UNCLASSIFIED// 
ROUTINE 
R 281905Z DEC 21 MID200001376657U 
FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC 
TO ALNAV 
INFO SECNAV WASHINGTON DC 
CNO WASHINGTON DC 
CMC WASHINGTON DC 
BT 
UNCLAS 
 
ALNAV 091/21 
 
MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/DEC// 
 
SUBJ/PROHIBITION OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE NAVAL ATTACHE ASSOCIATION BY 
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY PERSONNEL// 
 
REF/A/EMAIL/JOINT STAFF/03DEC21// 
NARR/REF A IS NSC APPROVAL AND CONFIRMATION OF INTERAGENCY COORDINATION ON 
THIS PROPOSED DON POLICY CHANGE.// 
 
RMKS/1.  Engagement of naval representatives of our foreign partners by 
Department of the Navy (DON) leadership is of paramount importance to our 
international engagement and cooperation, and to advancing strategic and 
operational interests of the Department of Defense and the DON.  Active and 
informed engagement by DON leadership with foreign naval representatives is 
expected and encouraged. 
 
2.  That engagement must be conducted in accordance with overarching U.S. 
interests and values, and must not provide advantage to our strategic 
competitors or allow those competitors to disadvantage the appropriate 
engagement of foreign partners with the DON leadership. 
 
3.  However, recent actions by the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) have 
complicated the Departments ability to utilize the Naval Attache Association 
(NAA) as a forum to facilitate partners access to senior DON leadership.  The 
Department does not support PRC coercive tactics and censorship and will 
always oppose such efforts to manipulate independent organizations and 
actors. 
 
4.  Accordingly, effective until further notice, unless specifically 
authorized by the Secretary of the Navy, the members of the Department will 
no longer participate in NAA-sponsored or hosted events.  The Department WILL 
continue to engage with the entire Corps of Foreign Naval Attaches, and looks 
forward to hosting inclusive opportunities to continue fostering open 
dialogue and understanding with our valued naval attache colleagues. 
 
5.  The Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy is the DON office responsible for 
oversight of this policy. 
 
6.  Released by the Honorable Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy.// 
 
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UNCLASSIFIED//