Nick Greiner, a Center City veteran, first enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard in 1995. He served during “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the law that barred openly gay people from the military, until it was repealed in 2010. Greiner thought the secret he was keeping was that he was a lesbian. But a few years ago, the 40-year-old came out as transgender.
“As far as the transgender aspect, it was easier for me,” he said of his service, which concluded in 1998. “There was no expectation of femininity. The culture was more masculine or unisex.”
Still, Greiner was excited to hear that the Pentagon decided to lift its ban on open transgender service in the military. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced the transgender inclusion at a June 30 news conference in Washington, D.C.
“Effective immediately, transgender Americans may serve openly, and they can no longer be discharged or otherwise separated from the military just for being transgender,” Carter told reporters.
“It’s a different world now and it’s fantastic,” Greiner said. “It allows people to focus on what they’re doing and what they’re good at doing.”
Greiner remembered once working on a “tie-down team” charged with tying a landing helicopter to the deck of a ship. Someone had complained that there were no women on the team. Greiner recalled a bit of confusion regarding his involvement.
He said open transgender service would improve retention in the armed forces. Greiner said service members would stay active longer if they felt they could contribute without having to hide any aspect of themselves. He hoped that transgender people who are undergoing hormone replacement therapy could easily access necessary medical resources in the field. Greiner anticipated an adjustment period followed by a return to business as usual.
“Now that you’ve got women in combat and gay and transgender people serving openly, all the concerns that people had will just start to go away,” he said.