Katherine Lowrie is an 18-year-old Owensboro native with dreams of enlisting in the U.S. Army.

“It just kind of breaks my heart that neither I or anybody else like me can join because of this ban,” says Katherine Lowrie, Army hopeful.

Lowrie is openly transgender and was part of the ROTC through high school.

“I looked into the army. I thought it would be a great opportunity to advance my career and I actually wanted to go into the Army as either EOD or infantry,” says Lowrie.

She says her dream of joining the military runs in her family.

“My grandfather was telling me about whenever he was in the Navy and I was just like it sounded amazing,” says Lowrie.

On Tuesday, the United States Supreme Court granted the Trump Administration’s request to ban people who identify as transgender from serving in the military.

The High Court ruled five to four allowing the plan to take effect with the court’s five conservatives approving the president’s proposal while the remaining four saying they would not impose a ban on transgender military members.

A decision directly affecting people like Lowrie.

“Then I went back the second time and they said I can’t join because there was a new ban in place they just can’t accept people like me,” says Lowrie.

April Barnett, United States Marine Corps Veteran, is also transgender and says if someone is able to serve and wants to that’s what should matter.

“If someone wants to serve the country, their country, my country, your country, if they can do it there shouldn’t be any problems,” says April Barnett, USMC Veteran and Tri-State Alliance Transgender Support Group Chair.

Until a few years ago, service members could be discharged from the military for being transgender, but that all changed under President Obama. In 2016, the military announced transgender people already serving in the military could continue to openly serve.

“I really don’t understand why they want to do what they’re doing. I grew up in an era where I don’t really, and maybe it was going on at that time, but it wasn’t something that I was aware of so this is all new to me,” Bob Reinhart, VFW Post 2714 Commander and Air Force Veteran.

Lowrie says otherwise.

“If you’re willing to serve your country you should be able to serve your country no matter if you’re gay, straight, transgender, whatever,” says Lowrie.

In response to the Supreme Court’s decision, Lowrie says she’s currently looking into a new career in a surgical tech program.

Right now members of the transgender community say they’re overwhelmed with uncertainty asking ‘What happens next?’