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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Z-gram # 24 (Wives Ombudsman), 14 September 1970

FROM: CNO {Z-24}
TO: NAVOP
UNCLAS /// N01301 ///
141346Z SEP 70

SUBJ.: WIVES OMBUDSMAN

1. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NAVY WIFE AS A MEMBER OF THE NAVY TEAM CANNOT BE OVER EMPHASIZED. ALTHOUGH THE WELFARE OF WIVES HAS ALWAYS BEEN OF GREAT CONCERN TO THE NAVY IT HAS BEEN NOTED THAT THESE DEDICATED WOMEN HAVE NEVER HAD AN OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS TO COMMANDING OFFICERS AND BASE COMMANDERS.

2. TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION ALL SHORE BASED COMMANDERS SHALL ESTABLISH PROCEDURES WHICH GIVE NAVY WIVES AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT COMPLAINTS, VIEWPOINTS, AND SUGGESTIONS TO COMMANDING OFFICERS. IN PARTICULAR, SUCH PROCEDURES SHALL INCLUDE THE SELECTION OF A WIFE BY EACH LOCAL WIVES ORGANIZATION WHO WILL HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO THE COMMANDING OFFICER. THIS NAVY WIVES OMBUDSMAN CONCEPT SHALL REFLECT AND BUILD UPON RELATED ACTIVITIES IN EXISTING WIVES ORGANIZATIONS AND NAVY SERVICES AND BENEFITS COUNCILS. WE HAVE EACH BEEN GETTING GOOD ADVICE FROM OUR OWN WIVES. LET'S LISTEN CAREFULLY TO AN OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE.

E. R. ZUMWALT, JR., ADMIRAL, U.S NAVY,
CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.

Note: The original unclassified message is entirely double-spaced with all letters capitalized.