Hey there, Richard! Thanks for reading and thank you for your service. I appreciate the question. Coming from several service members themselves, the Coast Guard’s response to President Trump’s declaration to transgender members matters because it illustrates the Coast Guard’s dedication to its people as the country wrestles with a newer, more progressive understanding of professional culture.

I also wanted to flag that, as I mentioned in the article, the Coast Guard was paid in Dec thanks to a legal loophole. However, the Coast Guard did not receive its most recent paycheck. The Pay Our Coast Guard Act has bipartisan agreement, but that doesn’t mean much if it isn’t passed soon.

I encourage you to read this statement by Commandant Karl Schultz for the most up-to-date information: http://fortune.com/2019/01/15/coast-guard-commandant-government-shutdown/