Among the main points discussed by the panel were the current concerns about seafarers’ salaries, along with issues surrounding access to mental health care and inflation-related housing allowances.
To address the issue of accessibility to mental health care, Greg Carlson, Forcemaster Chief of Naval Surface Forces in the U.S. Pacific Fleet, said significant investments are being made in the Navy’s mental health care portfolio and resource improvements are being made. said that there is constant progress in .
These resources include military family life counselors, psychologists, and behavioral health technicians on board all Navy ships, Carlson said. Additionally, by 2025, the goal is to include a member of the Chaplains Division on all naval ships of destroyer rank and above.
The committee then shifted its focus to the issue of restructuring the salaries of sailors and the timeliness of naval salaries and qualifications.
Fleet Master Chief Del Terrell, Fleet Master Chief and MyNavyHR spoke on some of these issues and said that while the fleet is not currently where it needs to be regarding payment concerns, it is on the right track and has learned from past mistakes. I admit that I am. .
“The reorganization is going very well with our Transaction Service Centers and Remote Transaction Service Centers, and we are confident that we will be able to handle seafarers within the fleet. We can work 24 hours a day, and we can have that family pay and get paid on time,” says Terrell. “We are moving quickly to address this and will look better in the future.”
The panel also addressed the problem of inflation, which is a burden to many seafarers and their families due to housing costs, and discussed ways to mitigate this problem through participation in research.
Participating in annual surveys is key to increasing housing benefits in areas where rents are rising, Terrell said. Collecting that data is what gives Congress the legitimacy it needs to make these changes.
The panelists concluded with what advice they would give to their younger selves as they graduate from basic training.
“One of the things you don’t realize when you first enter the Navy is the relationships you’re trying to build on your journey,” said John Perryman, Fleet Master Chief at U.S. Fleet Command. “The relationships you have developed in conducting our business are almost unheard of and irreplaceable outside of military service.Everyone you meet in the military has something to offer you.In the Navy. If you value every relationship and treat everyone with dignity and respect, it will come back tenfold.”
For more Navy Surface Force news, visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/.
