Fleet and Family Support Center, in partnership with the Metro San Diego Naval Bases, hosted Ombudsman Appreciation Night at the Admiral Kidd Catering and Conference Center onboard Naval Base Point Loma, Sept. 13, 2024.

A day in September is reserved every year for Navy personnel and families to show appreciation to command Ombudsmen for their service to the fleet, fighter, and family.

Capt. Elizabeth Adriano, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command San Diego’s Commander, and Command Master Chief Adolfo Gonzalez, NMRTC San Diego’s senior enlisted leader, expressed their appreciation and gratitude to NMRTC San Diego’s Ombudsmen, Morgan Markham, Kylie Gerhz, Jastine Dedios, and Jennifer Belding. These volunteers contribute to the success of Naval Medical Center San Diego, NRMTC San Diego, and deploying units.

Ombudsmen are Navy spouse volunteers who are appointed by the commanding officer and serve two main roles as both a link of communication between the commanding officer and families, and as a professionally trained information and referral specialist for the command’s families.

The Navy Family Ombudsman Program is a Navy-wide program established by Adm. Elmo Zumwalt on Sept. 14, 1970, to improve mission readiness and family connectedness.

For more information about NMCSD’s Ombudsman team, or willingness to serve as an Ombudsman, email nmcsd.ombudsman@gmail.com, or follow them on social media.

The mission of NMCSD is to prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high quality health care services, and shape the future of military medicine through education, training, and research. NMCSD employs more than 5,000 active-duty military personnel, civilians and contractors in southern California to provide patients with world-class care. Anchored in Excellence, Committed to Health! (U.S. Navy story by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jacob Woitzel)

Story originally posted on DVIDS: NMCSD Recognizes Command Ombudsman