Gay rights group in the United States urged the military to lift its ban on transgender service members following newly appointed Defense Secretary Ashton Carter's remarks that gender should not stop anyone from serving the country openly.

Carter, in a town hall event with troops in Afghanistan, replied to concerns raised by Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, a doctor, who said that transgender soldiers serve in an "austere environment" like the one in Kandahar.

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Carter said anybody suitable and capable to serve the military should be allowed to do so.  

Carter, who had barely warmed his seat, has not thoroughly studied the military's policy. 

But he says being open to anyone, regardless of a person's gender preference, will create an attractive environment within the service that will appeal to the best people in the country.

"And I'm very open-minded about... what their personal lives and proclivities are, provided they can do what we need them to do for us. That's the important criteria. Are they going to be excellent service members?" Carter said.

Carter's comments boosted the morale within the gay community, as hopes to lift the ban on transgender people were renewed. 

The ban remained despite the lifting of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy on openly gay troops in 2011.

There are more than 15,000 transgender men and women serving the military, according to Williams Institute, a think tank that studies gay communities. 

The lifting of the ban will allow these transgender people to work openly and honestly. 

The American Military Partner Association (AMPA), a nonprofit support group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families, praised Carter's remarks but urged him to go a step further.

The AMPA wants a review of the current military policy that prevents the thousands of transgender service members currently in uniform from coming out.

"Thousands of transgender service members are currently doing the job, and doing it well, but are forced to do so in silence - forced to lie about something as fundamental as who they are in order to continue to serve." AMPA President Ashley Broadway-Mack said in a statement.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said President Obama agrees with Carter's stand on transgender rights, but refused to give further details.

A spokesman for the Pentagon said, the review on the military's health policy including policies on transgender people has begun and is expected to be completed in a year.

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