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Ships Stores / Fleet Assistance
The Fleet Assistance Team program provides technical assistance and guidance to forces afloat in order to improve the performance of ships store operations. Teams are located in the following major port areas: Mayport, Florida; Norfolk, Virginia; San Diego; Pearl Harbor; and Yokosuka, Japan. Assist visits to ships located in these areas are scheduled upon request from the ship's Supply Officer and/or Sales Officer. All ships stores shall coordinate a Full Management Review (FMR) with their cognizant Fleet Assistance Teams at least every 24 months.
The Fleet Assistance Team focuses on the following major areas:
1. Operations - Assisted visits scheduled between Team Leaders and Supply Officers or Ship Stores Officers will concentrate on:
| Accounting Procedures | Procurement Procedures |
| Navy Cash/Cash Handling | Modernization/Visual Merchandising |
| Merchandise Planning | Vending Operations and Related Equipment |
| Stock Turn | Barber/Laundry Operations |
| Pricing | ROM Assistance |
| Close out of Records/Returns | Merchandising Promotion, including layout, display, and signing |
Fleet Assistance Team representatives will debrief the Ships Store Officer, Supply Officer and Commanding Officer, upon request, highlighting functional areas which are operating particularly well and those areas needing attention. A written summary report will be provided to the Ship Store Officer after the visit.
2. Habitability - Representatives assigned to habitability functions are conversant with Ship's Serviceman Training Manuals on laundry, dry cleaning and barber shop operations. They are also knowledgeable about scheduling, operating and control of service outlets as well as sanitation standards prescribed in NAVMED P-5010 Manual of Naval Preventative Medicine. Engineering Personnel assigned to the teams will provide instructions to ship's maintenance personnel and make minor repairs to equipment, as necessary. The visits will:
- Review the operation of all laundry machines to check if the equipment is operating within established parameters and according to operating manuals.
- Stress the importance of proper maintenance and safety parameters of equipment.
- Validate installed equipment against the COSAL to assure proper availability of repair parts.
- Review laundry maintenance logs, temperature logs and production logs for accuracy and correctness.
Habitability assist team visits are scheduled in the same manner as indicated above. Debriefings are held for the Ships Store Officer, engineering personnel, the Supply Officer, Engineering Officer and Commanding Officer to highlight the various findings. A report of the findings will be sent to the Ships Store Officer after the visit. Technical manuals will be referenced for specific guidance where possible.
3. Modernization - Contact NEXCOM’s Ships Store Program for help in any plans to modernize a ships store or barber shop. Each ship will receive assistance in getting their ideas on paper.
4. Displays - Fleet Assistance Team representatives also provide guidance on how to present an efficient and attractive ships store. Display techniques are outlined in NEXCOM Instruction 4067.2 (NEXCOM Ships Stores Merchandising and Branding Standards). Sources and procedures for procurement of basic display and signing requirements are also available. This instruction will help ascertain proper correlation of merchandise, change of season, decor kits, proper signing and the basic fixtures for displays .
5. Merchandise Programs - Special merchandise promotional programs are periodically available through NEXCOM’s Ships Store Program. The Ship Store Officer will be notified in advance of these specials.
6. Pre- and Post-Deployment Briefings - Pre-deployment briefings are a very important functions of all ships store operations. The Ships Store Officer should schedule a pre-deployment brief at least 90-120 days prior to deployment, when possible. The briefings will include payment of dealer's bills, foreign merchandise procurement procedures, including mail order, and known problems in the area of deployment, TAFS/AFS/1Q COG support and any instructions governing sales of foreign merchandise. Post deployment briefings should be conducted as soon as feasible possible to effect changes in policy and/or procedures for future area deployments.
