Support Services

Employment

Employment Opportunities

How do you go about planning your career? It takes time and thought to decide what you’d like to do, or where you’d like to go. Be sure to hand carry your employment records and resumes so you can look for employment as soon as you would like after your move. Planning your career, or career development, is for everyone. It is also very personal, because it starts with your career goals. At every stage of your career you should be considering career development.

There are several steps in the career development process: 

1. Set your career goals
2. Create a career development plan to help you reach these goals 
3. Capture this plan on an Individual Development Plan (IDP) Form 
4. Discuss your career plans with your mentor 
5. Finalize your IDP with your supervisor

Take some time and really think about what you want to do with your career. Follow the steps in the career development process, and you will be well on your way to the career of your choosing!

Fleet and Family Support Center Services

There are a variety of contracting companies who offer employment onboard Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, CA. The Fleet and Family Support Center offers classes such as:

Resume Writing: Focuses on resume development, soliciting letters of recommendation and thank letters to potential employers.

Winning Interview Techniques: Designed to provide information on how to effectively present yourself before, during and after the interview process.

Finding Federal Employment: The course provides information on obtaining vacancy announcements, completing federal applications, eligibility and hiring preferances.

TAMP

The Transition Assistance Management Program (TAMP) includes Transition Assistance Programs for military personnel that are within one year of separation such as TAP (Transition Assistance Program) class, designed to assist Active Duty Military (any branch) with a smooth transition into civilian life by educating them on benefits and resources available to them upon exiting the US Armed Forces. We also do encourage Spouses to attend seminars.

Labor Law Quick Facts

California’s minimum wage increased effective 2009. The new minimum wage per hour will be $8.00.

Federal Civil Service

All recruiting for positions at NAWC China Lake and our serviced activities is now handled by the Human Resources Services Center, to submit an application go tocharts.donhr.navy.mil

Non-Federal Civil Service Positions  (Non-Appropriated Funds)

The Navy Exchange has some employment opportunities. Go to navyexchange.jobs  or check at the Main Store. NEX provides employment opportunities. Applicants may apply for positions by contacting the NEX Personnel Employment Office,

Morale, Welfare & Recreation (MWR) also employs NAF (Non-Appropriated Funding) personnel on base. Applicants interested in employment with Recreation, Food Service, and Child Care Programs may contact the MWR Personnel Office.

Unemployment Benefits

Unemployment Insurance is intended to provide partial income replacement for those who become unemployed through no fault of their own. These benefits are a temporary source of income while the unemployed individual is seeking work, or in authorized cases, attending training. Request for benefits can be filed over the phone or on-line. Benefits are received weekly. Maximum weeks to receive benefits are 26. The lowest weekly benefit amount is $122. The maximum weekly benefit is $515. The average weekly benefit in 2006 was $315. For additional information please go to theUnemployment Benefits State website.

Tuition Assistance

MyCAA

For information on MyCAA and Military Spouse Education and Career Opportunities, visitMilitary OneSource.

Relocation Assistance

While moving is always stressful, your stress can be drastically reduced if you take full advantage of the information, education, and personal assistance provided to you by the Relocation Program. This is the place to find answers and get referral to other installation resources as well as assistance with in-transit emergencies. The most important thing you can do to ensure a smooth move is to start planning early using the many Relocation Assistance program services and tools available.

Individual PCS Planning

Most relocation programs offer one-on-one consultation for anyone needing assistance. In particular those making their first military move, first overseas move, or those with challenging and complex situations such as special needs family members or financial problems should call the Relocation Program for an appointment.

Military Installations and Plan My Move

For managing and planning your move, use these two DoD sponsored web-based relocation tools with information on over 250 installations worldwide. You can estimate expenses, find the forms necessary for housing and household goods, keep a calendar of events and take other necessary actions to ensure a successful move.

Loan Closet

Basic household goods items are available to borrow while waiting for your personal property pre-departure or upon arrival. The typical items in stock include: pots and pans, dishes, silverware, irons, ironing boards, portacribs, high chairs, and infant/toddler car seats. Generally, towels and bed linens are not available, so these should be packed in your hold baggage.

Workshops and Briefings

The classes offered vary from installation to installation but you can generally find classes on buying, selling and renting smart, budgeting and finance, moving with children, general moving preparation and many other moving related topics.

Pre-departure Briefings

Sometimes called Smooth Move or PCS Briefings, you and your spouse will want to attend for sure. These briefings provide essential information that can prevent you from making uninformed and costly decisions before your move.

