Navy directs commands to contact 100% of sailors living in government and PPV housing

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy announced Feb. 23 that 100% of Sailors living in government and Public Private Venture (PPV) family housing will be contacted by their commands and asked if their housing is satisfactory.

NAVADMIN 043/19, released by Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) John Richardson and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Russell Smith, directed the action upon being alerted that the health, safety and well-being of some Sailors may have been negatively affected by the condition of their government and PPV family housing.

Richardson and Smith both affirmatively stated that our, “Sailors and their families deserve safe, quality living quarters and commands must advocate for all Sailors and their families.”

Every Sailor residing in PPV or government housing will be afforded an opportunity for a visit from their command at their residence no later than April 15, 2019. The visits are to be strictly voluntary and by invitation only. The purpose of these visits is to raise Navy awareness of family living conditions, to allow command leadership to personally observe any issues affecting the home and to understand any actions being taken to address them. If a problem is found, the visits serve as an opportunity to help Sailors and their families resolve the problem.

“We are prioritizing efforts to better understand our Sailors’ living conditions in on-base government family and PPV housing to ensure that as residents they are provided with the quality of life they have earned and deserve,” said Richardson.

Additional guidance will be released to commands early next week detailing how visits must be conducted. Importantly, the 100% contact order is not an inspection program but rather an opportunity for commands to advocate for their Sailors.

“Trust and confidence are the foundational bedrock upon which effective command rests and an open flow of communication is imperative,” said Smith. “We first encourage Sailors to raise issues with their chain of command. In the same vein, we need leaders to be engaged in the ways that Sailors are most receptive.”