This site is for mothers of kids in the U.S. Navy and for Moms who have questions about Navy life for their kids.
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FOLLOW THESE STEPS TO GET STARTED:
Choose your Username. For the privacy and safety of you and/or your sailor, NO LAST NAMES ARE ALLOWED, even if your last name differs from that of your sailor (please make sure your URL address does not include your last name either). Also, please do not include your email address in your user name. Go to "Settings" above to set your Username. While there, complete your Profile so you can post and share photos and videos of your Sailor and share stories with other moms!
Make sure to read our Community Guidelines and this Navy Operations Security (OPSEC) checklist - loose lips sink ships!
Join groups! Browse for groups for your PIR date, your sailor's occupational specialty, "A" school, assigned ship, homeport city, your own city or state, and a myriad of other interests. Jump in and introduce yourself! Start making friends that can last a lifetime.
Link to Navy Speak - Navy Terms & Acronyms: Navy Speak
All Hands Magazine's full length documentary "Making a Sailor": This video follows four recruits through Boot Camp in the spring of 2018 who were assigned to DIV 229, an integrated division, which had PIR on 05/25/2018.
Boot Camp: Making a Sailor (Full Length Documentary - 2018)
Boot Camp: Behind the Scenes at RTC
...and visit Navy.com - America's Navy and Navy.mil also Navy Live - The Official Blog of the Navy to learn more.
OPSEC - Navy Operations Security
Always keep Navy Operations Security in mind. In the Navy, it's essential to remember that "loose lips sink ships." OPSEC is everyone's responsibility.
DON'T post critical information including future destinations or ports of call; future operations, exercises or missions; deployment or homecoming dates.
DO be smart, use your head, always think OPSEC when using texts, email, phone, and social media, and watch this video: "Importance of Navy OPSEC."
Follow this link for OPSEC Guidelines:
Events
**UPDATE as of 11/10/2022 PIR vaccination is no longer required.
FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR UP TO DATE INFO:
RESUMING LIVE PIR - 8/13/2021
Please note! Changes to this guide happened in October 2017. Tickets are now issued for all guests, and all guests must have a ticket to enter base. A separate parking pass is no longer needed to drive on to base for parking.
Please see changes to attending PIR in the PAGES column. The PAGES are located under the member icons on the right side.
Format Downloads:
- Graduation Info
- PDF – 2.7 MB
- PNG – 2.3 MB
- JPG – 3.4 MB
- Printable PDF – 2.0 MB
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Visite esta página para explorar en su idioma las oportunidades de educación y carreras para sus hijos en el Navy. Navy.com
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Care Package Ideas!
Information
Themes, recipes, all kinds of ideas plus mailing tips and tricks. It's fun to have them here in one place, so come get ideas and share yours!
Members: 1295
Latest Activity: Oct 28, 2024
Carla: I am a moderator for Navy moms on Yahoo, but also through the years have done troop support for all branches. I also have started and maintained hometown troop support, and send from our little community in Spirit Lake, Idaho - that has been very very cool. So, if you have ideas you want to share, bring it on and read and enjoy and use! My email is crlstrt5@msn.com if you have any questions or comments. Feel free to share these in other groups or with friends.
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom: I'm co-admin and been sending care packages since 2008! The best method is using the flat-rate priority boxes from USPS. There's a two-dollar discount when sending to an APO/FPO address and you can send up to 70 lbs - that's 7.7 bricks! You can order a free carton of 10 or 25 of the large-size boxes to be delivered to you at USPS APO/FPO flat-rate boxes; or call them at 800-610-8734 and request the "military pack" of six assorted boxes, customs forms, tape and address labels. It can take two weeks or more for mail to arrive, and much longer if your sailor is deployed.
