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    Ombudsmen Honored during Appreciation Dinner

    Ombudsman Appreciation Dinner

    Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Dan Serianni | 191003-N-HG846-1103 VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (Oct. 3, 2019) The U.S. Fleet Forces...... read more read more

    VIRGINIA BEACH, VA, UNITED STATES

    10.03.2019

    Story by Seaman Dan Serianni 

    Navy Public Affairs Support Element East - (Active)

    VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Navy League of the United States, Hampton Roads honored Ombudsmen and Fleet Readiness Support Advisors at the first Joint Sea Services Hampton Roads Ombudsman Appreciation Dinner held Oct. 3.

    This dinner marked the first occasion in which the Navy, Marines and Coast Guard services assembled in joint appreciation of their ombudsmen and command volunteers.

    “It is truly an honor and a pleasure to be with you to celebrate and appreciate our ombudsmen who serve our Navy, our Marine Corps and our Coast Guard,” said Ret. Fleet Master Chief April Beldo-Lilley, keynote speaker for the event. “We are here to let you know that your work is not in vain.”

    The ombudsman is a person appointed by commands as an official volunteer to communicate information to support the life situations that Navy families encounter in the military. They serve as the liaison between command families and the command, keeping the commanding officer informed regarding the general morale, health, and welfare of the command’s families. Ombudsmen communicate regularly with Navy families and provide information and referral services when families request support.

    “Tonight we honor the ombudsman,” said Ret. Force Master Chief Jim Monroe, Chairman of the Board for Navy League of the United States, Hampton Roads. “Those that stand the watch, when the service men and women, who don the uniform of our country and go forth to the perimeter of the free world to protect this great nation. We have our guardian angels here to be the conduit for our families and our service men and women.”

    To improve family readiness, the primary focus of the Navy Family Ombudsman Program is command communications to Navy families, information and referral to support them, while still providing an avenue for hearing about the welfare of families with the Ombudsman being that essential link to the commanding officer.

    The Navy Family Ombudsman Program was introduced to the U.S. Navy by Z-gram 24 on 14 September 1970 by the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Admiral Elmo Zumwalt. Admiral Zumwalt adapted this program from a 19th century Scandinavian custom originally established by the King to give ordinary private citizens an avenue to express their grievances to high government officials.

    “This evening we are here to personally thank every one of our ombudsmen and their families,” said Beldo-Lilley. “You have flawlessly completed your duties as command ombudsman. Always respecting the boundaries and the relationship with the command triad. Ombudsmen improve our quality of service by sacrifices that have a direct impact on the military’s moral, retention and readiness; and they do so with great personal pride and professionalism. Thank you for your service, your sacrifices to your country and our families.”

    The Ombudsman of today is a well trained professional and exhibits a standard of competence and professionalism vital to the well-being of Navy families. Commanders continue to incorporate the Ombudsman as a full member of their command support team.
    In FY 2018 Navy Ombudsmen committed 250,799 hours in performing their volunteer duties as Command Ombudsman.

    More than 600 guests and over 100 ombudsmen were in attendance.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 10.03.2019
    Date Posted: 10.16.2019 14:16
    Story ID: 347830
    Location: VIRGINIA BEACH, VA, US

    Web Views: 54
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN