Medical Forces Atlantic welcomes new ombudsman

ByBobbieCamp

Naval Medical Forces Atlantic

Assuring a crucial link between Sailors, families and Navy leaders, Emily Summers was appointed as the new ombudsman for Commander,NavalMedicalForcesAtlantic (NMFL) on board Naval Support Activity

Hampton Roads-Portsmouth Annex, Feb.

9,2023

AsaNavyspousefor13yearsandamother to three children, Summers volunteered to fillthecriticalroleoftheombudsmansince the command hasn’t had one in an official capacitysincebeforeJuneof2021.

“Mygoalistoset-upasuccessfulprogram for the command,” said Summers “I am looking for the best way to communicate to the families and to help empower them on howtoutilizetheresourcesavailable.”

Akeyelementofhernewpositionwillbe working closely with NMFL’s Command

Master Chief Zachary Pryor to keep Sailors,familiesandstaffuptodateonNavyand command information, command climate issues, family challenges, and local quality oflifeimprovementopportunities.

“Emilyisthe10thombudsmanthatIwill be working with,” explained Pryor “It is trulyajoytohavesomeoneontheteamwho brings another dynamic of team success to NMFL. I look forward to working with her assheservesthecommand.

Summers attended the 3-day Ombudsman Basic Training Course with Fleet and FamilySupportCenter(FFSC)LittleCreekFort Story, where she was given the tools and resources needed to run a successful program.Thetrainingfocusedonconfidentiality,workingwiththecommand’smilitary leadership and learning how various organizations can assist in helping Sailors and theirfamilies

“Having experienced the challenges of beingamilitaryspouseandmother,Iwasnot awareoftheresourcesavailabletome,”said Summers “Inowhaveabetterunderstanding of how important it is to have a conduit betweenthefamiliesandthecommand.”

Ombudsman, official representatives of commanders, are volunteers and spouses of service members within the command that provide communications between the commandingofficerandfamilies

“The ombudsman is here to make our families and our staff’s life easier when unforeseen incidents arise in their lives,” explained Pryor. “Everything from deployments to illness to death in the family, the ombudsmancanassistorpointinthedirectionofassistance.”

TheNavy’sFamilyOmbudsmanProgram was established on Sept. 17 1970, by Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Elmo Zumwalt to assist commands in maintaining the morale, health and welfare of Navy families Today, ombudsmen promote self-reliance and resiliency to strengthen the military and its family members as well assupporttomissionreadiness.

Commander,NavalMedicalForcesAtlantic (NMFL), headquartered in Portsmouth, Virginia, delivers operationally focused medical expertise and capabilities to meet Fleet MarineandJointForcerequirements by providing equipment, sustainment and maintenance of medical forces during combat operations and public health crisis. NMFLprovidesoversightfor21NavyMedicineReadinessandTrainingCenters,logistics, and public health and services throughout the U.S. East Coast, U.S. Gulf Coast,Hawaii,Europe andtheMiddleEast.

Norfolk car dealership placed off-limits again to all service members

PressRelease

NORFOLK Va Thisweek,Commander

NavyRegionMid-AtlanticreturnedCarafello’s Auto Sales, LLC, located at 6328

E. VirginiaBeachBlvd.,totheoff-limitslistfor all Hampton Roads service members The swift move to place them on the off-limits list again was due to recent reports of the unscrupulous business practices known as bird-dogging.

Bird-dogging occurs when someone refers a prospective customer to a particular dealership or salesperson for a given fee orcompensation.Onlysalespersonslicensed toadealershipcanassistcustomerswiththe purchaseofavehicle

The dealership was previously placed on the off-limits list on Nov. 12, 2015 after the Armed Forces Disciplinary Control Board (AFDCB) became aware that the dealershipwasbird-doggingatthattime Carafello’s Auto Sales LLC was subsequently removed from the list on March 14, 2016 after providing information to the board thatdemonstratedthedealershipwasagain in compliance with Virginia motor vehicle dealerlawsandregulations.

Recently, Carafello’s Auto Sales resumed bird-doggingtargetingyoungSailorsoutside thegatesandNavyExchange SeveralSailors weresoldvehicleswithoutbeinginpossessionofdriver’slicenses

Carafello’s practice of selling automobiles to personnel without driver’s licenses unfairly targets junior service members, taking advantage of their limited financial understanding or ability to walk away from anegotiation.

Thecurrentoff-limitslistincludesthe followinglocations:

„ 7City’sCustom&Design,106237thSt., Norfolk

„ 7City’sCustom&Design,117E.Princess

AnneRd Norfolk

„ BestPriceAutoSalesAKAUSAuto

Excellence 3336HollandRd Virginia Beach

„ Carafello’sAutoSales,LLC,6328E.

