Commander, Task Force (CTF) 68's Ombudsman, one of four women selected as the 2015 Mrs. Sybil Stockdale Ombudsman of the Year, credits her family and command for her success, Aug. 25.

Ronye McCarthy, who also serves as the Naval Station Rota Ombudsman Assembly Chair, emphasized the importance of this award named in honor of Mrs. Sybil Stockdale for her steadfast support for families of prisoners of war during her husband's, Vice Adm. James Bond Stockdale, seven-year internment in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War.

"I didn't realize the magnitude of the award at first and I started to realize just how many ombudsmen are spread out across the force," added McCarthy. "This award is such an honor; it really just makes me want to strive to do more."

Capt. Joseph Polanin, commodore of CTF 68, who nominated McCarthy for the award, spoke about her impact to Naval Station Rota, his staff, and the deployed expeditionary forces under his command.

"Ronye greatly enhanced operational readiness for our families at home, abroad, and our deployed Sailors and Marines in 25 countries across Europe and Africa," said Polanin. "She is an extraordinarily humble professional and an indispensable member of our command leadership team. I am so proud of her accomplishment and wish her many years of success as an ombudsman."

Serving as ombudsman for little more than a year McCarthy emphasized her gratitude at initially being nominated for this award.

"This award is almost like a springboard for me to improve what I am already doing. I am still on cloud nine," said McCarthy. "A lot of times I don't think I'm doing enough and it is a wow factor to get this type of recognition."

Like most ombudsmen, McCarthy brings unique experiences and capabilities to her role. She believes her husband's career path from enlisted to officer has allowed her to understand all ranks in the military to best serve the command and their families.

"I have seen both sides and I am able to relate to every spouse in every rank," said McCarthy who jokes that she gets in where she can fit in to best serve where she is needed. "I simply want to keep on paying it forward."

McCarthy added that the Mrs. Sybil Stockdale Ombudsman of the Year awards also serve to showcase the valuable work ombudsmen perform for their commands 365 days of the year.

"A lot of people don't realize what ombudsman can do and at the end of the day we are here to help them," said McCarthy, who provides support for nearly 7,000 service members and their families in her dual-hatted role as Naval Station Rota Ombudsman Assembly Chair and CTF 68 Ombudsman.

McCarthy, who is a mother of two, offers this advice for other ombudsmen.

"Follow your heart and make sure you have that connection with your command support team," said McCarthy. "My main advice is that you are not alone and to use your brothers and sisters in your assembly to help you to make your command better."

McCarthy, who is pursuing a bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management, also emphasized the importance of resource management as a tool for ombudsmen to utilize.

"In CTF 68, we see a lot of deployable units and in my dual-hatted role I have been able to touch base with their ombudsman back at home to best offer my assistance and answer questions," said McCarthy. "They know that I am here for them as a resource they can count on."

The Stockdale Ombudsman of the Year Award is scheduled to be presented in San Diego, California, at the 33rd annual Armed Services Family Readiness Volunteers Recognition Ceremony on Sept. 24.

The Navy Family Ombudsman Program was created in 1970 by Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr., then chief of naval operations (CNO), to improve communication between commands and the families of Sailors who served in them.

Navy Expeditionary Combat Command is an enduring warfighting force providing expeditionary capabilities across the full range of military operations in sea-to-shore and inland operating environments focused on delivering combat support and combat service support ready for worldwide operations now and into the future.