The Chief of Naval Operations Ombudsman at Large (OAL), Martha Faller, visited with local Ombudsman in the Great Lakes area, April 23.

During the visit, Faller toured Recruit Training Command (RTC) to observe and interact with recruits and RTC staff, ate lunch with RTC Commanding Officer Doug Pfeifle in the USS Arizona's galley, toured a recruit compartment, and was hosted by RTC's chaplains at the Recruit Blue Jacket Memorial Chapel.

"The visit has been fantastic," said Faller. "This has been my first time visiting Recruit Training Command. I am very impressed with the recruits. They are our future and they are inspiring."

The purpose of the visit was for Faller to meet with families and discuss any challenges or issues that she could assist with. She met with the local ombudsman visited with local resources such as Fleet and Family Resource Center and the chapel.

"The main goal for me is providing outreach to the families," said Faller. "Great Lakes RTC is the gateway to the Navy so it is our job to let them know what the ombudsman program can offer them and also what Navy resources are out there."

A command ombudsman is appointed by the commanding officer for each command across the Navy. This volunteer position is usually filled by the spouse of a service member to serve as the primary communications link between the families and the command, and the channel of official information from the command to the families.

"RTC ombudsmen are valuable assets to the command," said Capt. Doug Pfeifle, commanding officer, Recruit Training Command. "They are crucial in facilitating communication between the command and family members, fostering a better understanding of the needs and viewpoints of the families, and providing information and assistance to family members within the command. We are pleased to welcome the Ombudsman at Large and introduce her to RTC and the future of the Navy."
The Naval Station Great Lakes Fleet and Family Support Center Ombudsman Coordinator, Debra Pruitt, also participated in the OAL visit.

"I think it is great for the local ombudsman to get to meet someone like Ms. Faller who has a lot of experience and knowledge," said Pruitt. "It is inspiring for families to know that the ombudsman program is not just local. Everywhere they go while their spouse is in the Navy there will be a command ombudsman to be there for them."

Faller said that just having the opportunity to get to meet with the navy families it is inspiring.
"Navy spouses are incredible," said Faller. "They are so resilient; we stick together, we take care of each other and that is another reason that I think it is so important for us, as spouses, to be educated on the different resources out there to help us. If we are empowered as spouses and have that information and knowledge, all the resources that we can use to help ourselves only makes it easier for the active duty members to do their job."

The ombudsman program is one of many programs provided by the Fleet and Family Support Program, which enhances Sailor readiness and family preparedness, thereby contributing to mission readiness. The program is committed to promoting self-reliance and resilience, not dependency, and empowers Navy families to meet the unique challenges of the military lifestyle.


For more news from Recruit Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/.