KNOWING YOUR LIMITATIONS

Just as important as knowing what you CAN and SHOULD do is knowing what you CANNOT do.

Although benefits are to be afforded impartially to all eligible members, they may be omitted at some commands because of any one or a combination of the following: . Directives l The size or location of your ship or station

. A lack of qualified personnel

The amount of services normally available differs between a small ship and a large ship or between a ship and ashore station. Thus, the limitations may be inherent to the command. The following are some examples:

. A PO2 transferring from ship to shore is entitled

to shipment of personal effects, but ship's personnel can't make the arrangements. That must be done ashore. . A member aboard a destroyer has every right to

expect competent service aboard ship on matters relating to pay. Not so, for a member aboard a minesweeper-this member must depend upon the facilities ashore or the facilities of another ship.

. A ship's store aboard a carrier carries as many products as some exchanges ashore. The ship's store on a destroyer must limit itself to little more than necessities. . A member stationed ashore may take advantage

of the tuition aid program or VA benefits and attend college during off-duty hours. The member afloat seldom has an educational opportunity other than correspondence or extension courses. l Medical and dental facilities in the Navy are the

best available. However, the services that are provided by the Naval Hospital, Bethesda, Naval Medical Command National Capital Region, are far greater than those aboard ship. Shipboard personnel are no less dedicated or qualified. The limitation results from lack of facilities and personnel. Even the services aboard ships vary with their size and mission and the personnel and facilities available. . Legal assistance is a very valuable service.

However, legal assistance aboard a ship without a lawyer is limited to referring the member to legal assistance officers ashore. . The size of the enlisted dining facility afloat or

ashore is usually high in quality and the choice of items offered Here again, a lack of facilities and personnel could impose limitations.

Unexpected loss of personnel, equipment failure, or an unusually heavy work load may impose temporary limitations on the operations of your contact point. You must then work around those limitations to ensure you still provide the best possible service.

KNOWING ALTERNATIVES

Few of our decisions in life are based on a "do this or do nothing" type of choice. We usually have alternatives from which to choose. The following are examples of some choices Navy members might make:

. Members who have completed their enlistment have several alternatives: extend, reenlist, or separate. . An SK in charge of a ship's store can choose

whether to suggest a substitute for an item that is temporarily out of stock or to simply say, "We don't have it." . Members who score too low on tests to qualify

for the rating of their choice may choose to retake the tests to try to improve their scores or they may choose to strike for a related rating that does not require the higher scores. l As in Case Number 7, a contact point representative may know of a service provided by another

contact point that could help a customer. The contact point representative can choose to help the customer by sharing that information or to let the customer find out through other means.

As a contact point representative, you should not try to make decisions for the customer, but you should explain options. Even though customers may not always

make the wisest choice, they should have the options explained to them.