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Seventeen seventeen transgender US Air Force service members has filed a lawsuit against the former president's government for revoking their early retirement pensions and related entitlements.

Legal Challenge Submitted in Federal Court

The formal complaint, submitted in federal court, describes the government's action as "unlawful and invalid" according to legal papers.

This lawsuit follows the Air Force's announcement that it would revoke early retirement benefits to all trans military personnel with 15-18 years of armed forces service, a ruling that effectively pushes them out of the military without pension benefits.

"USAF's own pension guidelines provides that pension authorization may only be rescinded under extremely restricted conditions, none were applicable in this case," declares the legal complaint.

Plaintiffs and Economic Consequences

Included in the named plaintiffs are Master Sergeant Ireland, Ashley Davis, Staff Sergeant Brimhall and Lindell Walley.

Legal advocacy groups acting for the affected service members stated that the cancellation of premature pension benefits had ripped away economic security and entitlements these households were depending on after many years of excellent service to their nation.

"These service members will lose $1-2m in long-term entitlements, jeopardizing their household financial stability," according to the official declaration. "This decision also removes the airmen and their dependents of access to TRICARE, the armed forces healthcare plan, which would have granted eligibility for private medical services beyond VA facilities."

Wider Background

The lawsuit came amid the latest escalation by the former administration to ban transgender people from entering armed forces and to discharge those currently enlisted. The Pentagon has argued that transgender people are not medically qualified, something civil rights activists have pushed back on and say constitutes unlawful bias.

In March, a US district judge halted the former president's directive banning transgender people from armed forces duty. US district judge Ana Reyes in the nation's capital ruled that the order likely violated their constitutional rights. Defense Department representatives have said in the past that four thousand two hundred service members were diagnosed with "gender identity disorder", which they use as an marker of being trans.

Air Force Policies

The USAF, however, has distinguished itself in its implementation of policies that go beyond just separating troops from military service. As well as revoking premature pension benefits, the branch rolled out a recent regulation in late summer to deny transgender members the opportunity to argue before a military review board for the right to continue serving.

The latest legal challenge, the most recent in a series, is challenging that regulation.

Legal Demands

Per the court documents, the "plaintiffs' retirement orders remain legally binding". Their legal team are calling for these "orders to be restored" and advocating for "service documents be corrected accordingly". The complaint also says "interest, legal expenses and lawyer costs" must be accounted for and "further relief as the court deems just and proper."

"The military taught me to command and combat, not withdraw," stated Master Sergeant Ireland, who has fifteen years of military experience. "Stripping away my pension communicates that those values only matter on the front lines, not when a service member requires them most critically."