San Diego Sailors Help Displaced Military Families from Japan

By Candice Villarreal, Fleet and Industrial Supply Center San Diego Corporate Communications

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Sailors assigned to Naval Supply Systems Command's Fleet and Industrial Supply Center (FISC) San Diego donated hundreds of pounds of provisions April 20, to military families displaced by the March 11 earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan.

The command's diversity committee began accepting donations of food, water, diapers and baby formula when Japan-based Sailors' families began voluntarily evacuating and heading to San Diego.

"We know [the families] are still getting paid and that they are not destitute," said Stephanie DuBose, force ombudsman for Commander, Naval Surface Forces. "These donations just provide them with a little extra quality-of-life comfort and save them some money. The FISC team got wind of what we were doing and, right away, was asking us, 'Hey, what can we do to help?'"

The families are currently being housed at the Navy Lodge aboard Naval Base San Diego.

Navy civilian Paula Hoff, an administrative branch supervisor for FISC San Diego, said she felt the need to buy and donate goods the moment the diversity committee announced the drive.

"A lot of these families have young children, and it's very hard to be away from your home," Hoff said. "I just felt it was necessary. I'm blessed that I get the chance to drive to my own home after work today. They really can't do that; I can't even imagine what that's like."

According to DuBose, 104 adults and 183 children have benefitted from donations so far. She said she and her team of ombudsmen through their subgroup You are Not Alone (YANA) began accepting the donated goods from local commands March 26.

"We were in reception mode, with our catcher's gloves on," she said.

A week later, the donations piled up to fill five rooms, from floor to ceiling.

"When you see these families who have left nearly everything behind in Japan, you think to yourself 'This could be me; I'm a Navy spouse,'" DuBose said. "Their lives were in Japan, their cell phone companies were in Japan, everything was in Japan. I think these Sailors, many having been stationed overseas at some point, understood that."

FISC San Diego personnel plan to hold a barbeque for the families April 22.

"I think the most amazing part is that these Sailors know they don't have to be here [participating]," DuBose said. "They want to be here. I'm just so inspired by their passion for helping others. We couldn't have done it without them, and we're humbled by their dedication."

FISC San Diego, one of seven supply centers under Commander, Fleet and Industrial Supply Centers (COMFISCS), provides global logistics, business and support services to fleet, shore and industrial commands of the Navy, Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command, and other Joint and Allied Forces. Services include contracting, regional transportation, fuel, material management, household goods movement support, postal and consolidated mail, warehousing, global logistics and husbanding, hazardous material management, and integrated logistics support.

COMFISCS comprises more than 5,700 military and civilian logistics professionals, contractors and foreign nationals operating as a single cohesive team providing global logistics services from 110 locations worldwide. A component of the Naval Supply Systems Command headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pa., COMFISCS is part of a worldwide logistics network of more than 22,500 military and civilian personnel providing combat capability through logistics.