An accomplished soldier, fired for no reason
Sergeant First Class Kate Cole isn’t an activist. She isn’t a radical. She’s a trans woman, a rock climber, and my friend—and after 17 years of military service, Trump kicked her out.
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On his first day in office, President Trump signed a flurry of executive orders, many of them targeting trans people. Executive Order 14183, “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness,” directs the secretary of defense to ban trans people from serving in the military in any capacity. This order would fire over 15,000 American soldiers, including my friend, Sergeant First Class Kate Cole—despite the fact that the Army is facing its largest recruiting shortfall since the draft was abolished 50 years ago.
Kate and I met online. I was in a bunch of Southern Colorado rock climbing groups, and when I posted a message looking for a partner, she replied. In her picture, I could see a blonde girl on a wall, but I couldn’t see her face, so she told me what her car looked like before we planned to meet up in Cheyenne Canon. I thought Kate had messaged me from a group called “Climbers for Christ,” so I was expecting an evangelical stay-at-home mom.
I walked over to the silver Subaru with the topper and found a six-foot drill sergeant, busty, with long blond hair, copper brown eyes, pearl stud earrings, and tattoos. The bumper sticker on her car said, “Nature doesn’t judge.”
