Fleet and Family Support Centers Help Sailors, Families Adjust to Military Life

By Bruce Moody, Commander, Navy Installations Command, Navy Family Readiness Program

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Commander, Navy Installation Command's Fleet and Family Support Centers (FFSC) help Sailors and their families learn skills for confidently managing the Navy lifestyle.

"The Navy lifestyle is unique, no doubt about it," said Kathy Turner, an analyst with the FFSC's Counseling Advocacy & Prevention Program.

However, many people just assume they'll naturally adjust to their surroundings on a base far from home with spouse or parent who is underway.

Back home, one may have effectively dealt with anger, sadness or stress when they lived near family and friends they've known their whole life. But, leaving this personal support system may be stressful and require adjustment. That's why FFSC offers life-skills classes and services for Sailors and Navy families - to help figure out how to adjust and even thrive in these situations.

"It's not whether you have the strength or love or determination to succeed with your family," Turner said. "We know you do. That's why we are here. We understand the unique aspects of Navy life, and we can help you learn to navigate it."

One example is the New Parent Support Home Visitation Program which helps parents develop or improve parenting skills in the privacy of their own home.

"The time and energy you invest to increase your parenting skills through this program will positively affect your children and your family," said Turner.

"It's a step toward creating a home environment for your children that will be full of love, caring, fun, happiness and guidance."

Also available is short-term clinical counseling, designed to help Sailors and families obtain the tools necessary to cope with the challenges of daily living.

These programs can help one adjust to the military lifestyle and cope with the challenges you are facing, such as marital discord, parenting issues, personal crises, and grief.



The courses and the counseling are free and are available to both service members and their spouses. People are welcome to come in anytime, without an appointment or a referral from the command.

There are a couple of misconceptions about attending or signing up for FFSC support services that need to be cleared up:

The first is that FFSC's notify commands of who are attending classes or receiving counseling. FFSCs do not provide commands with any information on personnel who have signed up for any class or counseling.

Members and spouses getting couples' counseling does not automatically result in the opening of a Family Advocacy Program (FAP) case. Everyone has disagreements and arguments. Unless there is abusive behavior, FAP does not get involved.

Another misconception is that signing up for prevention support such as classes or counseling impacts one's security clearance. This is not the case. The Department of Defense now excludes a service member's history of marital or family-related counseling on the security clearance form and now publicly urges troops to voluntarily seek this type of counseling.

"Sailors who succeed with their careers and their families have the strength to ask for help before a problem gets out of hand," Turner said. "The Navy knows this, which is why they provide places to get help. Stop by your local FFSC or call us."