RAAUZYUW RUEWMCS0000 2251331-UUUU--RUCRNAD
ZNR UUUUU
R 121331Z AUG 08
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N00//
TO NAVADMIN
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UNCLAS//N05000//
NAVADMIN 217/08
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N00/SEP// 
SUBJ/NAVY FAMILY OMBUDSMAN APPRECIATION DAY// 
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  ON BEHALF OF SAILORS, NAVY CIVILIANS, AND FAMILY 
MEMBERS AROUND WORLD, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK OUR 
NAVY FAMILY OMBUDSMEN.  THEY WORK TIRELESSLY AND GIVE OF THEIR TIME TO 
IMPROVE THE READINESS AND LIVES OF OUR SAILORS AND THEIR FAMILIES.  
WITHOUT THEM, WE COULD NOT DO WHAT WE DO AS A NAVY.
2.  AS THE DEMAND FOR OUR NAVY INCREASES, WE FIND OURSELVES MORE 
DEPENDENT ON THE OMBUDSMAN NETWORK.  THEY PROVIDE INFORMATION AND 
GUIDANCE TO THOSE WHO NEED IT AND SUPPORT OUR FAMILIES.  THEIR 
ASSISTANCE IN DEALING WITH CHALLENGES FROM NATURAL DISASTERS TO 
EXTENDED DEPLOYMENTS HAS BEEN EXTRAORDINARY. 
3.  OMBUDSMEN CONNECT OUR COMMANDS WITH NAVY FAMILIES, THEY EASE THE 
UNAVOIDABLE STRAIN ASSOCIATED WITH LONG DEPLOYMENTS.  THEY KEEP THE 
CHAIN OF COMMAND INFORMED ABOUT CRITICAL ISSUES FACING OUR PEOPLE, FROM 
HOUSING AND CHILD CARE, TO PAY AND BENEFITS.  OUR NAVY IS NOTHING 
WITHOUT OUR SAILORS.  WITHOUT OMBUDSMEN, WE WOULD FIND IT MORE 
DIFFICULT TO DO OUR JOB.  THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR SAILORS IS A TESTAMENT 
TO THEIR GREAT SUCCESS.
4. SEPTEMBER 14TH IS SET ASIDE TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THESE 
DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS.  I ENCOURAGE ALL COMMANDS TO HOST APPROPRIATE 
FUNCTIONS THAT EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION. FOR MORE 
INFORMATION ABOUT THE OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM, VISIT THE NAVY FLEET AND 
FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER WEB SITE AT WWW.NFFSP.ORG.
5.  AGAIN, THANK YOU TO ALL THE OMBUDSMEN AROUND THE GLOBE FOR SERVING 
AND SUPPORTING OUR NAVY.
6.  RELEASED BY ADM G. ROUGHEAD, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.// 
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