Secretary of Defense Ash Carter was asked if the military will pay for sex change operations deemed “medically necessary,” now that transgender folks will be allowed to enlist in the armed forces. His answer was an unqualified yes. The term “medically necessary” is the 800-pound gorilla in the room; just what is it, and who establishes the rules and regulations governing it?

Let us never forget the mission of the Army is to close with, kill, capture or otherwise destroy the enemy by means of close combat, fire and maneuver. It is not to be a social services agency or an extension of the Department of Health Education and Welfare. If a soldier had an existing ugly scar running from ear to mouth when enlisting, the military would not routinely fix it because it would be deemed not service connected. If a soldier was deformed in service to the nation it would, of course, be repaired.

I know of no existing medical condition that a person, male or female, can join the military to get repaired. If a person had a “medical condition” that required major surgery, they simply would not be allowed to enlist. The sex change or gender reassignment surgery will cost between $7,000 and $50,000 plus, and place the military member in a non-deployable, non-duty status for 4 to 16 weeks, and in some cases even longer.

Political correctness will tell the military member not to resent a person because they are not fit for duty for months because of a sex change operation; OK, if you were the soldier who has to deploy overseas for an extended period of time, months longer, to cover for a soldier recovering from elective gender reassignment surgery, would you be happy?

The end strength of the Department of Defense has not been increased to cover the non-deployable status of transgender people. The defense budget has not been increased to cover the funds necessary to perform the surgery. The road to hell is paved with good liberal intentions; resentment felt by those military personnel who will be required to spend more time away from their love ones will be understandable. Resentment felt by those who will need to extend their time in harm’s way to cover for those who are recovering from what the average military member will call elective surgery will be widespread.

How do we define “medically necessary?” Well, a good place to start is the civilian definition as written by the insurance companies. It is very broad and straightforward; some call for a year waiting period but not all, most just say if you want it you get it, after one or two interviews with a medical professional.

At $7,000 to $50,000 thousand per person, and given the budget cuts the Department of Defense is suffering, we must ask this question: What family member will not get needed surgery because the gender reassignment surgery will get the highest priority? What military member’s child will not get the best care because they are not politically correct? How will the parents feel seeing the new priorities of health care denying their children timely and the very best care?

We are told the numbers of transgender military members will be low; however, at the same time we see transgender enlistments, we also see the number of non-American citizens allowed to enlist has increased. Is this to allow non-citizens (illegals) to receive gender reassignment operations at the Department of Defense’s expense?

Any non-deployable soldier is a problem for the entire unit; each and every service member is a spoke in a wheel, a brick in the solid wall that is military cohesion. Enlisting a person whom you know from the onset will not be deployable for many months is just plain stupid.

Enlisting a person who will need surgery costing up to $50,000 is just plain dumb, very politically correct but industrially strength stupid. We are seeing President Obama and the left wing getting even with and exuberantly punishing the evil and maniacal American military. The Democrat Party’s base voters love and support this, as does Mrs. Clinton. The military members and their families who will suffer from this politically correct but just plain dumb policy don’t think it is such a good idea; however, they are not politically correct, so liberals just don’t give a damn.

Have you driven the roads in Dorr lately?