What is Fleet and Family Services?

Navy families, if you’re new to the fleet, you might have some questions about Fleet and Family Services. Be prepared to have your mind blown because FFSC can help you with just about every aspect of your Navy life!

The Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) offers numerous helpful resources to Naval personnel and their families. If you live a military lifestyle, you have some unique needs, responsibilities, and challenges. Fortunately, the support center is around to help. Here are just a few of the services that FFSC has to offer:

Resources, resources, resources. They're everywhere in the military life, but figuring out how to source them can be tough. Fortunately, Fleet and Family Support Center can help! Navigating the militaries countless services can be a task in and of itself. The Information and Referral program is here to lighten your load. If you make a request, you can get information about organization names, telephone numbers and physical addresses. You can also learn about education and therapeutic services.

Connecting with others in your military community is crucial. Not only will you start to make friends who will share this military voyage with you, but it's also pretty great not to have to explain the mil-life! But sometimes, making friends can be tough - especially when you're new to a base. Thanks to dedicated ombudsmen who work closely with Fleet and Family Support Center, spouses and families can receive all kinds of support. From extended training exercises to TDYs and everything in between, the Family Ombudsman Program can help. Best of all, the ombudsmen are themselves spouses of service members.

If you’re the spouse of a service member, you already know how nearly impossible it can be to maintain a profession. And, chances are you have a career of your own that you're trying to keep afloat while your spouse services in the Navy. Not to mention those OCONUS PCSs which can cause extra stress ... finding a job is, well, tough. The FFSC's Family Employment Readiness Program can show you how to find a job in your new location and will help you get accustomed to foreign labor markets.

How many times do you anticipate moving during your military life? If your spouse plans to serve a full 20, then you'll probably move at least six times. That's six new houses, six new bases, and six times you have to reset and restart. The thought alone can be tiring. Fortunately, FFSC's Relocation Assistance program is here to help! This program provides information on relocation and duty stations. You can also find out about military installations around the world.  

Planning for an exit from the military is a long process. Forget the paperwork and all the other stuff to sort out, you'll also have to prepare for reintegration into a civilian way of life. The thought alone is daunting, for sure. However, TAP can assist you and your spouse. Services include resume writing, financial planning and benefits information.

Personal Financial Planning

It’s okay if you don’t have a head for money. This FFSC program gives you one-on-one financial counseling. Learn to budget, save for a home, and manage expensive during your deployment.

Family Advocate Program

New installations, new jobs, new lifestyle patterns can all take their toll on military families. The FAP is designed to support families through tough times. It focuses on the prevention of family violence and teaches accountability to parents and spouses.

Please note that FFSC offers services additional to the ones provided in this article. For more information, visit the Naval FFSC website.