U.S. Army Pvt. Chelsea Manning is scheduled to be released from the Fort Leavenworth, Kan., military prison on May 17, and will continue her transition to transgender as an active duty Army private, a U.S. Army spokesman said. File Photo by U.S. Army/UPI

May 15 (UPI) -- Pvt. Chelsea Manning will be an unpaid, active duty soldier after her release from prison, scheduled for May 17, the U.S. Army announced.

Manning, 29, received a 35-year prison sentence after a court-martial for her involvement in providing diplomatic cables and other classified information to WikiLeaks. Her sentence was commuted by President Barack Obama in the final days of his administration.


Born Bradley Manning, she changed her name, identified as a woman, began hormone therapy while in the Fort Leavenworth, Kan., military prison to transition to a woman. Her lawyer, Nancy Hollander, told the BBC she is "very pleased" that Manning can complete her transition outside of prison.

While she appeals her court-martial, Manning will remain an active duty Army private, eligible for healthcare and access to commissaries and military exchanges, Army spokesman Dave Foster said. It is unclear to which Army post she will report.

A statement by Manning, released May 9 by the American Civil Liberties Union, said, "For the first time, I can see a future for myself as Chelsea. I can imagine surviving and living as the person who I am and can finally be in the outside world."