Kristen (ne Christopher) Beck's story is a fascinating one -- although the question of integrating transgender people into the military is rather complicated, and I'm not sure that I can support it even as a gay person who argued for the end of the DADT ban.

First, trans activists themselves have LONG argued in favor of insurance-covered "medical transitioning" with hormones/surgery, on the specific grounds that without the "transition", they tend to be psychologically unstable to the point of having suicidal fixations.

Second, those who have made the "transition" have a continuing need for hormone therapy, which presumably makes them non-deployable in combat.

So, from the military's point of view, the trans-community wants the Defense Department to pay the (very expensive) bill for a "trans" soldier's surgery and hormones -- in order to produce a soldier who can only serve in "rear echelon desk jobs".

However, I think that people like Kristen Beck who have successfully "transitioned" should not be excluded from obtaining security clearances and working as civilian contractors for the military. But that's different from the "full integration of transsexuals" that some LGBT activists began demanding literally the day after Don't Ask Don't Tell was lifted.