Fleet Assist Team Prepares Shipboard Sales and Services Divisions for Success

The NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Norfolk Fleet Assist Team (FAT) supports afloat sales and service divisions, offering training, mentoring and technical assistance.
According to Fleet Assist Team Lead Master Chief Retail Services Specialist Jamye Davis, the team provides training on a wide variety of topics for ships’ S-3 divisions, including Retail Operations Management (ROM III), ship’s store financial management, cash handling and audits, inventory management, stock replenishment, ship’s laundry and barbershop policies, and overall customer service.
“We help ships improve readiness, maintain compliance with Navy policies, strengthen administrative and financial management, and prepare for missions, certifications and inspections,” she said.
Davis added that the team helps ships prepare for the Supply Management Certification (SMC), which occurs every two or three years depending on the ship’s schedule. The team conducts a thorough review of the sales and services division using the SMC grading criteria. Members identify discrepancies, provide hands-on training, correct deficiencies, mentor personnel and ensure required documentation, records and programs are inspection-ready before the Afloat Training Group arrives to conduct the inspection.
“When FAT comes on board, we ensure the crew knows we are here to help and prepare them to pass any upcoming assessment,” Davis explained. “We do not provide any grades or scores.”
FAT member Retail Services Specialist 2nd Class Zohar Pike said her favorite part of the job is helping Sailors and seeing them take the knowledge and training the team provides back to their ships to put it into practice.
“I also enjoy seeing how engaged Sailors become during training and knowing that what we are teaching is not only helping them and their division but ultimately contributing to the readiness and success of the fleet,” Pike said.
Retail Services Specialist 1st Class Felicia Foisy, a member of the FAT, said it is important for the shipboard RS team to know the assist team is not an inspection team.
“We’re there to help,” she added. “The more engaged and open they are during the visit, the more they’ll benefit from the training and support we provide.”
Throughout the year, FAT also provides routine assist visits, training, rating knowledge exam reviews and follow-up support to maintain readiness. Members also provide technical guidance on NAVSUP policies, ship’s store inventory assistance, briefs for supply officers who are first reporting to ships and a wide variety of other services for the S-3 division.
Both Foisy and Pike said their experience with the team has made them better retail services specialists, broadening their knowledge of the entire rating.
“It has strengthened my technical expertise, improved my communication and leadership skills, and taught me how to mentor Sailors at all experience levels,” Foisy said.
Pike agreed, saying working with Sailors on different ships with different situations has been a learning experience.
“It has given me a greater sense of purpose and pride in my rating because I get to help Sailors improve, see ships succeed and understand the bigger impact our job has on fleet readiness,” she said.
NAVSUP FLC Norfolk is the largest of eight globally positioned fleet logistics centers that provide the full range of solutions for logistics, business and support services to Navy mission partners. The more than 1,300 Sailors, civilians and contractors who make up NAVSUP FLC Norfolk support operations at more than 30 sites across three regions and 12 states, as well as Washington, D.C.

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