I don't mind the US taxpayer paying for transgender surgery, especially once they've been honorably discharged. Of any public servants, they are the most worthy.
My problem, which the Obama administration did not study (only costs), but the Trump administration did, is this ...
Military readiness, especially in combat roles, let alone the Marines, let alone their MEFs/MEUs.
The last are why women aren't in some combat roles.
So ...
What pisses everyone off, even those who are transgender serving, are Manning's lawyers arguing she cannot serve in jail because her Transgender Reassignment Surgery as if her 'quality of life' is like someone 'being on thir death bed' or with a 'chronic illness.'
Kinda undermines the entire argument of 'military readiness,' as not only the US military found ...
But the UK military, and many others, in equivalent combat roles to the US.
I.e.., especially the Royal Marine (RM) Commandos, which are equivalent to the USMC MEFs/MEUs.
E.g., unlike the USMC, you couldn't even join the RM if you were a woman until 2016 -- yes, 2016!
(no women have qualified to date either)
So when the US Media says, "Why don't we follow our allies lead?" I throw that right back at them.
We're not the only ones using the 'military readiness' argument.
The only 'studies' that were done prior during the Obama administration were 'cost' ones.
As our general healthcare system doesn't cover it, and it would be military-only.