After waging a hunger strike to get the Army to pay gender reassignment surgery, Bradley Manning, self-identified as Chelsea, will lose all taxpayer funding for his treatment for his gender dysphoria once released from prison.
Manning was originally scheduled for release in 2045 after being convicted of stealing and releasing classified US military documents in 2010, but President Obama’s executive actions to commute the leaker’s sentence will allow Manning to taste the fruit of freedom this May.
There’s one caveat though. Manning will be discharged with a dishonorable discharge as per the terms of his original conviction. While Obama has the power to commute Manning’s sentence, he doesn’t have the power to discharge the Army traitor honorably.
That means that not only will Manning lose all taxpayer-funded benefits for his prospective gender reassignment surgery, but once released from prison, he will not be permitted to access services provided by the Department of Veteran Affairs.
“If Pvt. Manning is discharged with a dishonorable discharge, she will lose her entitlement to benefits, including gender-transition care at medical treatment facilities,” Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith told USA Today.
Manning could technically appeal his discharge determination, according to Smith, but that’s a long shot.
“If Pvt. Manning is discharged with a dishonorable discharge, she will lose her entitlement to benefits, including gender-transition care at medical treatment facilities.”
Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith
The Army traitor has been receiving treatment for his gender dysphoria, fully paid for by taxpayer dollars, for a number of months now.
“Manning, born Bradley Manning, was also a candidate for gender-reassignment surgery, it added, which would have been paid for under the Pentagon’s new policy for transgender troops,” reports The Hill.
After May, Manning will have to use his own funds to be surgically castrated.