Deployments on the Ships

[Michelle]

Can someone please tell me what their experience has been with a son/daughter who has deployed for few months via ship? How long does it take to hear from them?

[Paula]

Not sure but would also likethat answer. My son will be going on his first long deployment in March I believe :(

[bryan]

They can call daily unless the phone and emails are down. But will tell you when i was on deployment i cherished a hand written letter the most. You should be able to hear from him when hes in port. But remember at times the email could be down for a few days or longer. Also the email is slow at times to so when you send at that more and you dont get a reply for a day or two thats why.

[Michelle]

Bryan,

Thanks so much for all your replies...you have been very helpful. It's so frustrating when you don't know what's going on and really don't know where to get your answers. There was so much information we needed before he even went to his first duty station; I wish I had been on this website a lot sooner.

Thanks again...
Michelle

[bryan]

You welcome Michelle,

My mom never new about this website on my first deployment, it would been real helpful since im active duty it helps to people that have been where there going and can answer as many questions as i can for you guys.

Bryan

[Melissa (Tucson)]

Deployments are much harder than boot camp. After they deploy you probably won't hear from your sailor for 2 or 3 weeks. They are really busy when they first get underway. If this is your son's first deployment, he will most likely have to crank (he'll be loaned out to the supply division). Cranking varies for each ship. My son had to crank for a long time because his ship is undermanned. When they have a port call most sailors will have time to either call home or Skype with you. When they are not in port sometimes all communication is stopped due to various security reasons. Our ombudsman will send an email out to everyone when communiations are down. Depending on your sailors schedule and how much work/sleep he gets, he may have time to drop you an email from the ship. Attachments and pictures can not be sent to a navy.mil email address, only text. Make sure you have your sailor's navy.mil email address before he deploys. When he's in port he can check his private email account, but sometime's they don't go into port for a month or two.
My son is currently on a 6 week cruise to the North Sea. He left the 3rd week of September and I still haven't heard from him. The good news is when they are deployed they get their mail/packages in about a week. Much quicker than when they are in home port. The mail will get a little slower around Christmas, so allow more time then.

[Michelle]

Melissa - thanks so much for your reply. This is my son's first duty station and deployment. He didn't even have an address to give me once he got to his first duty station, and a couple of weeks after getting to his first duty station, he is now on a 2-mth deployment. I can't even write him a letter. His living quarters was in a barge when he first arrived to his duty station, and he didn't have an address at the time. Once he returns, he said he will be in the barracks and should have an address to give me. I also didn't think to get his navy.mil email address before he left. Anyway, your email puts my mind to rest a little bit.

I also wish you the best...

Michelle

[Melissa (Tucson)]

Tell me what ship he's on and I'll get you his address. (Usually when they only go out for 6 - 8 weeks it's called a 'cruise'. Deployments are usually 5+ months.)
Your son probably had a sponsor for his first duty station that was not as helpful as he could have been. Even when they are living on the barge or barracks, they still receive their mail through the ship. Is your son stationed in Norfolk?

[Michelle]

No - he's stationed in Yokosuka, Japan. I was thinking that he should have an address. He wants me to send him his winter clothes.

Funny-I just got an email from him a min. ago from his navy email address. Yes! I was very excited...:-)

Thanks for your help.

[Sue]

Hi Michelle -
My son will be home on the 19th for two weeks and then he will be heading to: Yokusuka! I am feeling so lost with all of this. If you have any other words of wisdom to pass along, I would certainly appreciate it! Is your son on the George Washington? What is his rate?
Hope to hear form you.

[Michelle]

Hi - My son is on the GW - however he just joined the Navy in March so he is still very, very new to the military. I think he is still an E-1 or E-2 (not sure which one yet). How long has you son been in?

Also, once he emails his POC in Japan, he will be sent a detailed email giving him instructions as to what to do once he gets to Japan. There will be someone to meet him there. He will be just fine...

[reneebnice]

My son is stationed in yokuska aboard the USS George Washington also,he is an E2 and he emails sometimes 2-3 times a day, then there are times that I don't hear from him for 2-3 days, because of the emails are down and or they are doing exercises,He is my first born and I really have taken this hard for him to be away and he says it will probably be 2 years before he gets to come home,is this true? I sent him some pics to his navy email and he received them.He told me that they couldn't get forwarded emails...
Ya'll should check out the USS GW web site it tells what they have done while out on a cruise,ask your son or daughter to forward you the Guardian it's a weekly paper aboard the ship.

[LAURA]

Hi Sue,
My son has been stationed in Atsugi, Japan for the past 2 1/2 yrs... I remember the day he told me he had rec'd orders to Japan.. I nearly died..so far away.... His time up there is July of 2010. One suggestion so you can call anytime with your son is for him to get Vonage. My son has a vonage acct with a local phone number so when he calls home, friends etc, it's a local call, and it's about $35. per mth unlimited calls etc.... this has gotten him by too, speaking with friends and family. Of course this is when he's not deployed on the GW.... which he currently is. My son has been home 3 x since he has been there, its very expensive the airfare but well worth it for us and him. He's due home again in Dec for the holidays and for a mth.. can't wait. If you have any questions please feel free to ask....... I feel like an experienced overseas mom now.... take care Laura