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ATTENTION INVITED TO  
ROUTINE
R 251317Z JAN 13 PSN 653823K27
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC
TO NAVADMIN
ZEN/OU=DOD/OU=NAVY/OU=ADDRESS LISTS(UC)/CN=AL NAVADMIN(UC)
INFO ZEN/CNO WASHINGTON DC
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UNCLAS
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SUBJ: RESCISSION OF THE 1994 DOD DIRECT GROUND COMBAT ASSIGNMENT RULE 
UNCLASSIFIED/ FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// TO NAVADMIN INFO CNO WASHINGTON 
DC//N1// UNCLAS//1300// 
NAVADMIN 015/13

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/JAN//

SUBJ/RESCISSION OF THE 1994 DOD DIRECT GROUND COMBAT ASSIGNMENT RULE//

REF/A/DOC/DOD/24JAN2013//
REF/B/DOC/DOD/9FEB2012//
REF/C/DOC/DOD/13JAN1994//
REF/D/DOC/NAVY/OPNAVINST 1300.17B/
REF/E/DOC/DON/SECNAVINST 1300.12D/
NARR/REF A IS SECDEF MEMO 24 JAN 2013, ELIMINATION OF THE 1994 DIRECT GROUND 
COMBAT DEFINITION AND ASSIGNMENT RULE.  REF B IS SECDEF MEMO 9 FEB 12, 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WOMEN IN THE SERVICES REVIEW POLICIES.  REF C IS SECDEF 
MEMO 13 JAN 1994 DIRECT GROUND COMBAT DEFINITION AND ASSIGNMENT RULE.  REF D 
IS OPNAVINST 1300.17B, ASSIGNMENT OF WOMEN IN THE NAVY.  REF E IS SECNAVINST 
1300.12D, ASSIGNMENT OF WOMEN IN THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY//

RMKS/1.  THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK A RESCISSION OF THE 
POLICY PROHIBITING THE ASSIGNMENT OF WOMEN TO UNITS WHOSE PRIMARY MISSION IS 
TO ENGAGE IN DIRECT GROUND COMBAT.  NAVY HAS LONG BEEN A LEADER IN EXPANDING 
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN AND OUR AIM IS CLEAR:  ENSURE ALL NAVY MEN AND 
WOMEN ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED AND ARE SET UP FOR SUCCESS WITH 
VIABLE CAREER PATHS.  CURRENTLY, 88 PERCENT OF ALL NAVY BILLETS ARE OPEN TO 
WOMEN AND WE RECENTLY OPENED THE NUCLEAR SUBMARINE OFFICER DESIGNATOR.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO MORE.

2.  PER REF A, ALL POSITIONS CURRENTLY CLOSED TO WOMEN WILL BE OPENED NO LATER 
THAN 1 JANUARY 2016, UNLESS GRANTED EXCEPTION BY THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.  
THIS POLICY REVISION IS THE RESULT OF A THOROUGH, DELIBERATE REVIEW CONDUCTED 
BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) AND THE SERVICES OVER SEVERAL YEARS.  IT 
FOLLOWS REF B, ALLOWING WOMEN TO SERVE AT THE BATTALION LEVEL IN USMC GROUND 
COMBAT ELEMENTS (GCE).  NAVY CURRENTLY HAS THREE FEMALE MEDICAL OFFICERS AND 
SIX FEMALE CORPSMEN SERVING IN THESE NEWLY OPENED BILLETS, WITH MORE CORPSMEN 
AND A CHAPLAIN EN ROUTE.

3.  DESPITE GREAT PROGRESS IN THE NAVY, WE HAVE MORE TO DO.  CURRENT 
RESTRICTIONS ON THE ASSIGNMENT OF WOMEN ARE BASED ON REF C, DETAILED IN REF D, 
AND INCLUDE:
A.  WOMEN ARE NOT ASSIGNED TO GROUND COMBAT ELEMENTS BELOW THE BATTALION 
LEVEL.
B.  WHILE WOMEN CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL MISSION EFFECTIVENESS OF NAVAL 
SPECIAL WARFARE, THEY ARE NOT ASSIGNED TO DIRECT OPERATIONAL SPECIAL 
OPERATIONS FORCE BILLETS (I.E. SEAL AND SWCC).
C.  WOMEN ARE NOT ASSIGNED TO THE CREWS OF RIVERINE ASSAULT BOATS, RIVERINE 
PATROL BOATS, OR RIVERINE SECURITY TEAMS WITHIN THE COASTAL RIVERINE FORCE.
D.  ENLISTED WOMEN ARE NOT ASSIGNED TO FRIGATES, MINE COUNTERMEASURE SHIPS, 
PATROL COASTAL CRAFT, AND SUBMARINES.

4.  AS NAVY MOVES FORWARD IMPLEMENTING DOD'S REVISED POLICY, WE WILL CONTINUE 
TO OPEN BILLETS AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE, INCLUDING:
A.  CONTINUE TO ASSIGN WOMEN TO THE USMC GCE AS POSITIONS OPEN AND GENDER-
NEUTRAL OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS, BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL, ARE VALIDATED.
B.  UPON REQUIRED CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION, ASSIGN WOMEN TO USMC AIR AND 
NAVAL GUNFIRE LIAISON COMPANY (ANGLICO) BILLETS.
C.  CONTINUE TO ASSIGN WOMEN TO NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE IN COMBAT SERVICE 
SUPPORT AND COMBAT SUPPORT.
D.  WORK WITH NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE COMMAND AND U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS 
COMMAND IN A DELIBERATE, MEASURED AND RESPONSIBLE WAY TO ASSIGN WOMEN TO 
CURRENTLY CLOSED BILLETS AS PHYSICAL STANDARDS AND OPERATIONAL ASSESSMENTS ARE 
COMPLETED.
E.  ASSIGN WOMEN TO THE CREWS OF RIVERINE ASSAULT BOATS, RIVERINE PATROL 
BOATS, AND RIVERINE SECURITY TEAMS.
F.  CONTINUE TO EVALUATE BERTHING, PRIVACY AND SENIOR FEMALE LEADERSHIP 
CONCERNS WITH RESPECT TO ASSIGNING ENLISTED WOMEN TO FRIGATES, MINE 
COUNTERMEASURE SHIPS, PATROL COASTAL CRAFT, AND SUBMARINES AND INCREASE 
ASSIGNMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN OFFICERS ON SUBMARINES.

5.  NAVY WILL DEVELOP AND FORWARD TO THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE A DETAILED PLAN 
TO COMPLY WITH REF A.  REFS D AND E WILL BE UPDATED ACCORDINGLY AND FURTHER 
NAVADMINS WILL BE PUBLISHED AS CHANGES OCCUR.

6.  THE NAVY IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING EVERY SAILOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE 
AND EXCEL, WHILE SUSTAINING UNIT EFFECTIVENESS, READINESS AND COHESION.  AS 
MORE POSITIONS ARE OPENED TO ALL OUR SERVICE MEMBERS, WE WILL BE A BETTER, 
MORE READY, MORE COMBAT EFFECTIVE NAVY.

7.  POINT OF CONTACT IS LT MAURA BETTS, OPNAV N134W, AT (703) 604-5070 OR VIA 
E-MAIL AT maura.betts@navy.mil.

8.  RELEASED BY VICE ADMIRAL S. R. VAN BUSKIRK, N1.//

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