GUIDANCE FOR TRANSGENDER MILITARY SERVICE, MESSAGE 1:

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NAVADMIN 203/16

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/SEP//

SUBJ/GUIDANCE FOR TRANSGENDER MILITARY SERVICE, MESSAGE 1//

REF/A/MSG/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/051937ZAUG16//
AMPN/REF A IS ALNAV 053/16, SERVICE OF TRANSGENDER SAILORS AND MARINES 
INTERIM GUIDANCE.//

1.  This is the first in a series of communications concerning the open 
military service of transgender personnel.  As noted in reference (a), 
transgender individuals shall be allowed to serve openly in the Department of 
the Navy (DON).

2.  DON policies and procedures related to transgender service and gender 
transition are being developed.  The Navy, in close coordination with the 
office of the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of the Navy, is engaged in 
the development of education and training for all hands.  Commander, U.S. 
Fleet Forces Command (USFF) is designated as the executive agent for training 
delivery and tracking.  Commander, Navy Education and Training Command (NETC) 
is tasked to develop training content in coordination with the Deputy Chief 
of Naval Operations (Manpower, Personnel, Training & Education) (OPNAV N1) 
staff.  Specifics of this tasking will be provided via separate 
correspondence.

3.  Training will be provided to all active and reserve personnel, Navy 
civilians who supervise military personnel, and Department of Defense (DoD) 
contractors, as required by their position and responsibilities.  OMBUDSMAN 
and Fleet Readiness Group Leaders may be invited to participate at the 
commanding officers (CO) discretion.  Training evolutions will include:
    a.  Command Triad Training:  Training for senior leaders and command 
leadership (CO/executive officer (XO)/command master chief (CMC)/chief of the 
boat (COB)) to prepare them to educate and train their commands; and
    b.  All Hands Training:  Includes the active force, reserve force, and 
those civilians listed in paragraph 3.  This training will emphasize policies 
and expectations of personal behavior.

4.  USFF Command will lead delivery of the training to all Navy commands.  
Specific guidance will be released via separate correspondence for training 
attendance and documentation.  Methods of delivery will be:
    a.  Primary:  Face-to-face delivery.  Mobile training teams composed of 
fleet representatives and subject matter experts will deliver the training 
face-to-face to command leadership teams (CO/XO/CMC/COB) and other command-
designated representatives (such as command managed equal opportunity, 
OMBUDSMEN, other deemed necessary by the commander) who, in turn, will 
educate and train their commands.
    b.  Secondary:  Digital versatile discs (DVDs) and facilitation guides 
will be mailed to each unit identification code (UIC) to ensure all commands 
receive the training products, including those that are geographically 
isolated.  The DVDs will include the policy references as well as the DoD 
Handbook and Navy COs Toolkit.
    c.  Webinars:  These sessions will be hosted by mobile training team 
subject matter experts to field questions from command triads to assist them 
in preparing for training delivery.  Multiple webinars will be available to 
those who have questions following mobile training team events and for those 
geographically remote commands that receive the training materials on DVDs.

5.  Completion of training will be documented by unit immediate superior in 
commands (ISICs) and passed up the chain of command. Echelon II commanders 
are responsible to USFF for execution and reporting.  By-name reporting of 
personnel who have completed training is not required.  Units shall report 
training completion to ISICs by their UIC.  USFF will provide additional 
guidance for documentation and reporting.

6.  The success of transitioning to open service of transgender personnel 
requires informed and proactive leadership at every level. We will ensure you 
remain fully informed as we progress through this process.  I am counting on 
each of you to ensure that throughout this implementation period we do what 
we have always done, conduct ourselves with the highest levels of 
professionalism as guided by our Core Values and Navy Ethos.  Leadership, 
professionalism, dignity, and respect are the foundation of successful 
implementation.

7.  Released by Vice Admiral R. P. Burke, N1.//

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