Retired Commander Smith is on point.

Transgenders in the armed forces? No I don't support it at all. Frankly, the gay members of the military are snickered at behind their backs by hetero co-workers, so there is no "real" respect there, just political posturing to conform with what the government requires at the moment.

The purpose of the military is to defend our country against all enemies, foreign and domestic, not run some sort of PC social experiment at government expense. This is one of the many reasons I retired from the DOD, the military has lost it's way, due to insane political representation. I say this also as a veteran, who earned the right to criticize, I hope all of you did also.