ALCOAST 257/25 - JUN 2025 IMPLEMENTING POLICY ON PRIORITIZING MILITARY EXCELLENCE AND READINESS: INITIAL DIRECTION AND VOLUNTARY SEPARATION PROCEDURES FOR TRANSGENDER MILITARY PERSONNEL

R 052040Z JUN 25 MID120001987412U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 257/25
SSIC 1000
SUBJ: IMPLEMENTING POLICY ON PRIORITIZING MILITARY EXCELLENCE AND
READINESS: INITIAL DIRECTION AND VOLUNTARY SEPARATION PROCEDURES FOR
TRANSGENDER MILITARY PERSONNEL
A. Executive Order 14183 of January 27, 2025: Prioritizing Military
Excellence and Readiness
B. Executive Order 14168 of January 20, 2025: Defending Women from
Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the
Federal Government
C. Secretary of Defense Memo of 7 February 2025
D. Secretary of Defense Memo of 8 May 2025
E. Under Secretary of Defense Memo of 26 February 2025
F. Under Secretary of Defense Memo of 21 March 2025
G. Under Secretary of Defense Memo of 15 May 2025
H. Military Transgender Service, COMDTINST 1000.13B
I. Military Separations, COMDTINST 1000.4C
J. Transition Assistance Program (TAP) for Military Personnel,
DoDI 1332.35
1. Executive Order 14183 directs the Department of Defense (DoD)
to develop and implement policies regarding the separation of
transgender military personnel. As outlined in the Executive Order,
the Coast Guard will align with DoD policy and publish guidance to
define specific procedures and requirements for Coast Guard
personnel 30 days after DoD publishes their policy. This ALCOAST
promulgates Coast Guard policy for transgender military personnel.
2. The military services only recognize two sexes: male and female.
Service members will only serve in accordance with their sex,
defined in REF (B) as an individual's immutable biological
classification as either male or female.
3. Effective immediately, all Service members, including cadets,
recruits, and officer candidates enrolled in Coast Guard officer or
enlisted accession programs, who have a current diagnosis, history
of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria are not
eligible for military service and will be processed for separation.
4. Applicants for military service and those in delayed entry
training or programs who have a current diagnosis by a qualified
medical professional, history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent
with gender dysphoria are disqualified for military service and will
not be accessed.
5. REF (H) is hereby cancelled. Effective immediately, all Service
members must adhere to standards in accordance with their biological
sex. Members who are unable or unwilling to serve in their
biological sex should be placed on administrative absence in
accordance with paragraph 11.
    a. All prior exceptions to policy (ETP) that were approved
pursuant to REF (H) are revoked.
    b. If a command believes a specific ETP is required based on an
extraordinary medical or operational necessity, an ETP request may
be submitted through COMDT (CG-1M1) for consideration by the Vice
Commandant. ETP requests should be sent to the Office of Military
Personnel Policy COMDT (CG-1M1) at: HQSPolicyandStandards@uscg.mil.
    c. All personnel impacted by this policy will be afforded dignity
and respect.
6. Only appropriately credentialed medical providers (e.g., licensed
psychiatrist, psychologist, or behavioral health professional) may
document, assess, or diagnosis gender dysphoria, a history of, or
symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria. Cross-sex hormone therapy
for Service members who have a current diagnosis or history of, or
exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria who began prior
to the date of this ALCOAST may, if recommended by a military health
care provider in order to prevent further complications, be
continued until separation is complete.
7. Consistent with REFs (C)-(G), the Coast Guard is implementing
REF (A) through a two-phased process. In the first phase, Service
members have a 30-day period to elect voluntary separation or
retirement, if eligible. On conclusion of the self-identification
and voluntary separation 30-day eligibility window, the Coast Guard
will initiate the second phase to involuntarily separate Service
members. Further guidance for the involuntary separation phase will
be announced separately.
8. Voluntary Separation. Effective immediately, active duty and
reserve Service members who have a current diagnosis, history of, or
exhibit symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria may elect to
self-identify and request voluntary separation, or retirement, if
eligible.
    a. The deadline for voluntary separation or retirement requests
is 05 July 2025.
    b. No Service member will be directed to self-identify as
having a diagnosis, history of, or symptoms consistent with
gender dysphoria. Similarly, no Service member will be directed to
request voluntary separation or retirement under this policy.
    c. Characterization of service will be honorable except where the
Service member's record otherwise warrants a lower characterization.
    d. Retirement eligible Service members may request voluntary
retirement during the voluntary separation phase. Active duty
Service members with more than 18 but less than 20 years of total
active duty service may be eligible for early retirement under the
Temporary Early Retirement Authority (TERA). TERA is not available
to members of the Reserve Component.
    e. Active duty Service members may be eligible for voluntary
separation pay in accordance with 10 U.S.C. Section 1175a.
Service members eligible for voluntary separation pay will be paid
at a rate that is twice the amount of involuntary separation pay
pursuant to 10 U.S.C. Section 1174. Voluntary separation pay is not
payable to Service members with less than 6 years of service or
those immediately eligible for retired pay upon separation.
Voluntary separation pay is not payable to members of the Reserve
Component. No Service member receiving voluntary separation pay in
accordance with 10 U.S.C. Section 1175a and this policy, will be
required to serve in the Reserve Component.
    f. Active duty Service members and Reserve Component members on
active-duty orders for 30 or more consecutive days, who separate
pursuant to this policy, and their covered dependents, will remain
eligible for TRICARE for 180 days after separation in accordance
with 10 U.S.C. Section 1145.
    g. Any remaining military service obligation will be waived for
Service members requesting voluntary separation; any bonus,
incentive pay, or other financial payments (e.g. tuition
assistance) paid prior to 05 June 2025 and subject to a service
obligation will not be recouped.
    h. Service members electing to voluntarily separate or retire
will complete any pre-separation requirements, including the
Transition Assistance Program per REF (J). However, participation
in the SkillBridge program is not authorized.
    i. All unexecuted AY25 PCS, A-school, and C-school orders for
Service members who request voluntary separation or retirement
pursuant to this policy are cancelled. CG PSC remains the final
authority for PCS or assignment adjustments. Impacted members
should reach out to their assignment officer for additional
guidance.
9. Voluntary Separation and Retirement Requests. Service members
requesting to voluntarily separate or retire pursuant to this
policy must submit a voluntary separation or retirement request in
accordance with REF (I). A voluntary separation request template
can be found at:
(Copy and Paste URL Below into Browser)

