It’s called the most difficult job in the military and for good reason. Being a military spouse is challenging and made more challenging when your significant other is a Navy Reserve Sailor called to active duty. Where do spouses and other family member supporters turn for help when they are miles away from a command and have no connection? The answer is the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman program has been around since 1970 when then Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Elmo Zumwalt issued the first Navy Family Ombudsman Program Instruction which adapted the concept of a spouse-to-spouse agent and representative for the command’s families. Every Navy command is required to appoint an Ombudsman to serve as the first resource for Navy families. They are volunteer family members who serve as communication links, information and referral resources, and supporters for command family members.
Ombudsmen receive standardized training in the form of Ombudsman Basic Training (OBT). It is mandatory of all new Ombudsmen upon appointment, and serving Ombudsman must recertify every thirty-six months. Quarterly on-going training and assemblies are also required to ensure Ombudsmen are up to date on the most current resources available to military families.
“As the commanding officer of a Navy Reserve Center, I find that the Ombudsman is a critical element for my command,” said Cmdr. Patrick Griffin who oversees Navy Reserve Center Las Vegas. “They understand to a greater degree what a Selected Reserve Sailor goes through both on their weekends where they serve, or on their deployments, and how it affects their families and employers.” In February, Navy Reserve Center Las Vegas hosted an Ombudsman training opportunity with the support of Navy Reserve Region Readiness and Mobilization Command San Diego (REDCOM San Diego) which brought more than 30 people together from around the country to better understand their new roles as an Ombudsman and to reinforce the importance of the program to those within leadership.
For Cmdr. Christopher Kucala, the commanding officer at Navy Reserve Center Salt Lake City, what makes a good Ombudsman is their availability, relatability, and a heart to serve. But before that can happen the command has a responsibility to set the Ombudsman up for success.
“I think maximizing visibility is the biggest suggestion I have for any Ombudsman,” said Kucala. “The command certainly has a duty to assist via platforms on the plan of the month, Sailor indoctrination and introduction at family friendly command activities. A lack of awareness of what an Ombudsman does and who is the Ombudsman is often the largest barrier to providing great family support.”
Providing great family support is the key to the program according to Susan Hare who has served as an Ombudsman trainer for over twenty years.
“I’m passionate about military families because I’m the spouse of an active duty Sailor that served for 33 years, and the mother of a Sailor who completed a tour with the Navy,” said Hare. “During my husband’s career, I served as an Ombudsman and was ultimately the Force Ombudsman for Naval Surface Force Pacific (SURFPAC) for seven years. I understand the role and responsibility of the Ombudsman Program and I want to make sure those spouses that want to participate are properly trained and know where they can turn to for assistance.”
The Ombudsman program is not unique to the Navy. All branches have a similar program to improve communication and assistance between commands and families. With the Reserve Center located on Nellis AFB and a large Air Force presence in the Las Vegas area, Griffin invited Col. Joshua DeMotts and his wife Patti to speak about the Air Force’s program and how they take care of their families.
“With the diverse talent and experience in the room, it made for an outstanding class,” Griffin said. “Navy Ombudsmen asking questions of Air Force Ombudsmen gave the class a unique perspective that is not normally found in a typical Ombudsman training.”
The next in-person Reserve OBT will be hosted by REDCOM GREAT LAKES 4-6 AUG 2023. Registration is currently open at www.yellowribbon.mil.
If you are interested in becoming an Ombudsman contact your command’s Ombudsman or your Reserve Center for more information.
Rear Adm. Richard S. Lofgren serves as the Acting Chief of Navy Reserve and Acting Commander, Navy Reserve Force. In this role, he provides strategic leadership and oversight for Navy Reserve personnel and operations worldwide, supporting the readiness and integration of Reserve forces across the fleet. A Surface Warfare Officer, Rear Adm. Lofgren brings extensive operational and command experience across maritime expeditionary, coastal riverine, and surface warfare missions, including service in senior leadership roles supporting U.S. naval operations in multiple geographic combatant commands. His career reflects a sustained commitment to operational excellence, leadership development, and the effective employment of Navy Reserve forces in support of national security objectives.
Rear Adm. Luke Frost is a Surface Warfare Officer with extensive operational, command, and strategic leadership experience across the fleet. He has served in senior command roles at sea and ashore, including command of major surface combatants and amphibious forces operating throughout the Central Command and Indo-Pacific areas of responsibility. As a Flag Officer, Rear Adm. Frost served as Director, Reserve Warfare (OPNAV N0959) on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations, where he provided oversight and strategic guidance for Reserve force integration and readiness. His career reflects a deep commitment to warfighting excellence, joint operations, and the effective employment of naval forces in support of U.S. national security objectives.
Rear Admiral John Saccomando is a Naval Aviator with extensive operational, command, and strategic leadership experience across both active and reserve components. He has served in multiple senior command and flag assignments supporting naval aviation, expeditionary operations, and installation readiness, including leadership roles within U.S. Fleet Forces and Naval Air Forces Atlantic. A combat-experienced aviator, Rear Adm. Saccomando brings deep expertise in joint operations, force integration, and operational readiness, reflecting a sustained commitment to advancing naval capabilities and supporting U.S. national security objectives worldwide.
Rear Adm. Greg Emery is a Navy Reserve flag officer with extensive leadership experience across naval oceanography, intelligence, and information warfare. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he has served in a wide range of operational, command, and staff assignments supporting global naval and joint operations, including senior leadership roles within Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command and the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Rear Adm. Emery brings deep expertise in intelligence integration, operational support, and information warfare, reflecting a sustained commitment to advancing decision advantage and mission readiness across the fleet.
Force Master Chief Nicole C. Rios serves as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of Navy Reserve, advising on the readiness, welfare, and professional development of approximately 59,000 Reserve Component Sailors supporting Navy, Marine Corps, and joint operations worldwide. A seasoned Command Master Chief, she brings extensive experience across aviation, expeditionary, and information warfare communities, with senior enlisted leadership assignments at the unit, regional, and force levels. Her career reflects a sustained commitment to Sailor advocacy, operational readiness, and the effective integration of Navy Reserve forces in support of national defense objectives.
Command Master Chief Lyons brings extensive operational and shore-based leadership experience across aviation, logistics, manpower, and readiness organizations within the Navy Reserve enterprise. Selected as a Command Master Chief in 2016, he has served in senior enlisted leadership roles at Navy Operational Support Center Pearl Harbor, Navy Personnel Command, Maritime Support Wing, Fleet Readiness Center Mid-West, and currently serves as the Command Master Chief for Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command. An Aviation Warfare Specialist, he is recognized for sustained excellence in leadership and readiness, earning multiple personal, joint, and unit awards throughout his career.
Command Master Chief Louvier enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1997 and brings extensive aviation maintenance and readiness leadership experience across multiple Fleet Logistics, Strike Fighter, Helicopter, and Reserve aviation commands. Selected as a Command Master Chief in 2015, he has served in senior enlisted leadership roles at VR-56, Commander, Tactical Support Wing, Fleet Readiness Center Reserve Mid-West, and currently serves as the Command Master Chief for Commander, Naval Air Force Reserve. An Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist, he is a graduate of the Senior Enlisted Academy and multiple executive leadership programs and has earned numerous personal and unit awards for sustained excellence in leadership and mission readiness.
Master Chief Jerry E. Dotson was born in Garden Grove, California, and raised in Sacramento. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on July 29, 2002, and completed recruit training and Electrician’s Mate “A” School in Great Lakes, Illinois. His career spans operational, reserve, aviation, and senior enlisted leadership assignments, and he currently serves as the Command Master Chief for Commander, Naval Information Force Reserve.