In an effort to attraction to youthful generations, the Navy will start providing free Wi-Fi solely to sailors dwelling in barracks at Norfolk and Portsmouth installations starting subsequent week.
The Navy is deploying Wi-Fi as a part of the “digital single sailor program” to boost the “way of life of the fashionable sailor” with entry to on-line video games, exhibits and films, in keeping with a Navy commercial shared with The Virginian-Pilot.
This system launches Feb. 1 with full implementation deliberate for March. Wi-Fi might be put in in 12 unaccompanied housing barracks at Naval Station Norfolk, Naval Medical Middle Portsmouth and Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth. The 12 barracks home roughly 4,000 sailors, mentioned Katie Hewett, spokesperson for Navy Area Mid-Atlantic.
The rollout was introduced Thursday at Naval Station Norfolk’s Willis Manor constructing, one of many barracks that might be geared up with the web service. Different barracks to get Wi-Fi embrace buildings at Enterprise Corridor, Intrepid Corridor, Constellation Corridor, Independence Corridor, Groshong Corridor, Schamberger Corridor, Penn Corridor and Mayo Corridor, all at Naval Station Norfolk; buildings No. 282 and No. 288 on the medical heart; and constructing No. 1585 on the shipyard.
“The Wi-Fi pilot helps the sailors holistically, considering their social and leisure wants, skilled coaching necessities, and profession development targets,” Hewett mentioned.
The Navy started working in Might to enhance high quality of life for sailors following recruitment shortfalls and investigations into the suicides of Hampton Roads-based sailors.
Navy Recruiting Command reported in October the service missed its recruiting targets by about 7,000 members. The Division of Protection additionally reported 48 suicides amongst active-duty Navy sailors from January to October.
In November, the service started providing off-ship housing, free Wi-Fi and higher entry to meals for USS John C. Stennis sailors whereas the plane service undergoes a multiyear refueling and complicated overhaul at Newport News Shipbuilding.
“It’s the twenty first century. Younger sailors have by no means lived with out connectivity. They expertise the world via their cellphones,” Vice Adm. Scotty Grey, head of the Navy’s high quality of service cross-functional crew, mentioned in November throughout a digital roundtable carried out from the Pentagon.
The Navy’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation Division will oversee this system alongside the Navy’s Change Service Command, which acts because the contracting agent and program supervisor for Wi-Fi providers.
The free Wi-Fi and backed velocity upgrades will filter content material, stopping entry to websites containing criminality, playing and mature content material, together with self-harm or pornography. Content material filtering follows the Navy Honor and Decency Act of 1996 and the Division of Protection’s coverage on on-line data administration and digital messaging.
Wi-Fi with unfiltered internet content material might be obtainable to sailors for an unspecified further value, in keeping with a Navy reality sheet. Paid Wi-Fi packages is not going to require a contracted dedication longer than one week or one month, and won’t impose termination charges. Residents pays for a third-party Wi-Fi supplier in the event that they select.
The pilot will conclude in October. It’s success might be evaluated based mostly on use, suggestions and price. The Navy mentioned the end result will decide if the free Wi-Fi expands to different installations sooner or later.
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