https://uscg.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/USCG-CG-1M/CG-1M1/SitePages/
Prioritizing-Military-Excellence-and-Readiness.aspx

    a. All voluntary separation and retirement requests must be
submitted to: COMDT-SMB-EO14183@uscg.mil through the Service
member's commanding officer.
    b. All voluntary requests must specify a separation or retirement
date no later than 1 October 2025.
      (1) Eligible Service members who currently have a PSC-approved
separation or retirement date on or before 1 October 2025 and desire
to separate or retire pursuant to this policy are required to submit
a new request to be eligible for the separation pay, administrative
absence, or other provisions of this policy.
      (2) Eligible Service members who currently have a PSC-approved
separation or retirement date after 1 October 2025 are required to
submit a new request specifying a new date NLT 1 October 2025.
    c. Service members requesting voluntary separation or retirement
must include a statement in their memorandum request that affirms
their gender dysphoria diagnosis and that they understand their
eligibility under this policy will be verified via Coast Guard
administrative and medical records.
    d. All voluntary separation or retirement requests must be
received by CG PSC by 05 July 2025.
10. Voluntary Separation Process Questions. Service members may
submit questions concerning the voluntary separation process to:
    a. For enlisted members: HQS-SMB-CGPSC-EPM-1-Separations@uscg.mil
    b. For officers: HQS-SMB-PSC-OPM-1-Separations@uscg.mil
    c. For reserve members: HQS-SMB-CGPSC-RPM-1-Status@uscg.mil
11. Administrative Absences. Active duty Service members being
processed for separation pursuant to this guidance may be placed in
an administrative absence status, with full pay and benefits, until
their separation is complete.
    a. This administrative absence will be documented using the
Non-Chargeable Absence Request module in Direct Access. Users will
select DHS S1 Authorized Absence in the Type of Absence block and
type "EO 14183" in the comments section.
    b. Administrative absence periods may be authorized in 30-day
increments until the Service member separates or retires.
Commanders, commanding officers, and officers-in-charge will
maintain accountability and ensure the health and welfare of their
Service members throughout the separation process.
    c. Reserve Service members (Ready Reserve and Standby Reserve)
are not eligible for administrative absence and will not perform
any type of inactive duty or active duty while their voluntary
separation or retirement is being processed.
12. Waivers.
    a. Consistent with REF (E), waivers to this policy may be
considered for retention or accession on a case-by-case basis for
Service members or applicants who meet the following criteria:
      (1) The individual demonstrates 36 consecutive months of
stability in their sex without clinically significant distress or
impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of
functioning;
      (2) The individual demonstrates that they have never attempted
to transition to any sex other than their biological sex; and
      (3) The individual is willing and able to adhere to all
applicable military standards, including the standards associated
with their biological sex.
    b. For current military personnel, waiver requests must be
submitted through the member's commanding officer, through CG PSC,
for consideration by the Vice Commandant.
    c. For new accessions, waiver requests must be submitted through
Coast Guard Recruiting Command (CG RC), through CG PSC, for
consideration by the Vice Commandant.
    d. Waiver requests must articulate a compelling government
interest that directly supports CG operational capabilities.
    e. Submission of a waiver request will not change the deadline
to request voluntary separation as specified in this ALCOAST.
13. Service members may consult with a health care provider,
chaplain, mental health care provider, and other support services.
Additional resources are available through CG SUPRT at 855-247-8778
or www.cgsuprt.com.
14. Additional guidance, including procedures for the involuntary
separation phase, is forthcoming and will be communicated to the
workforce as expeditiously as possible.
15. The Presidential Directives Implementation Team for Personnel
(PDIT-P) launched a SharePoint site at:
(Copy and Paste URL Below into Browser)

https://uscg.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/USCG-PD47

PDIT-P maintains FAQs for Executive Orders currently impacting the
Coast Guard that OPM and DHS issued guidance on. Personnel should
check these FAQs frequently as they are continuously updated.
Direct any additional Executive Order questions to PDIT-P@uscg.mil.
16. Policy questions may be directed to Office of Military Personnel
Policy COMDT (CG-1M1) at: COMDT-SMB-EO14183@uscg.mil.
17. RADM Michael H. Day, Acting Deputy for Personnel Readiness
(CG-DCMS-DPR), sends.
18. Internet release is authorized.