Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Benjamin Lewis | Members of Naval Station Rota, Spain's Fleet and Family Support Center pose for a photo.... read more read more
The expression “bloom where you are planted” is often used within the military community. It’s meant to encourage service members and families to focus on the positives of your current duty location and try to get the most out of the experience, both personally and professionally.
The Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) at Rota tends to the community, like a gardener tends to his or her plants, by providing programs to help clients reach their potential.
“FFSC programs are designed to support a service member and their families from the day they arrive in Rota to the day they leave,” said Xiomara Bowes, FFSC work and family life supervisor. “Each program targets every area in the service member’s life: individual/couples counseling, life skills programs, relocation assistance, transition assistance, personal financial management, new parent support and victim advocacy.”
For most newcomers, their first interaction with the local FFSC is the Intercultural Relations class. This mandatory four-day course lays the foundation for one’s time here. The facilitators, Rosa Caballero and María Leonor Varela Rodríguez, explain everything from base information and cultural tidbits to the available services. The highlight of the course is an off-base field trip for a visit to the weekly market, walking tour of Rota, and a Spanish lunch.
“We do a general overview,” said Caballero. “We talk a lot about the Spanish people, the culture, dos and don’ts, and much more. They always have questions on these topics and we discuss it. We explain the why.”
The cultural differences and language barriers are just a few of the challenges that newcomers face as they get settled in their new home. According to Caballero, most are excited but hesitant at the start of the four-day class. However by the end, only excitement remains as they tell her, “I am ready to go live in Spain!”
As the newcomer gets settled into the community, the tending by the FFSC changes from basic needs to development and growth.
“FFSC Rota is committed to providing services and support that empower commands, individuals, and families and strengthen the life skills necessary to navigate the dynamic military lifestyle,” said Thomas Saunders, personal financial specialist.
A job-seeking spouse can attend the federal employment brief or one of the resume critique sessions. A Sailor looking to pay off debt and begin focusing on retirement savings can take a personal finance class and make a plan. Family members may attend a pre-deployment brief and Sailors aboard the ship can participate in a reintegration brief. Those looking to explore the local area with a knowledgeable guide can participate in one of the cultural field trips.
These are just some of the work and family life programs that FFSC Rota offers to help service members, family members, civilians and retirees prepare, adjust, and plan for immediate and future challenges.
“We aim to provide information and resources that if or when a family is in distress they have the tools to overcome,” said Bowes. “Family readiness equals mission readiness.”
When blue skies turn gray or for those feeling battered by a storm, FFSC counseling services can provide support and knowledge to assist one through challenging times.
FFSC provides “several core family readiness and prevention programs, to include non-medical counseling, Family Advocacy, New Parent Support home visitation and Sailor Assistance and Intercept for Life, or SAIL,” according to Margaret Blair, counseling and advocacy services supervisor.
Military life overseas can have many challenges such as with high operational tempo, deployment or solo parenting stress, grief, transition in or out of the military, or just living overseas.
“It’s important for individuals to give themselves permission to say ‘I am not OK’ and seek support,” said Blair.
Seeking help navigating difficult times is not only needed by adults, but for children as well.
“We are also very fortunate to have an adolescent clinical counselor housed at DGF Middle and High School,” said Blair. “She is a FFSC employee but her office is at the school for ease of access for our middle and high school population. She offers individual and family counseling for this age demographic.”
New additions to the family can also provide new and unique challenges while stationed here.
“New Parent Support Program assists parents in adjusting to parenthood and is designed to empower service members and their spouses to meet the challenges of parenthood and their military lifestyle,” said Chelsea Gonzalez, new parent support home visitation program specialist.
The New Parent Support Program assists soon-to-be parents and provides postpartum support through home visitations. Topics such as creating a birth plan, newborn care basics, establishing positive discipline strategies, and more. The program strives to ease the new family dynamics whether you’re a new, seasoned or expectant parent.
Gonzalez, a mother of five children, describes the job as rewarding because she gets to support parents during this important time in their lives.
“Parenting is a challenging job, but even more so doing it overseas without family and close friends nearby,” said Gonzalez. “As a home visitor I am not only assisting in answering questions and helping with parenting strategies but I am also part of their support system.”
As one’s time in Rota comes to an end, either through PCS or retirement, FFSC Rota has the programs and resources to help with the transition. One such resource is the Information and Referral (I&R) program.
“Information and referral is conducted across all Fleet and Family Support Centers in coordination with the military and community agencies as a core FFSC function,” explained Angel Lopez, information and referral specialist. “I&R embodies a continuum of assistance within each FFSC program area that includes answering questions, making simple and complex referrals, and advocacy for access to needed services for service members and military families.”
I&R specialists routinely review and update information on the installation ensuring that there is quality, up-to-date information on your next possible duty location. For those locally, I&R specialist is a wealth of knowledge on services, programs and opportunities available.
For those in the fall of their military career, whether retiring or getting out of the military, the Transition, Goals, Plans, Succeed (TGPS) seminar provides service members the knowledge and tools to navigate the civilian world. From writing a civilian resume and mock interviews, the course helps to ease those leaving military life.
“FFSC Rota supports families at all stages of life transition, both in the work space and on the homefront,” said Blair. “Whether it is a class for a new spouse who is just learning about military life, support for new or "new again" parents, building a budget for becoming a first time home buyer in the U.S., acquiring new language skills, revamping that resume, managing conflict, or transitioning out of the military, all services focus on building resilience in the present and setting a course for future success.”
FFSC Rota is here to help you bloom and reach your potential, in all the seasons of life, and through the storms.
| Date Taken: | 06.06.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 06.07.2019 05:19 |
| Story ID: | 325918 |
| Location: | ROTA, ES |
| Web Views: | 476 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Fleet and Family Support Center Rota: Helping You Grow, by Courtney Pollock, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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