Navy Ombudsmen Program Celebrates 50th Anniversary

from The Signature | September 18, 2020

Direct Line

By Megan Mills, NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

On September 14, 1970, Elmo Zumwalt Jr. signed the official Navy Family Ombudsmen Program into existence, writing:

“The importance of the Navy wife as a member of the Navy team cannot be over emphasized…. All shore based commanders shall establish procedures which give Navy wives an opportunity to present complaints, viewpoints, and suggestions to commanding officers.”

In the fifty years since inception, the program is now open to all spouses of Sailors, and has continued to grow and evolve while serving its mission of supporting and serving the families of the Navy community. In addition to serving as liaisons between command families and the command, ombudsmen welcome arriving families, serve as a source of emergency and crisis information, and coordinate services for families during deployment.

“These selfless volunteers are crucial to the success of our Navy,” writes Admiral Michael Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations. “The contributions Ombudsmen make to the success of a command’s mission are immeasurable.

Their support to Navy families enable Sailors and commands to focus on mission requirements while knowing that their families have a trained and reliable resource to provide support on the home front.”

Here onboard NAS Sigonella, Agata Carnazza serves as the Ombudsmen Coordinator at Fleet and Family Support Center.

Each command is required to have at least one ombudsmen but may have more. “If someone is interested, they should contact Fleet and Family Services,” said Carnazza, “or they can go directly to their command and offer their services.” After being appointed by their commanding officer, ombudsmen take a three-day training. “Our next training is October 28-30, or there’s one online every month,” Carnazza added.

Usually, NAS Sigonella ombudsmen meet on the second Thursday of every month to discuss business and take advanced training on different topics that affect military families. There is also a dedicated space for ombudsmen in the FFS office, including a computer, a small library, and a quiet space to work on projects or meet with people in a professional environment.

In addition to collecting questions from families and bringing them to the command at monthly meetings, NAS Sigonella ombudsmen present at the spousal orientation and at sponsor training.

During the coronavirus pandemic, NAS Sigonella’s ombudsmen worked overtime making sure families were kept up to date on the quickly changing situation. Instead of monthly meetings, the ombudsmen met via teleconference every week, getting information directly from the CO or XO as well as the Public Affairs Officer to provide to their commands. “The ombudsmen have played a huge role during this difficult time,” said Carnazza.

Because of the coronavirus mitigation precautions, this year’s 50th anniversary celebration will look different than years past; however, ombudsmen will still receive certificates of appreciation as well as gifts from Morale, Welfare, and Recreation as a thank you for their hard work.

Interview with Mandalyn Gilles, Ombudsman, NCTS

How would you describe the ombudsman program to someone new to military life?

I would say that an Ombudsman is a spouse who communicates regularly, provides information, outreach, appropriate referral resources, and acts as an advocate for command families. Essentially, they are the link between command leadership and families. They are also a great resource for families.

Who should consider becoming an ombudsman? How much of a time commitment is it?

Any spouse who has a genuine desire to advocate and help other families. The time commitment really varies. Every month, ombudsmen attend a two-hour assembly meeting and generally have a meeting with their command’s Triad. We also periodically give briefs at command indoc and spouse and sponsor orientations. Otherwise, the communication and outreach to families varies based on what’s happening within the command and within family units. Sometimes it’s very quiet and other times, it’s quite busy. We are always on call.

Can you share a rewarding or meaningful moment from serving as an ombudsman here in Sigonella?

There are honestly so many moments, it’s difficult to select one. Anytime I am able to provide a spouse or family with resolution when they come to me with an issue or concern makes the position feel incredibly meaningful. I’m lucky to have had the opportunity to work with some really responsive and caring leadership during my time serving as an ombudsman in Sigonella, which has made my job so much easier.

What’s something you wish people knew about the ombudsmen program?

We aren’t a spouse club! I have heard this misnomer many times and it simply isn’t true. Ombudsmen are volunteers and family advocates that are appointed by their command’s CO. We must sign a volunteer agreement and are held to a code of ethics. Meetings and general ombudsman business is conducted professionally and we must abide by strict codes of confidentiality.

What are the best ways to get in touch with your ombudsman?

This is a great question! There are many ways to reach your ombudsman. Each ombudsman has an email and phone number that should be available to you via your command. If your command has an ombudsman in Sigonella, their photo, along with their contact information, will be on display outside of the commissary. Some have dedicated Facebook pages. You can always look up your ombudsman here: https:// ombudsmanregistry.cnic.navy.mil/ by clicking on “Contact your ombudsman.”