Tips: To save space, remove things from original packaging and put them in Ziplock bags. Don't pack fragrant items such as soap or fabric softener sheets with food as the odors get absorbed. Use clear tape or USPS priority tape to seal. Put a copy of the address IN the box. Storage space is limited so send accordingly. Notes from friends, children, anyone saying Thank You for serving on deployment are passed around and treasured. Per a Navy survey on Facebook, the top two items that Sailors ask for are cookies and beef jerky. Send enough to share! More info at USPS military mail FAQ.
For your sailor, two great checklists for deployment planning are the Single Sailor Deployment Readiness Checklist and Pre-Deployment Checklist for Family Members, prepared by JAG.
Just how does your care package reach the ship? Watch! Video: Underway replenishment
And if you've got the bug and would like to do more, please consider joining "Molly's Adopt a Sailor" (MAS) here on Navyformoms.com. Every month they adopt a deployed ship or unit and send the service members themed packages. It's a super-fun and friendly group and you'll make great friends while sending much-needed and appreciated love and support from home. I learned how to send care packages by joining the MAS group before my corpsman was first deployed!
Discussion Forum
Submarine
Started by Proud Mom. Last reply by Bandmom Mar 2, 2020. 1 Reply 0 Likes
Submarine
Started by Proud Mom. Last reply by Proud Mom Feb 25, 2020. 2 Replies 0 Likes
Care Package theme ideas
Started by AngiePNMx2. Last reply by Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom Mar 8, 2017. 16 Replies 17 Likes
Comment Wall
Comment
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Comment by Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom on May 2, 2012 at 5:34pm
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This is off-topic for sending, but since CArol mentioned the pie in a jar ... I saw this recipe on the same site I got my pie in a jar from, but this is Frozen Lemonade Pie in a Jar, would be fun for summer for us AND they have labels you can download for Mother's Day! ok, that is all LOL
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Comment by NavyWife2010 on May 2, 2012 at 2:41pm
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my husband loves the purex sheets!! a must have!! i bought him like 4 boxes before he left, and took them out of the boxes and put them in ziplock bags to keep the freshness :) i got mine at walgreens on sale for $2.99 a box!
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Comment by Carol in fla on May 2, 2012 at 9:59am
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Love the Purex idea--I will look for those next time--wish I had known before I mailed the gel pack detergent to my son!
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Comment by duhhuh58 Ship 10/Div 267 on May 2, 2012 at 12:48am
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they like the purex sheets because they contain everything to do their laundry and they are space saving. space is a very high premium on the boat
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Comment by ruth on May 1, 2012 at 5:56pm
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I found the purex sheets at walmart . I dont know why my son like them but they easy to shipped.
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Comment by CArol on May 1, 2012 at 5:51pm
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Thanks Marcy! I will try those too - they sound more convenient.
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CArol, I found them at Target, and Amazon has them: Purex 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets
Drawback is that they're so pricey - I'd never use them at home :) Your way sounds just as good if not better, since fabric softener isn't good to use on towels, makes them less absorbent.
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Marcy - I looked for the Purex sheets and couldn't find them, then googled them and it looks like they've been discontinued. I was going to put laundry gel/pods in individual snack sized bags with a dryer sheet & send a handful of those in each box :)
Can't wait for my cherry tree to ripen so I can try the pie in a jar....
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@Carol in Fla, I love the idea of a bottle with a built in filter! Also didn't know about Mio drink mixes. Going to try to find both.
@ssnoden12, do you know about Purex 3 in 1 laundry sheets? My son liked using those while deployed on a ship, I sent refills as needed.
CArol, re Japan, I put your question to a corpsman mom whose son was in Japan last year, here's what she said: "haha! Smart kid! It really depends where he's stationed. I didn't send C much other than goodies I felt like sending since he had a NEX and all the great sushi he could devour at his fingertips...lol I did send him one of those upright vertical oscillating fans for his barracks, though. It is stinking hot and humid in the summer there..."
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I got a call from my son in Japan last night. We were talking about things I could send him, and he actually said, "Go look on N4Ms and see what other moms send". I just thought that was funny, since I just joined this group a few days ago :)
Thanks for all the great ideas - I've already been shopping!!
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