Jon Altmann posted on December 01, 2010 00:05
December 2010 Navy
By ISCS Jon Altman, USN (Ret)
Top on my list with the enlisted community and senior enlisted leaders focuses on the current stresses and needs facing Navy families.
Many Active Duty have a good support system with the Fleet and Family Support Centers (FFSC). Many Reserve force members activated for a year or more live somewhere other than a Navy town, complicating the provision of support services.
As someone who participates in several veteran/military related professional and community groups, my reminder to the Active and Reserve force units is there are community resources. Knowing where the Sailor and the family needs support is the information quest. The other quest is do those resources know about your needs?
Some dynamic things have happened during OEF and OIF. State National Guard units have opened their doors to the families of other services to bare a hand for when there is not Navy presence nearby. Community groups have continuously answered the call to fix homes, cars or provide that extra boost that is in keeping with the CNO’s theme of “promoting self-reliance and resilience, not dependency.”
Another vexing question – how do you know when a service member needs help? Is it clear to the service member and family that there is help and support? The eyes and ears of the command’s ombudsman and Command Chief, among others, are greatly expanded by shipmates stepping forward when they see someone stressed. Will you step forward?
We have a tremendous life lesson tradition of being a family. Our center of being is a ship – a community of Sailors that must act as one cohesive unit. There is nothing more evident of that unity than when it means a fire or damage control situation afloat. We duplicate that cohesive sailing unit in air squadrons and every land-based entity in the Navy.
Many service-affiliated organizations, like AUSN, have chapters and membership in places where there is no Navy, much less much anything military. We have a lot of members with the ability to connect with other local groups who would be glad to step forward and help.
For the readers in the enlisted ranks, my outreach to you is e-mail me about what more can we do to help. If you are a CMC, LCPO, or other Navy Leader, Active and Reserve, fill my plate with suggestions on where Sailors and their families have needs for additional support. I am not just asking my fellow Navy Chiefs to step forward; I’d like to hear from all. AUSN – our Navy family helping yours.
Jon C. Altmann is a retired Senior Chief Intelligence Specialist and is the National Vice President for Enlisted Affairs of AUSN. E-mail: jon.altmann@ausn.org