Intro: Welcome Aboard!
Anchors Aweigh – Introduction and Welcome Aboard!
So, you married a Sailor? Congratulations, and welcome aboard! You are setting forth on an exciting journey as a member of the U.S. Navy Family. We realize that you may not be a sailor yourself (or maybe you are!), but as a spouse of a Navy service member, you are indeed a member of the Navy Family at-large. And, a great one it is, too. Your experience on this journey will be a reflection of the approach you take to this unique way of life. Perhaps you already know that our all-volunteer military in the U.S. is comprised of only one percent of all Americans. That makes you part of a small and special subset of Americans who share the incredible opportunities, challenges and experiences that only military families share. We hope you will embrace your fellow service-member families, learn together, grow together, and succeed together.
Anchors Aweigh is an orientation program designed specifically for new Navy spouses, although it is also helpful for family members, spouses who are not brand new, and for spouses of other services (Army, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force.) It was created by experienced Navy spouses specifically to help newer spouses access the most useful information easily, provide spouse perspectives and tips, and hopefully answer some of your most pressing initial questions. It is organized into eight sections:
- Navy Organization, Traditions and History
- Understanding Benefits and Privileges
- Managing Personal Finance
- Moving in the Navy (PCS, which stands for Permanent Change of Station)
- Maintaining Healthy Relationships
- Dealing with Deployment
- Exploring Your Community
- Overcoming Employment Challenges
These topics were chosen to reflect the most common questions asked by new Navy families, and the information and resources offered are the ones that other Navy families have found to be the most useful. With the publication of the new Navy Family Framework, released by the CNO (Chief of Naval Operations) in 2017, the Navy is digging deeper into the needs of Navy families and creating a wealth of new materials and resources. This is due, in part, to the understanding that strong Navy families create a strong Navy fleet. Together we are better. Together our lives are more enriched, more fulfilling, and our challenges are more easily met. We encourage you to embrace your relationship to the Navy Family, build for yourself a strong community, and learn and “pay forward” your lessons learned to help those who come behind you. “Wisdom worth passing on” is learned every day. We are sharing ours. We invite you to share yours.
Be sure to download MyNavy Family, the Navy’s mobile app developed specifically for spouses.
Anchors Aweigh. Here we go!
If you have not read our other modules, go back and read through them or follow the link below to continue onto our next module.