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What the heck is an OMBUDSMAN?
- Thread starter Sabre170
- Start date
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Hey Honourclass, no need to be a jerk.
That dictionary doesn't really explain it as per a military organization anyway.
In a squadron, there are usually 2 OMBUDSMAN's (or whatever the pluralization is...OMBUDSMEN?). Usually one officer's wife and one wife of an enlisted guy, act as points of contact for squadron issues affecting families. Everything from squadron picnics, to deployment schedules, to family emergencies. Now I'm not married, so I never had much interaction with them, but they were always a huge help to the squadron.
I'm sure they do a whole lot more, and maybe one of the spouses on here can help. I just wanted to give you something constructive and informative, even if only a little.
on a side note, they are slected by the CO, and yes they do act as liasons to the families.
That dictionary doesn't really explain it as per a military organization anyway.
In a squadron, there are usually 2 OMBUDSMAN's (or whatever the pluralization is...OMBUDSMEN?). Usually one officer's wife and one wife of an enlisted guy, act as points of contact for squadron issues affecting families. Everything from squadron picnics, to deployment schedules, to family emergencies. Now I'm not married, so I never had much interaction with them, but they were always a huge help to the squadron.
I'm sure they do a whole lot more, and maybe one of the spouses on here can help. I just wanted to give you something constructive and informative, even if only a little.
on a side note, they are slected by the CO, and yes they do act as liasons to the families.
gagirl
Registered User
Testy aren't we???
Can't say it much better that zab1001. They were very helpful when I moved while my husband was overseas. I would keep in touch with one of them and keep them updated on my new phone numbers etc. and God forbid there was a need to contact me she could. While I didn't have phones or email she was my only link to my SO.
I do not know where the word came from or how it came about. Sorry I can't give anymore info.
Can't say it much better that zab1001. They were very helpful when I moved while my husband was overseas. I would keep in touch with one of them and keep them updated on my new phone numbers etc. and God forbid there was a need to contact me she could. While I didn't have phones or email she was my only link to my SO.
I do not know where the word came from or how it came about. Sorry I can't give anymore info.
bennett4362
deployment sucks
this is what it says in the dictionary. pretty irrelevant from a military point of view, so don't bother looking it up sabre 
One entry found for ombudsman.
Main Entry: om·buds·man
Pronunciation: 'äm-"budz-m&n, 'om-, -b&dz-, -"man; äm-'budz-, om-
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural om·buds·men /-m&n/
Etymology: Swedish, literally, representative, from Old Norse umbothsmathr, from umboth commission + mathr man
1 : a government official (as in Sweden or New Zealand) appointed to receive and investigate complaints made by individuals against abuses or capricious acts of public officials
2 : one that investigates reported complaints (as from students or consumers), reports findings, and helps to achieve equitable settlements
One entry found for ombudsman.
Main Entry: om·buds·man
Pronunciation: 'äm-"budz-m&n, 'om-, -b&dz-, -"man; äm-'budz-, om-
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural om·buds·men /-m&n/
Etymology: Swedish, literally, representative, from Old Norse umbothsmathr, from umboth commission + mathr man
1 : a government official (as in Sweden or New Zealand) appointed to receive and investigate complaints made by individuals against abuses or capricious acts of public officials
2 : one that investigates reported complaints (as from students or consumers), reports findings, and helps to achieve equitable settlements
Honour_Class said:
This is an example of many posts that airwarriors now contains. I know I am not aviation but i found this site about 2 years ago. Now that the members have nearly doubled since then, the overall attitude of the site has become negative. People who know or think they know all the answers no longer will communicate to people in a considerate manner. It seems that there are a few cliques similar to those of high schoolers and anybody not in that limited group are treated poorly.
Im not sure if anything can be done since this is a public forum, but it is sad to see members leave or discontinue posting. When people are treated like this they no longer want to ask questions and some who may be able to offer an answer will not do so.
Maybe an announcement could be made to either offer an answer or do not post. People spend more time offering a snide comment then it would to give the answer.
Sabre170 said:
I'll take useless literary trivia for $800...
Don't know too much about the history of the word, but I do remember that it was one of my vocabulary words back in 10th grade when we read The Minister's Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and that was written in 1836, so it's been in use for at least that long.
Don't know which is worse- that I remember that or that I've just realized that 10th grade was 11 years ago
Actually, now that I think about it, it might have been a vocab word for Billy Budd by Herman Melville, but that was written in roughly the same time period.
NukeWife said:I'll take useless literary trivia for $800...
Don't know too much about the history of the word, but I do remember that it was one of my vocabulary words back in 10th grade when we read The Minister's Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and that was written in 1836, so it's been in use for at least that long.
Don't know which is worse- that I remember that or that I've just realized that 10th grade was 11 years ago
Actually, now that I think about it, it might have been a vocab word for Billy Budd by Herman Melville, but that was written in roughly the same time period.
