The U.S. military will consider allowing transgender individuals to join, and there will be a six-month study into the issue.
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter ordered the review Monday, saying the "Defense Department's current regulations regarding transgender service members are outdated and are causing uncertainty that distracts commanders from our core missions."
Carter said he is creating a working group to review current policies banning transgender individuals. However, he said the group will begin the process with "the presumption that transgender persons can serve openly without adverse impact on military effectiveness and readiness..."
In 2011, the U.S. military formally ended its "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that allowed gays to serve only if they did not reveal their sexual orientation.