Pentagon Plans to End Transgender Ban

The Pentagon announced Monday it plans to end the ban on tansgender individuals serving in the U.S. military. Defense Secretary Ash Carter requested his undersecretary set up a panel of military and civilian leaders to examine what effects lifting the ban would have. "At my direction, the working group will start with the presumption that transgender persons can serve openly without adverse impact on military effectiveness and readiness, unless and except where objective, practical impediments are identified," Carter said in a statement.