FFSC celebrates 30-year journey

Photos by Clark Pierce Guest speaker Alice Stratton (former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Force Support and Families Alice Stratton) is flanked by (from left) NAS Jacksonville Commanding Officer Capt. Jack Scorby Jr., NS Mayport Commanding Officer Capt. Aaron Bowman, NSB Kings Bay Commanding Officer Capt. Ward Stevens and Navy Region Southeast Chief of Staff Capt. Matthew Straughan to celebrate 30 years of service by Navy Fleet and Family Support Centers.

In addition to commanding officers, chaplains and ombudsmen representing the Jacksonville tri-base area, the room was filled with a variety of counselors, facilitators, coordinators and other work/life specialists who devote themselves to the well being of service members and their families.

Ready to cut the cake celebrating 30 years of fleet and family support. (From left) NAS Jax FFSC Director Carolyn McCorvey, NAS Jax Commanding Officer Capt. Jack Scorby Jr., NS Mayport FFSC Director Janice Rand, NS Mayport Commanding Officer Capt. Aaron Bowman, NSB Kings Bay FFSC Work & Family Life Supervisor Felipe Gonzalez and NSB Kings Bay Commanding Officer Capt. Ward Stevens.

During this period of high-tempo deployments, utilization of Fleet and Family Support Centers (FFSC) is at an all-time high. FFSC provides information and teaches practical skills that help service members and families to cope with a highly mobile and sometimes-stressful military lifestyle.

(From left) AFCM Ray Dimonda, a senior enlisted advisor from VR-58, joined NAS Jax Command Master Chief Jeff Hudson and CWO5 Wayne Elliott, OIC of Southeast Regional Calibration Center, to pay tribute to FFSC for 30 years of accomplishments in support of Navy families.

NAS Jax FFSC Director Carolyn McCorvey explained, "Thirty years ago someone saw the need to put an agency in place that focused on family needs related to mission readiness. It truly embodies the idea that readiness begins at home. In my 10 years with FFSC, we've seen a lot of wonderful programs come on board. The most recent is our Individual Augmentee Support Program, but we also have added a number of classes that help prevent potential abuse by helping Sailors and spouses to improve their parenting skills."

She added, "Any negative stigma about seeking help at FFSC has been removed because Navy commanders all the way up to CNO have long ago bought into the benefits of Fleet and Family Support Centers." "From stress and anger management, financial planning and couples communication to suicide prevention, new-parent classes, domestic violence prevention, relocation and transition counseling - and the list goes on - FFSC helps make life more meaningful for Navy and Marine Corps families. Perhaps best of all, every program is free, so there's no reason not to utilize our wide-ranging services," concluded McCorvey.

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Director Dave Faraldo discusses the value of FFSC to maintaining squadron readiness with VP-16 Executive Officer Cmdr. Mark Melson.

"Congratulations to our colleagues at Fleet and Family Support Center for a phenomenal job," said NAS Jax Command Chaplain (Cmdr.) Gerald Felder. "The past 30 years have seen a true team effort evolve between FFSC and the Navy Chaplain Corps to make sure we effectively take care of the families, and single Sailors, in all our commands in the tri-base region. I serve on several boards and I touch base with Carolyn McCorvey on a weekly basis to ensure our spiritual and family counselors work cohesively with FFSC to serve the needs of our personnel."

Felder added, "FFSC is not only a partner with the Chaplain Corps, but also with other commands and organizations to make sure our people do not fall victim to the pressures of life - and are well-prepared to take on their assignments in the fleet."

"The relationship between command master chiefs and FFSC is a 30-year testament to the Navy's commitment to enhance the quality of life for all military members and their families," said NAS Jax CMDCM(SW/SS) Jeff Hudson. "Their counselors and work/life specialists never hesitate to come in early or stay late to assist with all phases of the deployment cycle. We appreciate this opportunity to show our appreciation to the professionals at FFSC."

"I first worked with FFSC in 1984 at NS Philadelphia," said NAS Jax MWR Installation Program Director John Bushick. "Since then, I've always appreciated the strong, cooperative effort that they exhibit in complementing our programs. That's very evident in our childcare and youth activities initiatives, as well as their new-parent support program.

" Dave Faraldo, director of the NAS Jax Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, said, "We're delighted to be part of this celebration. We work hand-in-glove with FFSC financial specialists, as well as command financial specialists, to provide interest-free loans or grants to service members who need money for emergency situations. We look forward to the next 30 years."

Cmdr. Mark Melson, executive officer of VP-16, said FFSC is an integral part of the squadron's readiness program. "Our ombudsmen and command financial specialists have a strong relationship with Fleet and Family Support Center. In my first two months as XO, I've already witnessed a number of cases where they helped our Sailors and their families overcome some of life's obstacles."

Stratton helped plant seed for FFSC "The idea for Fleet and Family Support Centers was conceived in the late 1960s and birthed in the late 1970s. It grew up in the 1980s and 1990s and has now matured in the new millennium," said guest speaker Alice Stratton, a former deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for force support and families, from 1985-89.

"My husband, Richard, was a POW in Hanoi from 1967 to 1973. And that made me a single parent to our two small sons. Myself and other POW/MIA families were starved for information. We needed help to deal with the stress and uncertainties concerning our service members - as well as keeping our lives together. We advocated for ourselves because at that time the Navy had no way to advocate for us. After our husbands returned from captivity, we continued to build our advocacy for Navy families."

"In 1978, I was honored to attend the Navy's first family awareness conference in Norfolk, Va. Despite a multitude of naysayers, our goal was to improve the status of Navy families in a time of shrinking resources - some things never change. God bless our Chief of Naval Operations at the time, Adm. Thomas Hayward, who declared, 'We're going to do this because it's the right thing to do.'"

"I was one of the principle organizers of the group that recommended the FFSC concept to the Department of Defense and presented it to the U.S. Congress 30 years ago."

The "Windward Brass" quintet of Navy Band Southeast entertained guests at the Navy Region Southeast luncheon celebrating 30 years of accomplishments by the Jacksonville Tri-Base Fleet and Family Support Centers.

She said that in 1979, the first pair of Family Service Centers (FSC) opened in Norfolk and San Diego. In 1982, the first overseas FSC opened in Naples, Italy. Since then, more than 100 centers have opened around the world. In 2001, FSC changed its name to Fleet and Family Support Center.

''Now, 30 years since the first center opened, we must continue to evolve how we serve the readiness needs of our next generations of military families. As always, resources are scarce and we are tasked to do more with less. The lesson for us today is to maintain close contact between the FFSC and the Navy, its various commands and their ombudsmen to remain proactive, not reactive, in supporting our spouses and families. Thank you for your service, God bless you all, and God bless America," said Stratton.