Jet pilot hero considers returning to the Air Force Reserve

by philg

A friend used to be a military hero flying an exotic airplane for the U.S. Air Force. Due to the airline industry boom, a lot of pilots retired during the past few years, but now the Air Force hopes to get some back, at least part time, for the Reserve. A recruiter called. Here were the first three questions:

  1. What was your sex at birth?
  2. What pronouns do you use now?
  3. Have you tested positive for Covid-19?

7 thoughts on “Jet pilot hero considers returning to the Air Force Reserve”

  1. They have to ask the first two questions. Here’s the explanation of the military’s policy, post-2018: You can still serve in the military if you’re transgender, but you have to meet the physical requirements for your biological sex, not your preferred gender identity. The military doesn’t want people who have been diagnosed (or will be diagnosed) with Gender Dysphoria (a medical diagnosis) signing up so that they can have the conversion/therapy done on the military’s dime.

    https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/1783822/5-things-to-know-about-dods-new-policy-on-military-service-by-transgender-perso/

    It’s a big thing. People are very upset.

    “According to 2014 estimates from the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law and Public Policy, despite the ban on military service, about 21.4% of the total transgender population in the US is estimated to have served in the military.[22] According to the 2014 study, “The American military employs more transgender people than any other organisation in the world: around 15,500…more than 6,000 of whom are on active duty.”[167]”

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transgender_personnel_in_the_United_States_military

    Then you get into intersex (“hermaphrodite”) folks and it gets even more interesting. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersex_people_and_military_service_in_the_United_States

    Applying to serve in the military with a history of COVID-19 is permanently disqualifying.

    https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/coronavirus/article242565406.html

  2. Applying to serve in the military with a history of HOSPITALIZATION for COVID
    COVID-19 is permanently disqualifying.
    The article is inaccurate.
    The point is that hospitalization for Covid suggests a possibility of lung damage.
    The overwhelming majority of people who have Covid are completely asymptomatic, and most others just have fever, flu symptoms. If you are hospitalized, that puts you in a different category.

    • @JGO: You’re right. They altered the policy after that initial memo leaked. I was wondering myself how they thought such a sweeping disqualification made sense.

    • The military probably thought we’d have a Chinese-level response instead of an American-level response and didn’t expect the virus to eventually sweep through the entire population like it clearly will now. This and obesity are two big reasons China doesn’t have to reject as many military applicants for health reasons as the US.

      (COVID-19 definitely causes long-term problems for some fraction of the people who get it, but I’m not sure how common it is, or if it’s even known how common it is, in people young enough to join the military).

  4. What’s so great about being a hero, Phil? From what i hear everyone who goes to work now a days is a hero.

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