US Court of Federal Claims denies DOJ motion in transgender Air Force retirement lawsuit

On July 22, 2026 the United States Court of Federal Claims rejected a Department of Justice motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by 17 transgender members of the Air Force and Space Force. The service members had been granted retirement orders that were later revoked without explanation, threatening the loss of $1‑2 million in lifetime pension benefits and access to TRICARE health coverage.

The plaintiffs, represented by GLAD Law, the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, Stapleton Segal Cochran LLC and the Law Office of Jeremy Spiegel, argue that the forced separations violate their earned benefits. The court’s decision allows the case to proceed, which the plaintiffs described as a “meaningful victory.”