Settling-in Services

These may include welcome wagon services, local area tours with childcare often provided, or basic household items to use until your goods arrive. Overseas arrival services may include introductory language classes and cultural awareness training.

Deployment Support

The Family Center assists unit family readiness groups and Ombudsman programs during the entire deployment cycle. Support includes services for special needs, classes on deployment preparation, managing finances, helping children adjust, family separation, return and reunion, and information on resources available locally and on-line.

Foreign Born Spouse Support

Whether your question concerns immigration and naturalization, learning the English language or how to take local transportation, the Relocation Program provides assistance, classes and referrals.

Emergency Assistance

From time-to-time emergencies occur while moving, the Relocation Program office has the resources to provide emergency financial assistance and referrals.

Transition Assistance

This is a mandatory program available to assist personnel and family members when they separate from the military. The Relocation Assistance office will establish your individual transition plan and refer you to all the installation and community resources necessary to complete a successful transition.

Installation Specific Information

When the service member in your family receives relocation orders, your whole family may need to adjust to leaving friends and relatives behind, career challenges, and new places and cultures. Help make moving a positive experience by discussing the move, planning ahead, being positive and seeking help from the Relocation staff. The China Lake Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) Relocation Assistance Program staff provides information regarding base activities and services, information packets on other military installations, orientations for newly arriving service members and their families, free loan of household items (Loan Closet), and much, much more.

The Relocation Counselor is available to provide pre-move planning assistance, base and community information worldwide, and arrival and settling-in services. Relocation is a way of life for the military family. It is seldom easy, usually stressful, sometimes frightening, and always constant. The FFSC will either have the information you need or refer you to someone who has it. To make relocating as easy as possible, visit the FFSC Relocation Counselor.

Loan Closet

Items Available

The Fleet and Family Support Center’s Loan Closet provides basic household goods to service members and their families who are in need of household items due to PCS relocation. This is a great program that offers various household items. Futons, coffee pots, toasters, vacuums, tables, and chairs are offered free of charge for use by families awaiting the arrival or departure of their personal property shipments. Highchairs, car seats, and playpens are offered for toddlers. To keep the family going, the dish packs round off the kitchen items. A pack includes pots and pans, silverware, plates, cooking/serving utensils, drinking glasses, mixing/serving bowls, etc.

How to Borrow

Equipment will be checked out for an initial period of 2 weeks. If warranted, this due date may be extended in 2-week increments up to a maximum of 42 days. If the equipment is not returned by the due date, the Fleet and Family Support Center will call to remind and then send a confirmation letter to the home address with a copy furnished to the command. If the equipment is still not returned, procedures for restitution will begin. For more information call China Lake’s Fleet and Family Support Center at 760-939-4545.

Financial Assistance

Today’s service member is a highly trained individual. As a result, there is competition between military and private industry for quality personnel. Retention of such personnel can be directly related to the service member’s perception and satisfaction with the quality of life in the military. The military lifestyle certainly does create special and unique financial concerns, such as those related to frequent moves, deployments, separation from family members, and fluctuation in pay. Financial problems are a leading cause of personal stress and family dysfunction in all branches of the military.

In recent years, a number of studies have been done which indicate the extent of the problem within the Navy and the types of issues that are causing particular concern. The major findings show that a large number of personnel are affected by personal financial management problems and the impact this has had on the Navy in terms of cost (roughly $172 million per year) and readiness (annual lost productivity of 891 man years – staffing for three destroyers).

Military personnel enjoy job security and steady incomes. This often makes them special targets to a number of questionable business practices, sales techniques and credit offers. However, service members do have a responsibility to pay their just debts in a proper and timely fashion, and those that do not are deemed to be acting in an irresponsible manner. This is particularly true when their bad debts become the subject of official correspondence or when preoccupation with financial difficulties results in decreased job productivity. These situations can have a detrimental impact on military careers, such as disciplinary action, loss of security clearance, lower evaluations, denial of assignments and administrative or dishonorable discharges.

These financial concerns and situations continue to support the Navy’s innovative approach to financial education and training, counseling and information and referral in the form of a comprehensive, long-range Personal Financial Management Program offered at the Fleet and Family Support Center.