Ahhhhh. but you forgot to put it in question form. What is Actually, now that I think about it, it might have been a vocab word for Billy Budd by Herman Melville, but that was written in roughly the same time period.
I will continue the catagory Alex...$1000..
I bet that dude Ken would know the answer.
bigmouth
You know I don't speak Spanish!
Ombudsman, as it is mentioned above, is of Swedish etymology, but it is used in Norway, Denmark, and Iceland too. I know, because I lived in Scandinavia for a while. It is basically a middle man between the people and the government. Or in our case, the sailors and the higher ups.
"Bud" means message, so he's almost like a lobbyist for whoever...
"Bud" means message, so he's almost like a lobbyist for whoever...
Sabre,
Not sure what you are going to OCS for, but our ombudsman was really a link between our squadron's wive's club and the ship. We (the general officer's wives- can't speak for the enlisted wives in the squadron) didn't have direct contact with her, it was all done through the squadron skipper's wife. Rest assured that most, if not all, fleet squadrons have pretty active Officer's Spouses Clubs (generally more active when the squadron is on deployment) that offers lots of support to the wives and families when the husbands are gone. There is also usually a pre-deployment briefing to help you and your family get ready for a deployment and details the different types of support available to your family when you are gone. But for me, and most wives I know, the biggest source of support and information when my husband was gone was the wive's club. I often knew details such as dates and times of port calls, homecoming, etc. before my husband did on the ship! At any rate, it's not something I would worry about now, since you are quite a while away from a possible deployment.
Best of luck!
Not sure what you are going to OCS for, but our ombudsman was really a link between our squadron's wive's club and the ship. We (the general officer's wives- can't speak for the enlisted wives in the squadron) didn't have direct contact with her, it was all done through the squadron skipper's wife. Rest assured that most, if not all, fleet squadrons have pretty active Officer's Spouses Clubs (generally more active when the squadron is on deployment) that offers lots of support to the wives and families when the husbands are gone. There is also usually a pre-deployment briefing to help you and your family get ready for a deployment and details the different types of support available to your family when you are gone. But for me, and most wives I know, the biggest source of support and information when my husband was gone was the wive's club. I often knew details such as dates and times of port calls, homecoming, etc. before my husband did on the ship! At any rate, it's not something I would worry about now, since you are quite a while away from a possible deployment.
Best of luck!
bennett4362
deployment sucks
for those of us whose husbands were off the street to ocs, there are not many opportunities to interact with someone like the ombudsman for information during that time. i think, like nfowife said, the ombudsman becomes important after you're in the fleet and on deployment.
Sabre,
Maybe you will get lucky and this topic will be yours to discuss during BOLTC!
Ombudsman – Playing an Important Role in the Lives of Military Families
Story Number: NNS030819-12
Release Date: 8/19/2003 2:13:00 PM
By Kaylee LaRocque, Naval Air Station Jacksonville Public Affairs
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- Thirty-three years ago, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Elmo Zumwalt established the Navy Family Ombudsman Program to provide a liaison between commanding officers (CO) and military family members. He took this concept from a program used in the 19th century in Scandinavia, when ombudsman positions were used to allow common citizens access to express their concerns to high government officials.
Throughout the years, ombudsmen have played vital roles in keeping military families informed about their servicemembers' commands, especially during deployments. They are the one to turn to whenever a helping hand is needed, lending support, guidance and a reassuring smile when a loved one is at sea and things are a little stressful.
A command ombudsman is appointed by the CO. This volunteer position is usually filled by the spouse of an enlisted service member to act as a full member of the commanding officer’s team. They serve as a communication link between the CO and family members, and as information and referral specialists.
Coordinating this unique program is the Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC), Ombudsman Program coordinator. “The FFSC is responsible for overseeing the training of new ombudsman. We also assist the base ombudsman chairman with the Ombudsman Assembly each month, coordinate advanced training, and offer guidance and additional resources to command ombudsmen,” said Dianne Parker, who has trained ombudsmen at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Jax FFSC since 1988.
The NAS Jax FFSC holds training for new ombudsmen bi-annually. “We have people from all over the world attending our training. Any base that does not have an FFSC, their commands can send ombudsmen to our training. Last week, we held our summer training session and had ombudsman from out-of-state,” added Parker.
Once the ombudsman is appointed by the CO, they are required to attend a 40-hour training session to teach them the basic skills needed for this job. “We teach them communication skills, what they are required to report if necessary, confidentiality requirements, how to establish a working relationship with the families, and provide them with the information and referrals they may need,” Parker continued.
“We are also tasked with providing ongoing training which is done through our ombudsman assemblies," added Parker. "This training covers guidelines on how to deal with the media, suicide prevention, learning to be assertive and how to handle emergencies. I can’t stress enough how important it is for command ombudsmen to attend ombudsman assembly meetings. It’s a great forum to gain knowledge, which will allow them to better help the families in a time of need.”
