SMALL STEPS

Air Force Eases Transgender Rules

Can serve openly.

The Air Force took a step to allow transgender troops to serve openly. Officials announced Thursday the Air Force will elevate the authority to discharge a transgender service member to high-level officials at Air Force headquarters, instead of unit commanders and doctors. The move mirrors the Army’s announcement in March and underscores a greater push by the Pentagon to change policy to allow transgendered people to serve in the military. The new policy states that a psychiatrist or psychologist must support the recommendation for discharge over transgender issues and a commander must also confirm that it interferes with a service member’s duties.