FFSC’s financial counselor offers several workshops dealing with financial preparedness; including Developing Your Spending Plan, Credit Management, Consumer Awareness, Car Buying Strategies, and The Basics of Retirement Planning. These are in addition to the Relocation Assistance Program workshops such as Smooth Move and Base/Spouse Indoctrination; which include sections dealing with finances. The counselor can assist you in preparing a personalized budget and design a spending plan to make your life easier. Make an appointment before you have problems. Learn how to make your quality of life better and your financial future brighter.

Financial preparedness is of major importance to military families, not just during relocation, but year round. The China Lake Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) has a Financial Education Counselor whose primary focus is assisting the military member and their family in becoming financially sound.

FFSC’s financial counselor offers several workshops dealing with financial preparedness; including Developing Your Spending Plan, Credit Management, Consumer Awareness, Car Buying Strategies, and The Basics of Retirement Planning. These are in addition to the Relocation Assistance Program workshops such as Smooth Move and Base/Spouse Indoctrination; which include sections dealing with finances. The counselor can assist you in preparing a personalized budget and design a spending plan to make your life easier. Make an appointment before you have problems. Learn how to make your quality of life better and your financial future brighter.

Emergency Assistance

Planning for Emergencies

At one time or another, everyone is faced with an emergency. Usually, at this time, assistance is needed. This can be an airplane ticket home due to illness or death. It could also be that something happened to your pay, and you need assistance in maintaining your family until the next payday. Do not hesitate to use the resources available whether it is for financial, medical, or any other type of emergency. Help is always available! Use your resources!  

Fleet and Family Support Center

The Fleet and Family Support Center staff members are always available to provide you and your family members with emergency type services. Whether it be counseling, financial, information and referral… they are there to assist.

Navy Marine Corps Relief Society

The Navy Marine Corps Relief Society can provide emergency assistance based upon need, through either loans or, when there is a particular hardship, grants. Categories of financial assistance include: basic living expenses (food, shelter, utilities), medical and dental not covered by insurance, funeral expenses, emergency transportation, essential car repairs, pay and allotment problems, disasters and assistance for widows, mothers, and children.

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross offers a variety of services to military personnel and their family members. Services include emergency verifications and reporting, counseling in personal and family problems, financial assistance in meeting emergencies, and disaster assistance.

Navy One Source

Navy One Source can help. Real help! Any time, any place! This service is free and completely confidential. Available 24/7. Call or visit the web site. User ID: Navy, Password: Sailor.

Important Documents to Hand Carry

Important documents that should be hand carried with you on your travel for emergency purposes include:

China Lake Emergency Information

• KLOA Radio FM 104.9 – for minute-by-minute news in the event of base closure and emergencies.
• KRAJ Radio FM 103.9
• Mediacom Cable Channel 3
• NAWS Television Cable Channel 20
• NAWS Emergency 760-939-1887
• NAWS Radio AM 1610 – for emergency information, current base access, gate hours, badging requirements, and road closures.

Victim Advocate

For immediate emergency assistance, please call the Sexual Assault 24 hour hotline at 760-608-7745.

Legal Assistance

The Region Legal Services Office Southwest Detachment is located in the NAWS China Lake Headquarters Building. A Legal Officer is available to provide assistance to all local chains of command regarding military justice and other issues. The Legal Officer is not an attorney and therefore may only provide guidance, not legal advice.

Eligibility for Services

Information is available regarding claims, FOIA requests, and legal assistance for all active duty military personnel and their families; retired U.S. military personnel and their families; and reserve military members while they are on active duty. Additionally, notary services and the preparation of powers of attorney are available on Wednesdays between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm hours or by appointment.

Types of Services

Legal advice and other attorney services at NAWS China Lake are provided by Judge Advocates from the Navy Legal Services Office Southwest Detachment, Pt. Hueneme. Attorneys travel to China Lake twice per month and provide guidance on most personal civil legal matters including:

1. Wills
2. Adoptions
3. Name changes
4. Consumer affairs
5. Domestic relations
6. Landlord-tenant disputes
7. Personal finances and debt collection

Additionally, defense services are offered as needed. Any matter discussed with a judge advocate within the attorney-client relationship is privileged and confidential. Attorney services are by appointment only.

Deployment Support

Military Units aboard NAWS usually do not deploy from China Lake but individuals are subject to Individual Augmentee (IA) Deployments. The Fleet and Family Support Center staff will be glad to assist you and your family by providing a pre-deployment brief and answering any questions you may have regarding deployment and keeping your family connected.