The military and transgender members

My family spent New Year’s Eve last night with friends. The dad is also a service member. He had neighbors over. During a game of Cards Against Humanity, the topic of discussion came to transgender members receiving a sex change at the military’s (that is, the taxpayer’s) expense. Should the government allow this? Yes? No? Why?

My friend showed me a picture of a Soldier with whom he worked when stationed in Hawaii. The Soldier looked like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, except… at the time of the photo, the Soldier was still anatomically a female. My friend said that she was a good Soldier, but was getting frustrated and making hell over the military not accommodating her sex change.

I think her argument went that the military covers laser eye surgery and other cosmetic, non-therapeutic, elective surgeries. Why not also a sex change?

Around the table, we cared less about the gender identity equality question and more about who should pay the bill for such things.

What question should we ask here? The military exists to win wars or defend its nation. Would paying for sex changes enhance the collective lethality of the military?

Maybe. Effective means both willing and able; whereas efficient refers to output divided by input, and the higher, the more efficient.

Would such an accommodation result in more effective soldiers? And would the degree of effectiveness achieved be worth it compared to other spending?

I don’t have any answers here. Just more questions.