Did you even bother to fully read your link? I'm guessing not, because you missed this......................
Transgender candidates previously had to serve in their biological sex and prove they have been mentally and physically stable for 36 months before enlisting or commissioning in the Army. Under the new policy, new recruits can serve in their self-identified gender and only have to demonstrate 18 prior months of stability. That timeline can also be waived in certain circumstances, according to the new policy.
They had to be living as whatever they claimed to be for at least 36 months (3 years) or now, according to the new policy at least 18 months (1 1/2 years). In other words, before a transgender woman could enlist as a male, she had to be living as a male for 3 years prior to being allowed to go to boot camp, and had to have documentation from a doctor that she'd undergone hormone therapy for at least 3 years, as well as being screened to prove she'd been a "male" for 3 years PRIOR TO ENLISTMENT. Now, apparently, the timeframe has been shortened to 18 months, but they STILL have to be living as, and undergoing treatment for at least 18 months PRIOR TO ENLISTMENT. No, there aren't people who are enlisting in the military, suddenly deciding that they want to be another gender, and looking for the military to pay for it. I worked in recruiting for my last tour in the Navy as Head Classifier/LPO of Amarillo MEPS, and when that policy came around, it was very specific about being the gender they had decided on for at least 3 years prior to enlisting. The requirements were so stringent, that over my tour at Amarillo MEPS, no transgenders enlisted, because the requirements were very strict and hard to meet.