Would You Change Your Name and Gender Marker on Your Military Record?

[Guest]

Please share your votes, thoughts, fears and expectations of changing your post active duty military records. Would you be concerned it could become a witch hunt? Do you think it would hurt or help your VA status or benefits? Just please help me "What If" through this. Thanks. JodyAnn

PS - Not to exclude reserve and active duty members that may want to weigh in here too. Offshore thoughts welcome. JA

[Guest]

Hmm... I'm wondering why my poll doesn't show? Is that so I can't stuff the ballot box? Giggle. I did press the finish button???

[Rylie M]

I fully plan to ill even order a new set of dogtags and if I can come up with the money ill get a new class A uniform all done up not that ive found a excuse at all to wear my male class A's since my honorable now 15 years ago.

[Jani]

I won't bother with my DD214 unless some dramatic systemic change comes about. I've used all my education benefits years ago and got a VA backed loan for my first home. I've looked and medical benefits would be minimal for me and not worth the hassle to apply for. My service was 40 years ago and life has gone onward since. Spending the time and money on updating my birth certificate and other documents seem to be a better effort for me.

Jani

[Briana]

Well Jody Ann, that's kind of tricky. Our military and the VA keeps & has lots of records...LOTS! In theory, there's supposed to be one place in the end. ...Until you have to deal with it administratively. To further complicate things, there's not good communication between the VA and active service. I would say do it if it's the right thing for you, but be prepared to run into lots of bumps and humps. Having dealt with and worked for the VA, I'm never surprised when I hear about "issues". Between missing records, wrong info, corrections never being made, and conflicting record, I was always surprised when we had the right patient with the right records. Sorry for the negative view but it's a huge cumbersome very bureaucratic system that's really not much of a system at all.

[Jennifer T]

No, I don't believe it's anything I'd try to change. What I've done in life as T will stand as accomplished by him.

Peace

[Guest LesleyAnne]

That's a bit of a dilemma for me in that the VA sees me on a regular basis for PTSD, and Transgender care. All of my doctors....PCP, Endocrinology, Psychiatrist, both Psychologists know me and address me as female. So it shows in the system that I am considered female. I have been treated with respect, so no issues so far on that front.

I currently have a VA home loan, and I wonder how it will be affected when I change other documents such as my DL, Social Security, and birth certificate.

How will this affect my federal income taxes.

I kind of feel that if I don't change all of my records it will actually create more confusion, and scrutiny.

My DD214 seems to be asked for, more often than my Drivers License. Such as tax exemptions, on vehicles, and property. My VA disability income is required to show sufficient income whenever I try to make a major purchase.

The only saving grace here is that our S.S. # ties into almost everything. So as far as muddying the water over changing our DD214, and other military records is concerned, we've always got that number to prove that this girl used to be that guy.

Of course I continue to seek advice and help from others.

Changing any legal record has proven to be difficult for me, especially living in Texas where the system here is so anti LGBT. But I will continue since it does tend to keep me busy

Peace and Love,

LesleyAnne

[Charlize]

Lesley Anne i just read on Facebook that Texas has eased it's restrictions on changing birth certificates. It may be well worth looking into. Of course there are many false posts there but please let us know if it's true.

(what a tangled web is woven around us)

Hugs,

Charlize

[Guest JaneShannon]

A name change really shouldn't be that big a deal, for the personnel system. Figure many thousands of female soldiers have changed their last name after getting married. But they do not change the documents prior to marriage. I think if you kept the names pre-name change original and the names post-name change the new name the system would be fine. I have to say I think Jennifer T has a very healthy attitude on this. They are your accomplishments regardless of the name.

Trying to change the past might also trigger other things, like would all the awards and evals have to be updated.

We should all be proud of our service!

[Guest LesleyAnne]

Lesley Anne i just read on Facebook that Texas has eased it's restrictions on changing birth certificates. It may be well worth looking into. Of course there are many false posts there but please let us know if it's true.

(what a tangled web is woven around us)

Hugs,

Charlize

Hi Charlize,

Problem is I was born in New Mexico, and not Texas so the issue in Texas is the DL, S.S. and Passport, plus VA home loan etc. New Mexico is a fairly progressive state, but it is a mess to try and change your birth certificate. I have been working thru 'Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico' http://www.tgrcnm.org, and they have been trying to get the law changed as N.M. which uses a vague definition of gender change requiring a Dr.'s certificate of proof before they will change the gender marker on my BC. They don't seem to want to make a decision on whether my bi-lateral Orchiectomy qualifies.

But the bottom line is.. the cart before the horse being at play in both states. I've also sought help thru 'Gender Integrity' help at the University of Texas Law Center, however I have not heard back from them as of this writing.

Slow process, but I'm still pushing forward.

I see my military service as service as me, just under an assumed name, and gender. I still walked the walk, just under a facade, It was LesleyAnne who flew 154 combat missions, and in looking back it was LesleyAnne who was awarded those medals which by the way are all inscribed with 'Leslie' on the back, and not 'Lesley'...so close enough lol.

And yes, I still felt as "she" when I served. I just buried, and tried to deny those feelings, but as I stated in my Bio "to no avail".

Even dressed in femme I display my silver wings, and miniature medals on my girlie cap.

[Guest audrey michelle]

when it comes time for me to cross that bridge of what to do with my gender marker on my military records i think id personally like to get it changed just for the simple fact that a lot of things such as veteran status on drivers licenses and college benefits for the va require that you render a copy of your dd214 and that would sure be awkward and hard to explain why im trying to use someone elses dd214 in their minds cause i sure dont look like a guy anymore lol.

[Guest LesleyAnne]

when it comes time for me to cross that bridge of what to do with my gender marker on my military records i think id personally like to get it changed just for the simple fact that a lot of things such as veteran status on drivers licenses and college benefits for the va require that you render a copy of your dd214 and that would sure be awkward and hard to explain why im trying to use someone elses dd214 in their minds cause i sure dont look like a guy anymore lol.

I agree Michelle,

Like I mentioned, I get asked to see a copy of my DD214 more than any other document, and that's because any state or federal benefits require proof of military service, and proof of an honorable discharge. I even have to provide it for using the toll roads without an ez tag. And Lesley would have a lota splainen to do. lol

And by the way looking at your avatar, you do Not look like a guy anymore!

[Guest contessa]

I will try to change all I can why not its still me.