▁from ▁Ch att ahoo che e ▁Techn ical ▁College ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁with ▁an ▁AA ▁D eg ree ▁in ▁Television ▁Production ▁Technology . ▁ ▁US ▁Navy ▁career ▁▁ ▁Hel ms ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁US ▁Navy ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 0 - 1 9 7 8 , ▁and ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁two ▁sub mar ines , ▁▁ 1 9 7 2 - 1 9 7 6 , ▁▁ 1 9 7 6 - 1 9 7 8 . ▁During ▁her ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁Navy , ▁Hel ms ▁began ▁dress ing ▁as ▁a ▁woman ▁while ▁based ▁in ▁Char l eston , ▁South ▁Carolina ▁and ▁says ▁in ▁an ▁interview ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁" deep est , ▁dark est ▁secret ▁in ▁[ her ] ▁entire ▁life ". ▁She ▁was ▁re ass igned ▁to ▁the ▁Bay ▁Area ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁and ▁said ▁she ▁" f elt ▁like ▁[ she ] ▁could ▁be ▁out ▁in ▁public ▁as ▁[ h ers elf ] ". ▁ ▁Hel ms ▁left ▁the ▁Navy ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁and ▁joined ▁her ▁h omet own ' s ▁chapter ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Sub marine ▁V eter ans , ▁Inc . ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁After ▁transition ing , ▁Hel ms ▁re app lied ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁to ▁the ▁Phoenix ▁chapter ▁of ▁the ▁veter an ' s ▁group ▁with ▁the ▁name ▁" Mon ica " ▁and ▁received ▁considerable ▁push - back , ▁including ▁being ▁referred ▁to ▁a ▁more ▁generic ▁veter