Wow.
Today the following things happened:
Got a call from my boss - the head honcho in charge of the great lakes approved my 1 - request to transition, 2 - request to transfer, and 3 - medical treatment plan - all of those documents are now officially headed to CGHQ in washington DC. Also, they have identified someone to come relieve me off the boat in mid October, at which point I can be as out and free as I wish with no further operational entanglements.
Got a call from the lawyer/policy guy at the head office in Cleveland - my request for FFS is likely to be approved for November!!!! I still have to scrounge up the money, but is sounds like the CG is going to let me do it.
Got another memo back from Washington DC - basically, the conference I'm attending next week to discuss diversity in the CG will be in civilian attire, and I can present authentically while participating in an official Coast Guard capacity for the first time.
FINALLY - got an email today from my lawyer. My petition for name change has been filed and processed, and my hearing scheduled for October 4th. I can make that date.
For a while there I thought I was stalled out... only to take off like a rocket all in one day!!!
I am scared, happy, excited, and in a state of disbelief all at once... so I'm having a nice drink with my wife, then I'm gonna put a few hours in on the lifeline.
Whiew!!!