The 28-year-old is now married to a Muslim man she met on an online dating site, but he did not know she was once a man when they wed.
 She now wears a full veil outside her Swindon home to show the world she is married.
 The former labourer said 'she used to love firing guns' and claims she drank regularly with the other squaddies as a TA private, but Lucy knew at 14 she wanted to become a woman.
 'I tried to do macho things you know to stop how I was thinking, but it didn't work because I was trying to be someone I wasn't,' she said.
 "I tried to do macho things you know to stop how I was thinking, but it didn't work because I was trying to be someone I wasn't"
 She converted to Islam last September, explaining that she had thought about it for a while and finally "did it because it is a nice religion - so peaceful." Vallender continued, "I felt good and I had something to believe in."
 She's found love as well as self-acceptance since her drastic life changes, and is now married to a Muslim man, Murad, whom she met on an online dating site. Though he did not know that she was trans at the time of their wedding, she commented, "he must have suspected it as he's seen my scars." She's only seen him twice since the wedding, but spoke warmly about him, commenting, "I love him, he's kind and soft spoken."
 After quitting the TA the 28-year-old started dressing as a woman and had relationships with men.
 She also grew her hair and had hormone therapy before her life-changing operation.
 Lucy moved from her family home in Cirencester and plucked up the courage to see her doctor in about becoming a woman.
 Ms Vallender said she has now been banned from her local mosque after she refused to pray in a room with the men, segregated from other women.
 She now hopes to "get justice" for transgender and Muslim people.
 A spokesman for Swindon Mosque said everyone was welcome, as long as they act according to Islamic code.
 Voice of Russia, ninemsn, Daily Mail, Huffington Post