VirginiaBeachBlvd.,Norfolk

„ MellowSmokeTobaccoShop 1948

DiamondSpringsRd VirginiaBeach

„ OuterEdgeGifts 760-BJ.ClydeMorris Blvd.,NewportNews

„ PrimeAutoAKASkylineAuto,4114E. IndianRiverRd,Chesapeake

„ TheVault,86W.MercuryBlvd., Hampton

„ TheVault,15435-BWarwickBlvd., NewportNews

„ TheVault,4746GeorgeWashington MemorialHwy. Hayes

„ TKYUBar,1910AtlanticAve,Virginia Beach

Theseestablishmentswillremainoff-limits until the next scheduled meeting of the AFDCB,atwhichtimetheboardwillreconsiderthestatusofeachbusinessonthelist.

The AFDCB works closely with businesses that are being considered for the off-limits list to avoid these actions. Mitigationeffortsdemonstratedbyareabusinesses, andcommunicationtotheboardbythebusi- nesses,oftenhavefavorableresults.

Establishments are given an opportunity to notify the AFDCB in writing that correctiveactionshaveoccurred.Removal from the list will be considered by the board upon presentation that satisfactory correctiveactionshavebeentaken.Failure to respond will result in the board making arequestforestablishmentrepresentatives to appear in person at a formal hearing of the AFDCB.

The safety and security of all service members is a priority for the Department of Defense. The AFDCB is an investigative committeecomposedofmembersfromeach militaryserviceintheHamptonRoadsarea, aswellandcivilianadvisers,whoworkwith local law enforcement agencies and local businessestoidentifyconditionswhichmay adversely affect the health, safety, welfare, anddisciplineofthearmedforces.

For up to date information regarding off-limits establishments visit www.cnic. navy.mil/regions/cnrma.html and click on “Off-LimitsList”underPopularLinks

Editorial Staff

MilitaryEditor | MC1 Maddelin Hamm 757-322-2853 | maddelin.v.hamm.mil@us.navy.mil

AssistantEditor | MC2 Leo Katsareas 757-322-2853 | news@flagshipnews.com

GraphicDesigner | TeresaWalter teresa.walter@virginiamedia.com

Contributing Staff Ninoshka Basantes Travis Kuykendall Kaitlyn Hewett MC3 Jordan Grimes 757-322-2853 |

Norfolk Naval Shipyard breaks ground on $300 million renovation of its carrier drydock, adjacent berths

FromNorfolkNavalShipyard

Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) broke groundfortherenovationofitshistoricDry Dock8andadjacentberthsFeb.15

The $300 million-plus renovation will supportNNSY’sabilitytocontinueserving the Navy decades into the future accommodating the Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) carrier class This multi-contract, multi-year renovation is NNSY’s biggest project yet as part of Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command’s (NAVFAC) Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP). SIOP oversees infrastructure investments modernizing the nation’s public shipyards through upgraded dry docks and facilities new equipment and improved workflow.

“Today signifies a new chapter in the story of SIOP and this historic facility as the shipyard workforce prepares for its new mission of supporting CVN 78,” said

Pete Lynch, Program Executive Officer for Industrial Infrastructure responsible for SIOP. “CVN 78 is a critical enabler of increased naval capability and ushers in a new era of maritime readiness.”

He added, “The Navy and the Nation require new approaches driven by innovation and investment. SIOP is the cornerstone of our efforts and the four public shipyards including the entire NNSY workforce of over 10,000 members, play a vital role in national defense by providing combat-ready ships to the fleet in defense of our Nation.”

As part of its full modernization, Dry Dock 8 will be undergoing saltwater upgradestomeetcapacityandflowdemand supporting a docked carrier; caisson and dewatering pump repairs More than $90 millionwillbeinvestedinrepairstothetwo berths adjacent to the dock.

Dry Dock 8 has been of national interest its construction began in July 1940, with then President Franklin D. Roosevelt touring the shipyard and inspecting its progress Usedforcarrierandtanklandingship construction during World War II, in the decadessinceithasheldshipsrangingfrom the Forrestal-class carriers in the 1950s to now preparing to host the world’s most technologically advanced aircraft carrier NNSYhasbeenmakingsignificantprogressthisdecadeinitsongoingSIOPefforts

The shipyard’s largest submarine dry dock, Dry Dock 4, is finishing a three-year, $200-millionrenovation.ThispastNovember,theshipyarddedicatedits$73.3million

Production Training Facility, consolidating training that was previously spread acrosstheshipyardintoacentralizedtraining hub with 34 academic classrooms and 26 mock-up areas Other improvements includea24/7NavyExchangeMicroMart that also opened in November, and a new Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant completing this spring

“Regardlessofthescopeordollaramount of these projects, we are getting better as a shipyard, both in our ability of meeting our one mission and supporting our one team,” said Shipyard Commander Captain Dianna Wolfson. “These investments are exciting to see, and I’m proud and thankful for everyone who is not just involved in theseefforts buttrulydevotedtomakingus better asapremier21stcenturyshipyard It takesalotofsupportfromNavyleadership and partnership with entities like Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command to ensure these vast undertakings are both achievable and ultimately successful.”

NNSY, a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command, is one of the oldest, largest and most multifaceted industrial facilitiesbelongingtotheU.S.Navy specializinginrepairing,overhaulingandmodernizing ships and submarines.