DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
O
FFICE
O
F THE
S
ECRETA
RY
1000
NA
VY
PENTAGON
WASHINGTON DC 20350·1000
SECNAVINST 5500.38
DUSN (S&I)
18 Sep 2020
SECNAV INSTRUCTION 5500.38
From: Secretary of the Navy
Subj: SECURITY PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Ref: See enclosure (1)
Encl: (1) References
(2) Definitions
(3) Responsibilities
1. Purpose
a. To establish and implement the Department of the Navy
(DON) Security Professional Education and Development (SPēD)
Program and provide guidance for its administration pursuant to
references (a) through (f), thereby promoting the education,
training, professional credentialing, and experience of current
and future professionals in national security positions.
b. The SPēD Certification Program is part of the Department
of Defense's (DoD) initiative to professionalize the security
workforce. This initiative ensures there exists a common set of
competencies among security practitioners that promotes
interoperability, facilitates professional development and
training, and develops a workforce of certified security
professionals. The SPēD Certification Program is composed of
certifications that assess knowledge and skill sets for distinct
security disciplines and responsibilities.
2. Definitions. See enclosure (2).
3. Applicability. This instruction applies to personnel within
the offices of the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV), the Chief of
Naval Operations (CNO), the Commandant of the Marine Corps
(CMC), and all U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps installations,
commands, activities, field offices, and all other
organizational entities within the DON where work within a
security functional area, as defined by the Office of Personnel
Management’s Security Administration (occupational series 0080)
classification standard, is performed as a primary duty.
