This site is for mothers of kids in the U.S. Navy and for Moms who have questions about Navy life for their kids.
FIRST TIME HERE?
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
Latest Activity
Navy Speak
Click here to learn common Navy terms and acronyms! (Hint: When you can speak an entire sentence using only acronyms and one verb, you're truly a Navy mom.)
N4M Merchandise
Shirts, caps, mugs and more can be found at CafePress.
Please note: Profits generated in the production of this merchandise are not being awarded to the Navy or any of its suppliers. Any profit made is retained by CafePress.
Navy.com Para Familias
Visite esta página para explorar en su idioma las oportunidades de educación y carreras para sus hijos en el Navy. Navy.com
Badge
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
-
Comment by Susan mom to Niko on November 16, 2010 at 4:44pm
-
Oh my... looking around on the internet and look what I found... a grandma with the same sense of humor as myself!! I think for sure my adopted kids are going to get a 12 day of Christmas package from me!!
http://pie.midco.net/grammalowe/12days.html
-
-
If you haven't guessed my packages tend to be on the silly side... What if you did the 12 days of Christmas following the song...
partridge in a pear tree... could it be a sticker of a bird on pear shaped soaps... or pears in a can?
two turtle doves... got to be dove chocolates!
three french hens... how about rubber chickens!
four calling birds... bird whistles... duck calls...
five golden rings... got to be the gaudiest rings you can find at the local thrift store
six geese a laying... I would fill plastic easter eggs with some candy
seven swans a swimming... got to be a water toy! squirt guns for seven??
eight maids a milking...malted milk balls anyone??
nine ladies dancing... how about a dvd of a dance themed movie?? Flashdance, Dirty Dancing
ten lords a leaping... this has to be a riverdance movie
eleven pipers piping... how about a bunch of pipe cleaners and a book of things to do with them?? or better yet a bubble pipe and bubble juice??
twelve drummers drumming... got to be a calendar of hot hunks
-
Comment by Cindy (Proud mom of my Sailor!) on November 16, 2010 at 3:30pm
-
I like that idea! I did ask my daughter last night if she thought there would be anyone on her ship that may not get care packages. She told me the name of one of her friends, so I'm going to adopt a sailor - she just doesn't know it yet! Thanks Susan for the idea!
-
-
Years ago I started giving the 12 days of Christmas to my husband... Seems like Christmas day is all about the kids and rushing to get from church to someones house... so we start early... every day there is a small gift leading up to the big gift on Christmas morning. He never knew where he would find his little gift (his desk at work, his pillow at bedtime, the front seat of his truck)...
I was thinking you could do the same thing... buy small gifts that could be opened every day leading up to the big day! Of course all the gifts would have to be sent together... and there is no guarantee that our sailors would not open every one of them together... but the thought is there!
-
-
Hello everyone! I used this site so much when my daughter was in boot. Now she is getting ready to deploy. I just want to say thank you ahead of time for being so supportive. If it wasn't for ladies like you, I would have never made or understood how everything works. Hugs to you all!
-
Comment by Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom on November 13, 2010 at 12:31pm
-
Welcome Judy! Glad you found us :)
-
Comment by maussie64 on November 12, 2010 at 2:25pm
-
Okay, thanks. Just checking.
-
-
I did. I had to get those boxes out of here so sent them to the hospital at Kandahar, but will send the next batch to DG and will get the address from you :)
-
-
Marcy, did you get my friend request? I sent a message regarding the books with it.
-
-
Not to mention that the group is super-active on here (800+ members, someone's always posting) and just plain fun! http://www.navyformoms.com/group/mollysadoptasailorproject
© 2025 Created by Navy for Moms Admin.
Powered by
You need to be a member of Care Package Ideas! to add comments!