Mattis slows Trump on transgender miltary service memb

Statement by Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis on Military Service by Transgender Individuals
The Department of Defense has received the Presidential Memorandum, dated August 25, 2017, entitled Military Service by Transgender Individuals. The department will carry out the presidents policy direction, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security. As directed, we will develop a study and implementation plan, which will contain the steps that will promote military readiness, lethality, and unit cohesion, with due regard for budgetary constraints and consistent with applicable law. The soon arriving senior civilian leadership of DOD will play an important role in this effort. The implementation plan will address accessions of transgender individuals and transgender individuals currently serving in the United States military. Our focus must always be on what is best for the militarys combat effectiveness leading to victory on the battlefield. To that end, I will establish a panel of experts serving within the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to provide advice and recommendations on the implementation of the presidents direction. Panel members will bring mature experience, most notably in combat and deployed operations, and seasoned judgment to this task. The panel will assemble and thoroughly analyze all pertinent data, quantifiable and non-quantifiable. Further information on the panel will be forthcoming. Once the panel reports its recommendations and following my consultation with the secretary of Homeland Security, I will provide my advice to the president concerning of his policy direction. In the interim, current policy with respect to currently serving members will remain in place. I expect to issue interim guidance to the force concerning the presidents direction, including any necessary interim adjustments to procedures, to ensure the continued combat readiness of the force until our final policy on this subject is issued.

So ... DT didn't consult with his secretary of defense and order a study before making his pronouncement? Shocking.

DT cannot deal with those who hesitate or say no. I was not thrilled with all his choices, but Sessions has said no (with him I am still sitting on a very wobbly fence), Tillerson seems to have taken the reasonable road, Mattis seems an honorable man. It concerns me who would DT choose to replace any of them. He has not made 100s of appointments that he is required to make.

I had the same thought yesterday. As much as I tend to feel hope at signs of disruption in this White House, I wondered, my GOSH, if Mattis/Tillerson/Kelly get fed up and leave, or if trump fires them, WHO THEN?!

I don't think Kelly or Mattis will get fed up, they've dedicated their entire adult lives to serving, the amount of sacrifices they and their families have made are immeasurable. Fired perhaps, but not fed up and quit, they know the stakes are far too high.

Oh no, not worried about them resigning.  He c/would fire them.  Talk about dt asking for loyalty from others........