I'm Gemma, I'm the technical support cell administrator
here at RSN Yeovilton
For the Lynx Wildcat Maritime Force
Primarily now a days my job is almost entirely IT based
Although I do look after all the books and the administration for the office in general
I wanted to join the navy from quite a young age
partly because my family is very navy orientated
partly because the navy, "it's gonna make a man out of me"
(laughs) I can't say that without laughing
that one always tickles me
I started my transition
I began the initial process of seeing the doctor in '09
and I started my RLE (real life experience) in 2010
left work, had an admin break and came back to exactly the same job, exactly the same desk
and everyone around me was very supportive and very helpful.
My transition has been remarkably smooth
and well supported by colleagues, superiors and the whole navy in general, really
I'm Ben Cullen
We're in the in the survival equipment section at Yeoville
I maintain and repair all the kit for survival situations
whether it's for ship or for aircraft
It was up until August last year
when I actually officially changed my name and started the whole process of becoming me
There was a couple of people - it did shock them
but once they got their heads around it
they were very supportive
And there was a little banter, but in a good way
because one:  it's their coping mechanism with it
and two: they're just trying to find out
it's curiousity.
As far as my job's concerned
I'm doing probably actually better now
because I am a lot happier within myself
because I'm me.
Hopefully by the time my whole transition's complete
I'm going off joining squadrons and ships and going to see the world basically
but at the moment, because obviously I'm in the middle of my whole transition
I'm taking each year as it comes at the moment
It's nice to actually have someone else around
to actually go to if I have any concerns with anything
to do with military and trans together
I think personally that being a senior rank in comparision to and Ben being a junior rank
it is easier for me, and I am therefore able to help him more
it is good as well, having someone else who is trans on the base
I think the base is a very good safe place to transition
and it just goes to prove it with someone else here as well
