Welcome

Message from the CO

16 March 2024

From: Commanding Officer, USS DANIEL INOUYE (DDG 118)

To: Prospective Shipmates and their families

Subj: Welcome to the Inouye Ohana!

ALOHA! Congratulations on your orders to USS DANIEL INOUYE (DDG 118). Welcome aboard the finest ship in the fleet! We are Hawaii’s ship, named in honor of one of Hawaii’s hero’s, the late Senator Daniel Inouye, proud member of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and Hawaii Senator. If you have received orders to USS DANIEL INOUYE (DDG 118), please email sponsor@ddg118.navy.mil and we will provide you with a sponsor to help make your transition as smooth as possible. I am excited for you to join our elite crew and share our tropical home!

What makes USS DANIEL INOUYE great? Our crew! The BEST CREW IN THE NAVY, which makes her the fiercest warfighting team ever to sail the seas. We “Go for Broke” – we give everything we have to everything we do – to ensure DANIEL INOUYE is always ready to answer the call. We are proud of our heritage and our connection to Senator Inouye, his family, and his unit, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

The honor, courage, and commitment displayed by Senator Inouye drives us to preserve his enduring legacy. If you have orders to DANIEL INOUYE, congratulations and E Komo Mai (Welcome)! We look forward to your arrival and for you to join our team of amazing professionals. Please consult the reporting information on this page and don’t hesitate to reach out to your sponsor for additional information.

If you have further questions, please contact the Command Master Chief, the Executive Officer, or me – anytime. As you get ready to step aboard, prepare to hustle! In no time you will be a valued member of this amazing DANIEL INOUYE team - and we don't move slowly. We will provide training and educational challenges- and we’ll have a good time doing it. It will be hard work, but it is an important job and you are joining the best team in the fleet. I hope you are as excited about serving in DANIEL INOUYE as I am having you join our crew.

We proudly serve on the first United States ship to carry the name DANIEL INOUYE. His commitment to his cause, whether in the Army, for the people of Hawaii or to our nation inspire our crew as we strive to honor his legacy and “Go for Broke” in all we do! We proudly carry the honor of being “Hawaii’s Ship”!

Go for Broke!!

CDR Kevin M. Dore
Commanding Officer
USS DANIEL INOUYE (DDG 118)


 

Aloha and Congratulations on your orders to USS DANIEL INOUYE (DDG 118), welcome aboard! Our fine ship is an Arleigh Burke class flight IIA Guided Missile Destroyer named after the late U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye, who served as a Hawaii representative in the Senate from 1963 until his passing in 2012. Inouye also served in the U.S. Army’s 442nd Regimental Combat Team, one of the most decorated military units in U.S. history. For his combat heroism, which cost him his right arm in Italy during World War II, Inouye was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Senator Inouye’s life is one to be emulated and the crew of this warship is not only inspired by his legacy, but stands the watch with the honor and dignity deserving of a ship bearing his name. Our sailors embody the ship's motto, “Go for Broke”, a battle cry adopted from the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The crew carries on the legacy of commitment, perseverance, and integrity that Daniel Inouye displayed on the battlefield and in halls of the Senate, while upholding the honor of being “Hawaii’s Ship”. The ship arrived in its homeport of Pearl Harbor on November 18, 2021 and was commissioned on December 8, 2021. DANIEL INOUYE is assigned to Destroyer Squadron 23 as well as Carrier Strike Group 9.

When DANIEL INOUYE receives your orders, you will be assigned a sponsor who will contact you and send you a welcome aboard package. Your sponsor will assist you with everything you need to make your transition as smooth as possible. Sometimes, because you are in the middle of a move, attending school, or are out of the country, your sponsor may be unable to contact you. To expedite the sponsor assignment process, you can e-mail our sponsor coordinator at sponsorship@ddg118.navy.mil as soon as you receive your orders. Be sure to include your name, rate, rank, estimated date of arrival, and any other applicable contact information. We look forward to having you onboard Hawaii’s ship!

For further information, our Ombudsman serves as an advocate and point of contact for DANIEL INOUYE family members. We highly encourage you to contact our ship’s ombudsman via email ombudsmanddg118@gmail.com if you need assistance. DANIEL INOUYE also has an Ombudsman Facebook Page that you can request to join. The ship’s public Facebook page can be found under USS Daniel Inouye DDG 118, and be sure to check out our Instagram, @ussdanielinouye!

If you have any questions, please reference the links below or feel free to contact any of the following:
admin@ddg118.navy.mil
pao@ddg118.navy.mil
cmc@ddg118.navy.mil

While we are in-port, you may also contact our ship’s Quarterdeck at (808)471-4452.

USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118)
Unit 100115 Box 1
FPO AP 96691-1500


 

1. What is an Ombudsman?
Every Command has an Ombudsman who is a spouse of a sailor at the Command. The Ombudsman serves as the liaison between the command and the families. The Ombudsman is the point of contact for the families. He or she can assist families with navigating through Navy life through resources and information.

2. How can an Ombudsman help me?
Navy Family Ombudsmen are key resources for family members, particularly during deployments. Ombudsmen maintain current resource files with information on military and civilian community agencies that can help families solve a variety of problems, and successfully meet the challenges they face before, during, and after deployments. In addition to providing referral information, Ombudsmen can facilitate communication between the Command and family members. Ombudsmen may publish or contribute to command newsletters or maintain care lines, which have recorded messages with information for command families that can be accessed 24 hours a day. Ombudsmen can also assist families in contacting the Command for a variety of reasons.

3. What is the role of the COMNAVSURFPAC Force Ombudsman?
The Force Ombudsman provides oversight and guidance for all the Surface Ship's Ombudsmen in the Pacific Fleet Area of Responsibility. You can contact the Surface Forces Ombudsman at (619) 301-6983 or send an email to surfaceombudsman@gmail.com

4. What is an IA assignment or tour?
An IA is an Individual Augmentee. A Sailor may receive orders to go IA and this means that he or she will deploy as an Individual, not with their command. Sometimes an IA will deploy and be stationed with another branch of the Military. http://www.ia.navy.mil/

5. What is NFAAS?
Navy Family Accountability and Assessment System. This is how the Navy will track your family and assess your needs during an emergency. https://www.navyfamily.navy.mil

6. How can I find out more about medical, dental or Navy family resources?
Contact your Command Ombudsman. He or she will guide you to your resources.