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Comment by Sue-Pillowcase lady on March 21, 2009 at 6:55pm

Well Suzann. My son did a deployment last year on the Lincoln. He bought all of his phone cards in the ship's store. It's very cold in the berthing, so flannel sheets might be nice. I would recommend reading back thru some of the older pages for other suggestions.

Comment by Sue-Pillowcase lady on March 21, 2009 at 12:32am

My son is with a squadron, so it might be alittle different. We got the paperwork to fill out in early July and had to turn it in by August 1st for the tiger cruise beginning 10-1. We also had to get our flight booked before Ben would even turn it in.
However, I later found out the forms didn't have to be in until 8-15 and the flight didn't have to be booked that early, Although, booking in July made it so we didn't have to pay for baggage.
This was his squadron commander's rules and it is first come, first served once the medical form has been approved.
hope that helps. As far as travel arrangements, no there isn't any help. The form we got did talk about a charter flight, but that is old. Once the forms are released, the ships online newsletter should have a tiger cruise link. Print out the FAQ-valuable information.

Comment by Sue-Pillowcase lady on March 19, 2009 at 2:29am

Marianne, travel light. If I ever get to go again, I will leave the big wheeled suitcase at home haha. I wore the same pair of jeans the whole time. I did bring some sweat pants but liked the jeans better. Long pants are a must. I could've done without some clothes-not too many, but a few., I did bring a pillow and my flannel sheet and was glad that I had them.

Comment by Sue-Pillowcase lady on March 17, 2009 at 10:00pm

Yes, the tiger cruise is at the end of a deployment and can be east or west coast. Mine was Hawaii to san diego-an absolutely wonderful experience!
The guests sleep in the same berthings as the sailors. I asked my son if there was guest quarters for us-he laughed his head off.
Marianne, is you want to send me a PM with a personal email, I will forward 8 days of blog that I wrote for a local news channel. It describes it pretty well. I do talk about it a bit on my page too.
Your dad will get to sleep in the same cube as your son. He will need a female co-sponsor for you, so tell him to make friends with a female in his shop.

Comment by Sue-Pillowcase lady on March 17, 2009 at 9:29am

I agree. I watched that before taking the tiger cruise, so I had some idea what to
expect. the only thing it didn't really prepare me for what the immense size of the carrier!

Comment by AngiePNMx2 on March 3, 2009 at 10:13pm

Congrats Chris! My sailor is also working toward the same goal.

Comment by Sue-Pillowcase lady on February 26, 2009 at 6:50pm

towards the end of his deployment, we got a picture package in the mail., My son had it sent to us, cause he and his wife were having problems and he knew that I would want it. On that order form it told how to order the cruise book. It took 4 1/2 months to get it, and I can see why.
Is your son married? if yes, then the info will probably go to his wife. it cost $43.00 and more than worth every cent.

Comment by Sue-Pillowcase lady on February 26, 2009 at 5:40pm

I got my tiger cruise book today-actually, it is a cruise book for the whole deployment of the Lincoln last year. If your child's ship offers one, get it.
It's huge and beautiful!

Comment by Sue-Pillowcase lady on February 17, 2009 at 9:04pm

thanks for explaining it so clearly Angie. We are all so proud and it is hard to not want to chatter. But you are right, we want our sailors home safely more.
generic answers are the right ones. and I am a detail queen haha., But I have learned to give the generic ones.

Comment by AngiePNMx2 on February 17, 2009 at 7:42pm

Chrissy this is lengthy but answers your question...if this info is posted on the GW group you might want to lket the person who started the group know thye should remove anything that shouldn't be said

OpSec, Opsec...... why do we always hear about OpSec?"

Operational Security is incredibly important. It is why we are not supposed to give dates out over the phone or in e-mails. It is why we encourage everyone to call the Careline for information. We, as Navy spouses, parents, siblings,children, and other family members need to carefully husband any secure information we receive and understand that having this information is a privilege, not a right.

Most of us don't think that telling a family member secure information is against the rules. Most of us don't think that forwarding the information of advance notice on port call dates and locations could be a hazard to our sailors. Most of us don't realize that multiple OpSec infractions incurred by sailors and/or their families could cost all of us the privilege of consistent e-mails and telephone calls. Well, it can.

The rules are clear - we DO NOT discuss ships movement, dates, locations, or activities unless and until our Captain has told us it is okay. We don't tell Great Aunt Sally because she doesn't know the rules. We don't say it to each other over the phone, we don't tell people in e-mails, we don't blog dates, times, or places, and we take great care with the information we are privileged to have.

When our neighbor asks "Where is your sailor now?" we say thing like "on the Great Blue Sea", or "Out there doing his thing", or the standard "I have absolutely no idea, but wherever he/she is he/she is working hard".

When Great Aunt Sally's nurse says "When are they getting home" we say "Later" or "Sometime before Labor Day" or "Well, it could all change in a minute so we don't really bank on anything".

And, when your hairdresser says "when are they leaving?" we say things like "Shortly" or "I don't like to talk about it, it makes me cry" or "I was talking to mermaids the other day and they said they were ready anytime now."

It isn't silly. It isn't nonsense. It is VITAL to ship's security. It is VITAL for the SAFETY of our sailors. Even though your hairdresser, grocer, Great Aunt Sally, parents, best friend or whomever might be perfectly safe and want to know only out of love, we do not know and cannot guarantee that they won't choose to share the information with someone who shouldn't know or who may then share it inappropriately.

We just don't know. So, we don't take the risk. We keeps the ship's information close to our hearts and with closed mouths. We refer family to the Careline. We encourage them to join the Ombudsman Group, the FRG, and talk to their sailor.

That's right, we really do have the hard job, and we do it well. So, that is what OpSec means to us, the family and friends of the Warriors of the Mighty Ike.

So, go to the following link. Print it out. Learn it. Keep this e-mail. Then when someone asks you for dates you can tell them about OpSec, forward the e-mail, or send them to the link. If they love your sailor and want to work with you for his or her safe return, they will stop asking for specifcs and learn to accept the generalities that are a part of our daily lives. The link explains it in very easy to understand terms. I intend to print several copies and mail them off to family and friends along with a personal note asking them to please be understanding of the fact that until the information is released by the CAPT, I won't be able to discuss specifics.

http://www.defendamerica.mil/articles/a021202b.html Share

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