How to communicate with your deployed corpsman

[Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom]

 

Note:  if any info is outdated or you have new info to add, let me know!

* Click on the underlined links *

On a ship: 

Phone calls

AT&T Ship to Shore cards are the ones used.  Info: AT&T Ship to Shore cards

Purchase online AT&T calling card online store  Sailors can buy them at the NEX or onboard and reload them with a credit card.

 

Email -   They will be given a .mil email address to use.  Keep in mind that others can see what you email as this is an 'official" email address, so be mindful of what you write/send :)

 

Calls on land and ship to shore - AT&T Military Headquarters

 

In Afghanistan and Iraq/overseas:  

 

Overview: BootsOnGround.com communications for Army, but applies in general to Navy

 

Gmail voice and video chat

http://viber.com - free calls, texts, and picture sharing with anyone, worldwide, for free (both parties need to have Viber downloaded on their smartphone (iPhone, Android, etc).

 

Motomail

Family and friends of deployed sailors and Marines in Afghanistan and Iraq can send a letter to be downloaded, printed and ready for delivery, usually within 24 hours.  The service is free, private and secure.  You can send photos with this service too.

 

Skype  Free video calls and instant messaging over the internet.  Requires free download.

Free global texting to 43 countries:  http://heywire.com

Countries and carriers supported:  http://help.heywire.com/customer/portal/articles/272835-what-countr...

 

Video calling on Facebook

 

Facebook Mobile  You can receive messages, Wall posts, and status updates on your phone. To get alerts sent to your cellphone when someone sends you a message, log in and go to Account > Account Settings > "Mobile" tab at top > follow the steps and click Save Preferences.

 

Care packages to any FPO (Fleet Post Office) address: Care Packages 101  

Also, marine_navymom posted this in July 2012: 

As an added side-note to the Marine Family Network (which I too highly recommend).  When your Corpsmen deploys with a Marine unit, you can request a care package for them.  The carepackages go out 4 times a year.  Here is the link and you will see in the drop down, there is a place to show the Sailors Rank as well (it says deployed Marine - but the devil docs are one in the same).  http://www.thecarepackageproject.com/receive.asp

Google Alerts  This is not exactly 'communicating,' but another means of keeping up with news on topics that matter to you.  Google Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your choice of query or topic.  When you enter the search term, remember to put quotation marks around your topic:  "corpsman" or "USS Iwo Jima" for example.

 

Search online for photos or mention of your sailor:

Try these websites -  

1)  http://www.dvidshub.net

2)  the Media Port (top center of the page) at http://www.navy.mil

3)  http://www.daylife.com and 

  a) Enter your subject to search, i.e. "USS Iwo Jima" in quotations; or

  b) just hit Search with nothing entered - on the next page, click the tab "Topics" then enter  

  your subject.  Once you find your favorite page save the link, for example

http://www.daylife.com/topic/Helmand_Province

Here's something really nice via marine_navymom:  the "Connecting hearts deployment star coin."  Not exactly communicating in the technical sense, but in a wonderful and ongoing way.

She said in a post on our group on July 21 2012, "Here is a link to a coin that I've given to both my "kids" and I also carry one...this is a 'because we are apart' coin (it says Marines and deployed, yet the coin has multiple branches and says nothing about being deployed - I got for mine because I want them to know I think of them always)."

Link:  http://marineparentsinc.com/store/shop/item.aspx?itemid=422

 

 

 

As an added side-note to the Marine Family Network (which I too highly recommend).  When your Corpsmen deploys with a Marine unit, you can request a care package for them.  The carepackages go out 4 times a year.  Here is the link and you will see in the drop down, there is a place to show the Sailors Rank as well (it says deployed Marine - but the devil docs are one in the same).  http://www.thecarepackageproject.com/receive.asp

[mikes mom]

Marcy this is a great idea of yours.. Lilia told me that she doesn't really care for motomail that its very slow.. I still use email to communicate with Michael ..When he was in Afg and even now while he is on a ship.. Also FB is just the best way you can see if he has been active and while he was in Afg I would get up in the middle of the night ( like I am now.. LOL ) and sometimes I woould catch him on : )

Lilia also uses Yahoo IM...

Again this such a great idea..  Thanks

Princess

[Chief88]

mikes Mom my son too at times is able to get to a computer over in Afg but very limited. He uses sat alight phone sometimes to a Spawar number we got him but that too is limited. moto mail is slow. No emailing though. Skypted once but the connection is as bad as it can get. Burr I'll take anything! FB I have to be up really early to catch him or very late however you want to say the time is always opposite ours!

[singlelady]

hello:  i am new to this particular sight...my son will graduate A sch. on oct 2...he is currently in san antonio...he is headed to san diego, balboa hospital...can anyone tell me anything about this place?  i would appreciate if you can tell me what to expect, etc...thank you!

[Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom]

Hi and welcome singlelady :)  I'm sure we must have a mom who knows about San Diego and the Navy hospital at Balboa.  This discussion may not be the best place for your question, why not post it in the Comments and hopefully we'll find moms with your info.  Also, are you in the A school groups?  

http://www.navyformoms.com/group/hmhospitalcorpsmanaschoolinsanantonio   and 

http://www.navyformoms.com/group/sailorsinaschoolforcorpsmen?commen...

And here is a group in California that has San Diego moms:

http://www.navyformoms.com/group/sailorsstationedincali?xg_source=a...

[singlelady]

thank you! :)

[Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom]

If anyone sees outdated information above, or has new info to share, please let me know!  Marcy