National Navy Reserve Ombudsman Conference Successful

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Charles White, Navy Region Southeast Reserve Component Command Public Affairs

May 5, 2010 - ORLANDO, Fla. (NNS) -- Nearly 200 Navy Reserve ombudsmen participated in the first National Navy Reserve Ombudsman Conference May 1-2 in Orlando, Fla.

The conference was designed to provide in-depth, Reserve-specific training in addition to showing gratitude to the dedicated ombudsman volunteers.

"All my questions were answered," said Kim Ryder, an ombudsman for Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) Oklahoma City.

Now in its 40th year, the Navy's ombudsman program was founded by then Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Elmo Zumwalt in an effort to provide a Navy family a knowledgeable link to a Sailor's command.

And while maintaining its primary mission, the program has steadily increased in scope and importance.

Each ombudsman, usually a Navy Spouse, is a command asset, capable of disseminating official Department of the Navy and command information, as well as providing current resource referral services.

Ombudsmen are trained to mitigate issues affecting military families, and assist in the resolution of those issues that could later require command attention. And because the Reserve force structure is different than that of active duty Navy, Reserve ombudsmen require additional training for those issues unique to the Reserve.

"Many of the Reserve families and ombudsmen are not located close to fleet concentration areas, so they have some unique needs," said Debby Greene, a CNO Ombudsman-at-Large and chairman of Naval Services FamilyLine. "[The conference's goal] is to help meet the specific needs of the Navy Reserve ombudsmen."

Green said the ombudsman program relies heavily on feedback from those serving commands, and asked for questions from conference attendees in an effort to improve the program.

"I'd like to hear from you," she said. "I take this back to my advisory board, to our CNO and to the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy."

The conference included presentations on operational combat stress, Navy family training, emergency case management, and operational security.

Guest speakers at the conference included Vice Adm. Dirk J. Debbink, commander, Navy Reserve Force; Rear Adm. Lothrop S. Little, Navy Reserve Forces Command; and Navy Reserve Force Force Master Chief Ronnie Wright.

Debbink voiced his thanks for ombudsmen efforts during the conferences appreciation banquet, and as a Reservist, said he understands the role of being a citizen and Sailor.

"We are ready now, any time, anywhere, and that's our pledge to out shipmates, to the Navy and to the nation," he said. The healthy, self reliant and resilient families that this program enables."

Debbink also stressed CNO Adm. Gary Roughead's views on the Reserve forces, stating there is one Navy of which Reserve ombudsmen were a part.

"We are ready now to carry out the mission of the Navy Reserve which is to provide strategic depth and deliver operational capabilities to the Navy and Marine Corps teams and Joint Forces from peace to war," Debbink said. "It's your work that makes it all possible and allows us to live up to our force motto, and for that you have my deepest appreciation and my sincerest thanks."

Debbink also shared stories of support and gratitude received from around the country, including one from First Lady Michelle Obama.

Conference participants said they intended to share Debbink's remarks as well as the knowledge and training they received with their commands.

"I can take that back to the command and then go further out to the families and make sure they're properly served," Greene said.