Photo By Jason Bortz | Captain Terrence Shashaty, commanding officer of Naval Air Station Pensacola, awards...... read more read more
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Story by Ensign Jessica L. Wood
NAS PENSACOLA, Florida --- Naval Air Station Pensacola celebrated Ombudsman Appreciation Day on Sept. 14, 2022.
The word “ombudsman” originated in Sweden during 1809. King Gustaf III ruled Sweden harshly and was deposed by the Swedish people. The citizens wanted the legislature, the Riksdag, to exert more control over the executive branch. Under this new system with checks and balances, lawmakers actually listened to citizens’ concerns. As a result, the Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman was established. Today, ombudsmen are not exclusive to the military. In the United States, they exist in state and local governments, the media, and even on college campuses. They act as a confidential point of contact to receive complaints and suggestions for improvement, and communicate that feedback to the larger organization.
Along these same lines, the United States Navy Family Ombudsman Program began in 1970. Admiral Elmo Zumwalt wanted to emphasize the importance of families within the Navy team. Zumwalt understood that spouses had questions, worries, and valuable perspectives that could enhance the Navy’s efficiency and resiliency. However, these perspectives were overlooked because those spouses lacked a direct line of communication to commanders.
Zumwalt wrote, “We have each been getting good advice from our [spouses], now let’s listen carefully to an official representative.”
Since 1970, ombudsmen have typically been spouses of Sailors. They serve as liaisons between the commander and the command families and they empower families to navigate Navy life and learn how to thrive, not just survive.
Ombudsmen serve as the information link between command leadership and command families. An ombudsman is appointed by the Commanding Officer to provide critical support to command families. They disseminate crucial information about command-climate issues, community opportunities, and official Department of the Navy (DoN) information. Every two months, ombudsmen in the Pensacola area gather for the Ombudsman Assembly. Here, they share information with one another and receive updates from the Ombudsman Coordinator. In this way, they are constantly updating their library of resources, which is invaluable to the families that they serve. It is crucial for them to steer any given family member in the right direction, and they do not take this responsibility lightly. There are countless resources available to Navy families, and ombudsmen work tirelessly to ensure that families benefit from those resources.
Shana Chappell recently became the command ombudsman for NAS Pensacola. Her spouse is a service member in the command, and she wants to provide support for other command families. She wishes more people knew about utilizing the ombudsman as a resource. The base ombudsman position was vacant for a period of time prior to her arrival, so her goal is to raise awareness.
She said enthusiastically, “I am here and ready to help. You can come to me for resources.”
In order for these Navy families to know who they can turn to, she created a Facebook page, NAS Pensacola Ombudsman. Here, she provides relevant information, opportunities, and events updates. Additionally, she chairs the Ombudsman Assembly and works with other ombudsmen in the area to learn as much as she can about the resources that exist. On this year’s Ombudsman Appreciation Day, Captain Terrence Shashaty, commanding officer of NAS Pensacola, awarded Chappell with a Certificate of Appreciation.
It is important to mention that each and every ombudsman is a volunteer. It is an unpaid position, and often a time-consuming one. They sacrifice their time and energy to make sure families are heard and taken care of. Something that makes an ombudsman unique is that one of their family members is a Sailor in the same command, so they have a personal stake in the matter. They can relate to the struggles of family members and point them in the direction of help. While service members are deployed or away, ombudsmen provide the resources that foster stability. This has a significant impact because it decreases stress felt by the families and the Sailors, as well as the command. All in all, these volunteers bolster the Navy as a fighting force.
According to Richard Hatton, director of Fleet and Family Services at NAS Pensacola, ombudsmen are the “critical link between commanders and the Navy family.”
They are dedicated to volunteerism, are extremely trustworthy, and increase knowledge sharing between the command and command families. Ombudsmen empower families to navigate Navy life and learn how to thrive, not just survive.
The Office of the Chief of Naval Operation (CNO) formally created the Mrs. Sybil Stockdale Ombudsman of the Year Award because of her efforts to improve communications between commands and families. While her husband, Vice Adm. James Stockdale, was held as a Prisoner of War (POW) in Vietnam, she established the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia. Despite her own family’s challenges, she remained a steadfast source of support for others in their time of need. Although Mrs. Stockdale was not a designated ombudsman, her desire to serve others mirrors the dedication that ombudsmen possess.
Ombudsman Appreciation month takes place every September so that commands and command families can take pause and show gratitude. To find your Command’s Ombudsman, contact your Fleet and Family Support Services.
| Date Taken: | 09.14.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 09.14.2022 15:23 |
| Story ID: | 429315 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 432 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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