One of the military’s highest ranking transgender officials is speaking out after being placed on administrative leave as part of the Trump administration’s ban on trans troops.
Colonel Bree Fram, who came out as transgender in 2016 when the initial ban on trans troops was lifted, was an astronautical engineer in the US Space Force and was the Pentagon‘s division chief for requirements integration.
She posted to Instagram Friday saying ‘I have been officially placed on administrative leave, effective tomorrow, pending separation’ after the Supreme Court ruled the ban could go ahead.
Fram – whose profile picture on the social media app is an LGBT rainbow version of the Space Force logo – defiantly spoke of sobbing as she pinned medals on three of ‘my folks’ in her last official act in service.
‘The last salute broke my heart in two and the tears flowed freely even as I have so much to be thankful for and so many amazing memories.’
Fram detailed the day she came out in 2016, telling a story of how her teammates responded to the announcement by shaking her hand and, one by one, saying: ‘It’s an honor to serve with you.’
She also spoke about a similar experience last week, when she announced at a joint staff meeting that she was leaving and that she no longer met ‘the current standard for military excellence and readiness.’
‘A room full of senior leaders, admirals and generals, walked over to me and the scene from 2016 repeated. They offered those same words, now tinged with the sadness of past tense: ‘It’s been an honor to serve with you’,’ she said.
Hellbound and Down 