Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Zachary Melvin | NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (Oct. 20, 2019) Sailors assigned to USS Gerald R. Ford's (CVN 78)...... read more read more
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Sailors aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) are preparing their families for underways as Ford’s time at Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding comes to a close.
Along with those preparations comes the responsibility of informing and preparing loved ones and family members for Sailor’s time away from home.
“It is a challenge that affects me and my kids,” said Lt. Mike Matson, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, a chaplain assigned to the command religious ministries department. “My spouse and I have also been preparing for things such as bills, yardwork and possible emergencies.”
Families of Sailors experience a change that comes with underways and deployments, though Navy leadership work with Sailors to prepare their families for absences.
“My daughter is very young, but I try to talk to her as much as I can about the fact that I am going to be away,” said Retail Services Specialist 2nd Class Tiffany Adams, from Memphis, Tennessee, assigned to Ford’s supply department. “I just try to communicate to her that mommy has a job to do which means that we will not always be together.”
An important position designed to better serve families of Sailors at sea is the ombudsman. The command ombudsman is a Navy spouse who volunteers to helps families of Sailors through challenges. A good way for families to stay in touch with the ombudsman is by liking the ship’s ombudsman Facebook page. Another way to stay connected with Sailors is by liking the ship’s Facebook page. The ship’s media department will post photos and updates for families to see what the Sailors are doing out at sea.
Sailors are encouraged to spend extra time with loved ones during periods of time on shore.
“I just assure my kids that mommy and daddy will take care of them, and that life is going to go on as usual,” said Matson. “We will have some exciting times together when I get back home.”
Ford Sailors are currently completing prerequisites for getting back underway after undergoing its post-shakedown availability at Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding since July 2018.
Gerald R. Ford is a first-in-class aircraft carrier and the first new aircraft carrier designed in more than 40 years. Ford is currently undergoing its post-shakedown availability at Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding.
For more news from USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), visit www.dvidshub.net/unit/CVN78 or www.facebook.com/USSGeraldRFord
| Date Taken: | 10.21.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 11.22.2019 11:32 |
| Story ID: | 353026 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 91 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Ford Sailors Prepare Families For Underways, by PO1 Zachary Melvin, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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