The Pentagon will begin covering gender reassignment surgeries for active duty military personnel, according to an article by the Military Times.
"I think it's great," said Kasey Catlett, assistant director of LGBTQ and Health Programs for the Gender + Equality Center.
Catlett said he thinks insurance coverage of hormones and surgeries for transgender individuals will become more common in the future.
"It's great to see representation within our own political realm and with our department of defense covering such surgeries and providing that affirmation and support, not only for trans active duty military personnel, but also as representation for the rest of the United States, as well," Catlett said.
Before this announcement, the Defense Department's stance was that cosmetic surgery for gender reassignment was nonobligatory, and therefore was usually not covered by the military, according to the Times. Now, active duty personnel can receive gender reassignment surgeries at military hospitals.
On June 30, 2016, the Department of Defense changed its policy on transgender military service to allow transgender individuals to serve openly in every branch of the military, according to the Department of Defense's website.
