Vicky Hartzler: “Let me tell you about a sharp, young patriot from my district. She worked hard, earned straight A's, and was accepted…”

“Let me tell you about a sharp, young patriot from my district. She worked hard, earned straight A's, and was accepted into law school to join the JAG Corps. She, however, was denied entry into the military because she had bunions on her feet. She is an amazing woman and a long-distance runner, but DOD's policy was clear that, due to the risk of future surgery, she could potentially be temporarily undeployable and, so, was denied entrance into military service. She did not meet the physical-mental-medical standards. Another constituent was denied service because he had asthma. He, too, wanted to serve his country, but the health risk outweighed the benefits to the military. He did not meet the physical-mental-medical standards. DOD's military exception standards state: Individuals must be free of medical conditions or physical defects that may require excessive time lost from duty for necessary treatment or hospitalization. Our all-volunteer military is the greatest military force in the world, and we must allow it--we must allow it--to make the best medical and military judgment about what medical conditions should qualify or disqualify an individual from serving. We should not carve out exceptions for an entire population. Military service is a privilege, not a right. That is why Secretary Mattis reviewed and issued a new policy on transgender service and the medical condition of gender dysphoria.…”