Brad Rogers Carson, acting as an expert for Plaintiffs in this Maryland District Court case, served as the Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness from April 2015 to April 2016. He holds a law degree from the University of Oklahoma, practiced law, served as a White House Fellow, and was a U.S. Representative for Oklahoma's 2nd District. Carson also has military service as a Navy Reserve officer, including deployment to Iraq where he earned the Bronze Star Medal. Prior to his current role, Carson was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as General Counsel to the U.S. Army (2011–2014) and later appointed Under Secretary of the Army (2014–2015). In July 2015, then-Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter directed Carson to convene a Working Group of military and civilian experts to develop DoD policy on transgender service members. The Working Group commissioned RAND to assess healthcare needs and readiness impacts. RAND's 2016 report concluded that necessary psychotherapeutic and pharmacological care for transgender individuals with gender dysphoria is available within the military health system, and surgical procedures similar to those for gender transition are already performed for other clinical indications. The report emphasized that transgender status alone does not constitute a medical condition requiring treatment, and individualized care plans are essential. Carson states he personally approved transgender service members' discharges or reenlistments only after this policy framework was established.
