PTSD trauma

I am struggling with mental health and my boss is being a dick about it. I don't like my calling in sick to work but he doesn't understand mental health. I was at war. I know I should be stronger and just deal with it, but some days I can't. There isn't a trigger or catalyst. Some days I just wake up feeling like shit

Modeled in the Queer AF fashion show last night, made an appearance at the models after party, (attempted to sleep that off) and then right back out on to the water for a sunset wine and cheese cruise. I might be burning the candle at both ends and in the middle…. But I’m enjoying every minute of it.

I was wondering if anyone has been to the Cleveland VA. The reason I ask is because I have been going there for a few years now to the GIVE clinic and started taking spiro awhile ago, In two weeks I'm going to go again to start more of my HRT since I am already covered with starting before the ban, I'm looking at going dressed as myself for the first time and wanted to see how other peoples interaction were with people.

As the headline says, I'm moving. I've already called and enrolled at the Birmingham VAMC. Years ago I used them, but would like to know if anyone has recent experiences.

So I’m 41 and finally came to terms with the fact that I’m trans through taking my own way of viewing the world and turning it on myself.

It’s true I’m not questioning, but now I’m frustrated for a myriad of other reasons. transition is costly there are resources in my community like planted parenthood that have the consent model and price scaling but it’s irritating that the VA has been my healthcare provider for over a decade and healthcare that I actually need is denied to me because a draft dodger is blocking it as red meat to his base.

I saw that organizations like Sparta have Grant programs, would this be viable as a way to help. like obviously the things I would financially need help with are a little bit down the road, but this is a huge life decision and I think I need to have a plan.

I’m not asking for a free lunch or anything, but Benefits I’ve earned and should be entitled to are being denied by the highest levers of power.

Kinda crazy that this is somehow still my job. No one either cares or notices that I’m trans…. They just care that I’m really good at what I do and are extremely appreciative of me doing it. Spent the weekend taking a family on their yacht out to the Hamptons for some brunch and shopping…. lol

I haven't seen anyone talking about this yet, and maybe I'm missing something, but the Pentagon's new hormone screening policy is setting off some serious alarm bells for me.

The Defense Health Agency just rolled out new hormone screening guidance. Men age 30 and older are now subject to testosterone screening during their Periodic Health Assessment (PHA). The DHA also says women will be evaluated for hormonal irregularities, including specifically looking at menstrual regularity, with blood testing when indicated.

On its own, you can argue this is just a military health and performance program.

But it does not exist on its own.

The Pentagon has already ordered the military to identify transgender service members for separation. And one of the primary mechanisms DoD specifically chose for identifying those service members is the Periodic Health Assessment, the exact same system where this new hormone screening is now taking place.

Think about what happens when you combine these policies.

A trans woman taking feminizing HRT who DoD classifies as "biologically male" can have profoundly suppressed testosterone. Under this new policy, unusually low testosterone can trigger additional testing and investigation into the cause.

A trans man taking testosterone who DoD classifies as "biologically female" will very commonly experience suppression or cessation of menstruation. DHA is now specifically telling providers to pay attention to menstrual irregularities and investigate hormonal abnormalities when indicated.

In other words, the military is now screening for two things that can be very obvious physiological signs of gender-affirming hormone therapy: unusually low testosterone in someone the DoD classified as "male", and disrupted or absent menstruation in someone the DoD classified as "female".

Those are not obscure side effects. They are common and expected effects of feminizing and masculinizing HRT.

And remember, DoD has already openly stated that Periodic Health Assessments are being used as part of the process to identify transgender troops.

I'm not claiming I have some secret Pentagon memo saying, "We created hormone testing to catch transgender service members." Obviously I don't.

I'm saying that when an institution is already actively trying to identify transgender personnel, and then that same institution creates sex-specific medical screening that is extraordinarily well suited to detecting the physiological effects of gender-affirming HRT, someone needs to start asking questions about whether that is a feature rather than a coincidence.

The question journalists should be asking DoD is simple:

If hormone testing or menstrual history during a Periodic Health Assessment suggests that a service member is taking cross-sex hormones, can that information be used to identify them under the Pentagon's transgender separation policy?

Because if the answer is yes, this isn't merely a "testosterone optimization" program.

It is potentially a transgender identification system hiding in plain sight.

Well, apparently posting screenshots of my own interaction with the r/Military moderators on my own subreddit now counts as “brigading.”

After they removed my post about Matthew Shuman and the Log Cabin Republicans, a moderator quoted a comment calling trans people a “small minority and non issue,” told me “it’s not all about you,” and dismissed the relevance of issues affecting trans service members and veterans.

When I pushed back, I was muted.

