocked Trump's executive order banning trans individuals from military service. Federal judge Judge Reyes in Washington DC ruled that the order likely violated their fundamental rights. Pentagon officials have said in the past that 4,200 service members were diagnosed with "gender dysphoria", which they use as an marker of being trans.

Air Force Policies

The Air Force, however, has stood apart in its enforcement of policies that go beyond just discharging personnel from military service. As well as revoking early retirement benefits, the service implemented a recent regulation in August to deny trans personnel the right to argue before a military review board for the authorization to continue serving.

The most recent lawsuit, the most recent in a series, is challenging that regulation.

Legal Demands

Per the legal filings, the "plaintiffs' retirement orders remain valid and effective". Their attorneys are demanding these "orders to be reinstated" and advocating for "service documents be corrected appropriately". The lawsuit also says "accrued interest, legal expenses and lawyer costs" must be accounted for and "further relief as the judiciary deems fair and appropriate."

"The military taught me to lead and fight, not retreat," stated Master Sergeant Ireland, who has 15 years of service. "Stripping away my pension sends the message that those values only matter on the front lines, not when a service member needs them most."