Currently, there are about 45 ombudsmen on base. These volunteers will remain in this role until there is a change of command. At that time, they are required to submit a letter of resignation. If they desire to continue in the role as ombudsman after the CO transfers, they must submit a letter of continuance to the incoming CO. Most are asked to stay on in the position. New candidates for the position are screened on such things as how much time they can devote to the job, motivation, communication skills and experience.
Although they are not paid for their services, ombudsmen are reimbursed for any authorized expenses, such as mileage, childcare and office supplies. It may not sound like much, but the most significant value they gain is the satisfaction of helping other command family members. They also gain skills and experience that will benefit them throughout their lives.
“I volunteered for this position, because I get satisfaction out of helping other people. My husband Chad joined the Navy when he was 18, and I became a Navy wife at 19. I didn’t know what to do or who to turn to. I don’t want others to ever feel that way,” explained Tammy Barrett, ombudsman for NAS Jax.
“It’s hard to find someone to volunteer as an ombudsman," Barrett continued. "It’s not an easy position, and it takes a special kind of person for this job. We need quality dedicated people who want to help their command and its family members,” Parker stated.
For related news, visit the Naval Air Station Jacksonville Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/nasjax.
Maybe you will get lucky and this topic will be yours to discuss during BOLTC!
Ombudsman – Playing an Important Role in the Lives of Military Families
Story Number: NNS030819-12
Release Date: 8/19/2003 2:13:00 PM
By Kaylee LaRocque, Naval Air Station Jacksonville Public Affairs
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- Thirty-three years ago, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Elmo Zumwalt established the Navy Family Ombudsman Program to provide a liaison between commanding officers (CO) and military family members. He took this concept from a program used in the 19th century in Scandinavia, when ombudsman positions were used to allow common citizens access to express their concerns to high government officials.
Throughout the years, ombudsmen have played vital roles in keeping military families informed about their servicemembers' commands, especially during deployments. They are the one to turn to whenever a helping hand is needed, lending support, guidance and a reassuring smile when a loved one is at sea and things are a little stressful.
A command ombudsman is appointed by the CO. This volunteer position is usually filled by the spouse of an enlisted service member to act as a full member of the commanding officer’s team. They serve as a communication link between the CO and family members, and as information and referral specialists.
Coordinating this unique program is the Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC), Ombudsman Program coordinator. “The FFSC is responsible for overseeing the training of new ombudsman. We also assist the base ombudsman chairman with the Ombudsman Assembly each month, coordinate advanced training, and offer guidance and additional resources to command ombudsmen,” said Dianne Parker, who has trained ombudsmen at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Jax FFSC since 1988.
The NAS Jax FFSC holds training for new ombudsmen bi-annually. “We have people from all over the world attending our training. Any base that does not have an FFSC, their commands can send ombudsmen to our training. Last week, we held our summer training session and had ombudsman from out-of-state,” added Parker.
Once the ombudsman is appointed by the CO, they are required to attend a 40-hour training session to teach them the basic skills needed for this job. “We teach them communication skills, what they are required to report if necessary, confidentiality requirements, how to establish a working relationship with the families, and provide them with the information and referrals they may need,” Parker continued.
“We are also tasked with providing ongoing training which is done through our ombudsman assemblies," added Parker. "This training covers guidelines on how to deal with the media, suicide prevention, learning to be assertive and how to handle emergencies. I can’t stress enough how important it is for command ombudsmen to attend ombudsman assembly meetings. It’s a great forum to gain knowledge, which will allow them to better help the families in a time of need.”
Currently, there are about 45 ombudsmen on base. These volunteers will remain in this role until there is a change of command. At that time, they are required to submit a letter of resignation. If they desire to continue in the role as ombudsman after the CO transfers, they must submit a letter of continuance to the incoming CO. Most are asked to stay on in the position. New candidates for the position are screened on such things as how much time they can devote to the job, motivation, communication skills and experience.
Although they are not paid for their services, ombudsmen are reimbursed for any authorized expenses, such as mileage, childcare and office supplies. It may not sound like much, but the most significant value they gain is the satisfaction of helping other command family members. They also gain skills and experience that will benefit them throughout their lives.
“I volunteered for this position, because I get satisfaction out of helping other people. My husband Chad joined the Navy when he was 18, and I became a Navy wife at 19. I didn’t know what to do or who to turn to. I don’t want others to ever feel that way,” explained Tammy Barrett, ombudsman for NAS Jax.
“It’s hard to find someone to volunteer as an ombudsman," Barrett continued. "It’s not an easy position, and it takes a special kind of person for this job. We need quality dedicated people who want to help their command and its family members,” Parker stated.
For related news, visit the Naval Air Station Jacksonville Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/nasjax.
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