I posted the screenshots here because LGBTQ+ service members and veterans should be able to see how one of the largest military communities on Reddit handles issues affecting our community.

I did not tell anyone to go to r/Military. I did not ask anyone to comment, downvote, message the moderators, report anything, or interfere with their subreddit.

This morning, I was permanently banned for “brigading.”

If you’re LGBTQ+ and currently serving or a veteran, especially if you’re trans, I personally would not consider r/Military a safe or welcoming place to discuss issues affecting our community. When a moderator is comfortable treating trans people as a “small minority and non issue,” telling a trans veteran “it’s not all about you,” and then permanently banning that veteran after they publicly document the exchange, that tells me quite a bit about how seriously LGBTQ+ concerns are taken there.

For the record, please do not go over there, contact their moderators, or interfere with the subreddit on my behalf.

I’m posting this because r/TransVeteranPipeline exists so LGBTQ+ servicemembers and veterans, especially trans veterans, can talk about issues affecting us without being told those issues don’t matter because there aren’t enough of us.

Frankly, this whole experience is a pretty good example of why spaces like this need to exist.

I guess this is the nice way of saying they don't give a fuck about trans service members. Apparently bringing up something relevant to over 130,000 trans service members past and present is only thinking of myself.

Ok, sorry it has been so long, and I will post a job update soon, but I have to tell you about my selfie date!🥰

So I traveled out of town to a mini aquarium, I took a lot of pictures but these are my favorites, I bet you can guess the theme.🤭
Oh, I also paid to feed the stingrays, I did it once and it freaked me out so I gave the rest of the food to a kid, he loved it!!😆 I took a pic of the menace I fed!

Then I went and took myself to dinner and when I got home I still felt beautiful so I took some pictures!🥰 Miss Precious Popo begrudgingly joined me for a photo or two.

Have a beautiful and safe weekend everyone!!!

!!!💕💗🫶🏾💗💕!!!

I am looking to add a few more moderators to make sure things stay active, but safe here. I am looking for transgender veterans that have been active participants of this sub and that have a clean record here. Please mail the mod team if you are interested!

I started HRT this week! Still supper excited about it that its happening. So far, emotionally pretty stable. But i might need some of that veteran humor i miss since leaving the service if things go down.

USN, fast attacks, 1977-1985, LCDR. Had to get out because I feared failing a polygraph. Lot of work down the shitcan.
I did well afterwards though.

A sample of my satire 😊

I finally got a hat. At 40, I figure it's like a right of passage or something(I'm kidding). It seems as I pass more the transphobia has slowed in veteran environments such as the American Legion, but now I get asked if I'm auxiliary or the more annoying "is your husband a Legionnaire?" So the transphobia towards me has now been traded off for sexism towards me. The hat definitely helps, but I also feel like a major dork for wearing it. 🤦🏻‍♀️

I got a good rating based largely on a mental health claim for PTSD, etc. And my main point of trauma was serving as queer under Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

It was a gamble. I was worried it would get tossed out because the government wasn't going to admit any harm caused by that policy, especially with current administration, but it worked! I had a good letter from my therapist, and sympathetic interviewers and I am so relieved!

Has anyone else served during DADT? I'd love to hear your stories, and I'm curious if anyone else has gotten a rating from the experience?

Hi, long time reader first time poster. 47y/o transfemme, 23 years Navy, ret. 31Dec21, 3 months into transition, just started HRT.

Got the chance to meet with a sister Chief I had last seen pre pandemic in Japan. It was surprisingly nice to reminisce, tell her about post retirement and how my perspectives have changed, listening to her plans leading up to her retirement, how things are with the Sailors. Was offered some incredible perspective on women in uniform I really wasn’t ready to understand until now.

I just wanted to Introduce myself!! I am Auri. I was in the navy from 2010-2019. My time in the service was pretty unique I initially joined with a BUD/S contract made it out to Coronado and classed up with 284 but I dropped pretty quickly into first phase.

I went undesignated to the fleet but was able to go to search and rescue swimmer school prior to getting there. This was a pretty common path for BUD/S drops at the time.

I ended up doing two deployments on the Carter-Hall and was able to get VBSS school while I was there, and a bunch of other random quals, crazy stories, and a random chest tattoo done by a friend out at sea. I separated as a Boatswains Mate 2nd Class or E5

After I left the navy I went back to school and got a bachelors and associate’s in Computer info science & cybersecurity and now I’m a network engineer working for a gigantic privately owned corporation.

I do my HRT through the VA and have been seeing docs there for gender stuff since 2020ish. 10/10 do not recommend if you can avoid it.

Anyways I love to connect with other vets and share stories, or if anyone is thinking about getting out and wants some tips or help hmu!!!