ACLU wants Army to help 2 transgender veterans

Trenton, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey's American Civil Liberties Union wants the Army to "fully recognize" the new legal names of two New Jersey-based transgender military veterans.

The group announced Monday that it submitted two applications to the Defense Department's Army Review Boards Agency on July 30 on behalf of the two veterans, whose names were not disclosed. The applications seek a change to the principal document that a military veteran uses to prove a veteran's status.

The ACLU says transgender veterans often encounter substantial obstacles to obtaining post-service benefits because the names and genders on their military service discharge documents no longer match their names and genders following from the end of their service.

It's not known when or if the board will act on the ACLU's request.

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The Gayly – August 12, 2014 @ 10:30am