On Wednesday, Navy Secretary Ray Maybus signed directive that tightened restrictions pertaining to transgender military members in the Navy and Marine Corps.

“Effective immediately, separations initiated under the provisions of the reference for service members with a diagnosis or history of gender dysphoria, who identify themselves as transgender, or who have taken steps to externalize the condition, must be forwarded to the assistant secretary of the Navy (manpower and reserve affairs) for decision.”

In the past, a unit commander could discharge a transgender sailor or Marine almost immediately after discovering their identity. With this new policy, the decision to discharge a transgender service member can only be made with their gender identity directly interferes with military duties and job performance.

Similar policies have already been adopted by the Army and Air Force.

An estimated 15,000 people serving in the U.S. military identify as transgender. They are technically forbidden from opening serving in the military, but the White House and the Pentagon have relaxed the ban in recent years.