My DADT story as a closeted transgender woman

[Shana A]

My DADT story as a closeted transgender woman
by Autumn Sandeen
Published Thursday, 30-Sep-2010 in issue 1188

http://www.gaylesbiantimes.com/?id=17445

Back in the summer of 1980, I joined the US Navy. The country was in the midst of a nationwide recession and I lied about my personal history of teen cross-dressing.
I signed up for the Advanced Electronics Program, and once in the Navy, I was assigned to the Fire Control Technician (Missiles) rating. The rating title later reverted back to the historic name "Fire Controlman," so my rating title changed to Fire Controlman in 1984. I first trained to work on the Mark 92 Gun and Missile Fire Control System, which were only on Guided Missile Fast Frigates (FFGs) and hydrofoils. In my career, I was assigned to two FFGs as a Mark 92 technician. Later in my career, I retrained as a Mark 15 Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) technician and then served on one more FFG. That last FFG was the USS Gary (FFG-51). My service on the USS Gary qualifies me as a Persian Gulf War veteran.