Transgender Servicemembers File Lawsuit Challenging Rescinded Retirement

Transgender Servicemembers File Lawsuit Challenging Rescinded Retirement

"Tomorrow is Veterans Day, yet the Trump administration continues to deepen its betrayal of veterans by ripping away the pensions and health care benefits of honorable Airmen who have deployed around the world," said NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter

Today, 17 transgender servicemembers who each have over 15 years of service in the United States Air Force and Space Force filed Ireland v. United States, a lawsuit against the Trump administration in the Federal Court of Claims for rescinding the retirements they earned and that were previously granted to them by the Secretary of the Air Force. Transgender servicemembers impacted by this rescission will face a loss of up to $1-2 million owed for their service over the course of their lifetime, impacting these military families' long-term economic security. This rescission also includes loss of lifetime access to TRICARE health insurance, which would have provided access to civilian health care providers beyond VA facilities.

"I raised my hand and served my country honorably for 15 years, including a deployment to Afghanistan," said lead plaintiff Master Sergeant Logan Ireland. "Ripping away the retirements we have earned is a betrayal of the sacrifices made by servicemembers and our families. We should not be thrown into economic hardship or made to feel our years of service are regarded by our country as meaningless."

In June 2025, the Air Force issued retirement orders to transgender Airmen plaintiffs in this case. Then, in August 2025, the Air Force reneged on its promises to those Airmen and informed them that they must, instead, be separated without retirement under Secretary Hegseth's transgender military ban. The lawsuit argues that the rescission of retirement orders in this case violates the Air Force's own retirement policies and procedures, which only permit retirement rescissions under very limited circumstances, none of which are present here.

"Tomorrow is Veterans Day, yet the Trump administration continues to deepen its betrayal of veterans by ripping away the pensions and health care benefits of honorable Airmen who have deployed around the world," said NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter, one of the lead attorneys in this case, who is transgender and brings more than 30 years of civil rights legal experience to this litigation. "There has never been an administration that has shown such open hostility to the brave men and women who have served our country."

Pensions are an essential part of the promise made to servicemembers due to their sacrifices and help military families avoid economic hardship. These pensions are earned and compensate servicemembers for the unique sacrifices and constraints of military life that make it difficult to save for retirement and create the diversified retirement portfolios that civilians can. For example, because of frequent job-related moves, members of our military typically cannot purchase a house and live there for 20 years to grow equity.

"This is a senseless and shocking affront to troops who have sacrificed so much for our country," said GLAD Law Staff Attorney Michael Haley. "Each of these families faces a potential loss of up to $1-2 million over the course of their lifetimes. These brave transgender servicemembers deserve the retirement benefits they have earned and that the Air Force granted them. As a country, we must honor our word to them, not rip away their benefits."

Plaintiffs in this case are represented by the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, GLAD Law, and pro-bono counsel from Stapleton Segal Cochran LLC and The Law Office of Jeremy Spiegel.

Read a copy of the filing.
Learn more about the case.