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Suggest a Feature →Ombudsman Program
“The Ombudsman is the command's direct link to its families — a neutral, confidential, volunteer who serves both the CO and the fleet family.”
The Navy Ombudsman Program places trained volunteer advocates between Navy commands and their families. The Ombudsman is appointed by the Commanding Officer, serves a two-year term, and acts as a neutral information broker — connecting families to resources, communicating official command information, and reporting family welfare concerns to the CO. The role is strictly confidential and deliberately non-directive. Ombudsmen refer; they do not counsel.
Roles & Responsibilities
Appointed in writing by the CO. Serves as the primary liaison between command families and the command. Completes required training at the Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC). Maintains confidentiality except for safety concerns.
Supports the Ombudsman, carries additional family contacts, and serves as backup during the primary Ombudsman's absence or PCS.
The Reserve command support structure mirrors active duty but is organized through the Navy Operational Support Center.
How to Run It
Training is mandatory — complete it before you start
New Ombudsmen must complete the Ombudsman Basic Training at their local FFSC before serving in any official capacity. This is not optional. The training covers your legal role, confidentiality requirements, crisis intervention basics, and referral resources. Budget 8–16 hours depending on your FFSC's curriculum.
Register on the Ombudsman Registry
Every Ombudsman must be registered in the official Navy Ombudsman Registry system. This is how the command documents your appointment and how FFSC tracks the program. Your FFSC Ombudsman Coordinator can walk you through this.
Your core job: refer, don't counsel
The Ombudsman role is specifically defined as a referral resource, not a counseling resource. You connect families to the right professional. You do not provide financial advice, marital counseling, mental health services, or legal guidance. When in doubt, the answer is "let me connect you with someone who can help with that." FFSC, chaplain services, NLSO, and Navy Federal are your go-to referral list.
Confidentiality — the non-negotiable
All communications with families are confidential. The only exceptions: imminent threat to life, child abuse, or direct request from the family member to share. You cannot report a family's private struggles to the CO without their consent. This confidentiality is what makes families trust the program — break it once and the program is finished for that command.
Command communications
You are an official communication channel for the CO. The information flow goes both ways: command information goes to families through you, and family welfare trends come back to the CO through you (without identifying individuals). Maintain an Ombudsman newsletter — even a brief monthly email keeps families connected when the ship is underway.
Deployment Cycle
- ›Update all family contact information in the command roster
- ›Brief families on Ombudsman role, contact info, and how to reach you
- ›Coordinate with FFSC on available deployment support programs
- ›Establish your communication cadence — newsletter schedule, response time expectations
- ›Identify families new to the command or first deployment
- ›Monthly newsletter minimum — weekly during extended deployments or high-op-tempo periods
- ›Rapid response to family welfare concerns (within 24 hours)
- ›Coordinate with FFSC and chaplain for families in crisis
- ›Brief the CO on aggregate family welfare trends at regular intervals
- ›Connect families to Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society for financial emergencies
- ›Coordinate homecoming logistics with the command and FRG/family readiness staff
- ›Provide reintegration resource information to all families before return
- ›Be available in the weeks after homecoming — reintegration stress peaks 30–60 days after return
- ›Update contact records for families who moved or changed status during deployment
Pro Tips
The best Ombudsman isn't the most connected spouse — it's the most discreet and organized one. Confidentiality reputation is everything.
Build your resource list before you need it. Know your local FFSC points of contact by first name before the ship deploys.
Send a newsletter even when there's nothing to report. Silence during deployment creates anxiety. "The command has no major updates this week" is a useful message.
Never relay bad news — unit casualties, NCIS investigations, disciplinary action — without explicit guidance from the CO and the chaplain involved.
Your phone number is your primary tool. Families in crisis don't email — they call. Be available, or have a clearly communicated backup plan.
The CO needs to hear about family welfare trends, not gossip. Frame your reports around patterns: "Several families have mentioned difficulty with BAH changes" — not names.
Common Mistakes
Starting the job before completing FFSC Ombudsman Basic Training.
Treating the role as social media manager or event planner rather than a confidential liaison.
Sharing a family's personal situation with the CO or other families — even with good intentions.
Trying to solve problems directly instead of making referrals to qualified professionals.
Not registering in the Ombudsman Registry, leaving the appointment undocumented.
Going dark during deployment — families need regular communication when the ship is underway, not silence.
Regulations & Policy
The governing instruction for the entire program. Defines appointment, training requirements, duties, and program structure. Required reading.
View Document →Each FFSC may have supplemental local instructions. Contact your local FFSC Ombudsman Coordinator for installation-specific requirements.