Manning to Undergo Gender Treatment

The Department of Defense will try to transfer convicted national-security leaker Pvt. Chelsea Manning to a civilian prison in response to her request for hormone therapy to be able to live as a female. The request was a first for the Pentagon, as transgender individuals are not allowed to serve in the military, and the Pentagon does not provide for treatment, but Manning is not allowed legally to be discharged while serving her 35-year sentence. With officials believing keeping her in a military prison and preventing her from receiving treatment could be considered a cruel and unusual punishment, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel approved a transfer plan with the Federal Bureau of Prisons last month. Manning, formerly named Bradley, was convicted of sending classified documents to WikiLeaks.