“Face to the fleet is a unique opportunity allowing the customer service representatives to get out on the ship to see first-hand the impact of the support they provide from their offices,” explained Mark Galiano, manager, GDSC, NAVSUP FLC San Diego.

The GDSC is a bicoastal NAVSUP program that operates both at FLC San Diego and FLC Norfolk. The program consists of two virtually connected, multi-channel site operations, with strategically integrated business processes. The GDSC program focuses on four key strategic areas – People, Processes, Technology, and Telecommunications.

The program's mission is to serve as a 24-hour, 365-day customer service call center for both afloat and ashore Department of Defense entities. At this time the CSRs receive about 80 percent of their requests via email and 20 percent by phone. The support requests can vary from research and analysis, checking stock availability, and transaction processing requisitions, to brokering. The CSRs utilize various tools to meet the GSDC goal of providing "one call resolutions". During the tour, multiple sailors mentioned the GDSC Hotline number, emphasizing the importance of connecting directly with the CSR and how it helps with filling mission requirements.

Many of the online databases can be difficult to access at sea when ships operate on limited bandwidth; this service allows the fleet to maximize readiness. Each supply department explained how communications function while at sea, what databases they used regularly, and how their team was organized. This gave the GDSC perspective of how their service was utilized and how they can continue to best serve their customer, the fleet.

During the tour, the employees met with the USS Carl Vinson supply department and toured facilities from storerooms to the crew’s mess deck. The CSRs met with the stock control team, the repairable asset management team, and the component control team. As they toured the ship, they learned about the daily routines of the sailors they work with, explored the different mess decks, and walked the passageways. For several employees, it was their first time aboard a carrier.

“This was my first time going onboard one of the ships I support at NAVSUP FLC San Diego. I enjoyed meeting the supply department and getting that face-to-face interaction.” Said Denise Crave, CSR, GDSC, NAVSUP FLC San Diego. “It really makes a difference meeting the people you email every day in person, putting a face to the name. I know I am making a difference serving the fleet.”

The USS Carl Vinson is the United States Navy's third Nimitz-class supercarrier. With a capacity of 6,012 people, it is like a city on water. With a fully functional barbershop, gymnasium, ship store, flight deck, multiple galleys, medical facilities, electronic warfare, and decoy countermeasures, and a capacity of more than 60 aircraft, the USS Carl Vinson embodies her motto Latin phrase "Vis Per Mare" which means "Strength through the Sea.”

“Our goal of these visits is to emphasize that we are a single, voice-to-voice, portal for supply and logistics information and services. These visits connect the CSRs directly to the fleet and supply departments they interact with daily,” said Galiano. “Building relationships is an essential part of fleet readiness and the mission of GDSC.”

NAVSUP FLC San Diego is one of eight FLCs under Commander, NAVSUP. Headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, NAVSUP employs a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 25,000 military and civilian personnel. NAVSUP and the Navy Supply Corps conduct and enable supply chain, acquisition, operational logistics and Sailor & family care activities with our mission partners to generate readiness and sustain naval forces worldwide to prevent and decisively win wars. Learn more at www.navsup.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/navsup and https://twitter.com/navsupsyscom.