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Comment by tiff794613 on April 26, 2017 at 5:51pm

Hi everyone - 

If anyone has some insight on a timeline of how long an NFO will be in Pensacola, that would be great! (Recent info would be most helpful since things are constantly changing). I know the pipeline, but looking more for time frame now. I am a spouse and my husband is in API currently. I am in grad school, and just trying to have a rough estimate timeline of our time here. Any info would be appreciated. 

Thank You

Tiffany

Comment by JudyM on April 26, 2017 at 2:31pm

CheriH, my son did two deployments attached to the air force. It is a slightly different experience, but he enjoyed it. Now DS is off to start TPS (test pilot school) in Pax River in July, moving from Washington to Maryland.

Comment by CheriH on April 26, 2017 at 10:20am

Good morning moms...DS leaves today for Anchorage for a 3 week DET.  He is excited about the flying; joint ops with the Air Force.  His sweet wife told me that "3 weeks is nothing!" when compared to deployment.  So glad that they have adjusted to Navy life.  I, of course, am thinking about the Russian planes that are buzzing about up there.  

On another note, DS and DIL managed to make it for a family funeral on Easter weekend and he showed up in his dress blues.  When I saw them enter the church, I teared up.  What is it about the uniform that makes me cry every time?

Comment by Barb on April 9, 2017 at 12:19pm

Sending warm Palm Sunday wishes to everyone. Lots of activity with our LO's this weekend. Saying extra prayers for their safety. Our DS is back out on CQ's. He just passed his LSO, so that was cool and his CO was just named CO of the Blue Angels! Hoping the sunshine is bright where you are!

Comment by ulua on March 30, 2017 at 10:30am

Hello lovely navy moms, especially proud mom. My DS just returning from Japan adventure. FaceTime worked great, he usually had time to talk on the weekends. iPhone for texting. I purchased a clock to set to Japan time to keep in our kitchen. I had to check out the clocks at Walmart carefully because many are atomic clocks that reset to local time, tricky to find a manual-set one. Just kind of a nice thing for me. We also sent a few fun care packages, priority mail, use the large one that gets a little military discount with USPS.
It's never easy for the moms to have their LO so far away. God bless your family, fair winds and following seas to your DS

Comment by BuckeyeMom on March 29, 2017 at 2:25pm

We use ATT, and it sounds like the plan is very much like Verizon's.  They did not mention anything about unsuspending it until he gets back to the States.

My brother was stationed in Afganistan YEARS ago and we just used our regular service...at that point an International plan was no big deal but it wasn't even suggested this time. 

DS said he would be able to FaceTime or Skype occasionally, he will be on a cruiser so will apparently in and out of ports periodically.  I just wondered if everyone suspended their service or if there were other options out there!

Comment by NFAO on March 29, 2017 at 1:23pm

Just a couple of suggestions on the logistical things.  Our son was deployed on the IKE that returned last December.  With Verizon you can "suspend" and "un-suspend" his phone at will from their web site.  This is a benefit they offer to deployed servicepeople.  This way you are not paying for service when he is on a boat, but it can be "un-suspended" when he is in port.  Depending on the country of the port call the cost can be small or large for cell service -- again that's all spelled out on their web site under "International Roaming."

Second -- most post offices will tell you to send packages using Priority Mail.  What they won't tell you about (because you have to luck into someone that knows about it) is that that they have a service called "Regional Rate Priority Mail."  If you are within a certain zip code range of the FPO zip code you can use this instead of the full-price Priority Mail.  It has its own boxes, and they don't have them in the Post Office - you have to order them (for free) from the USPS web site.  The cost per package is about 1/2 to 2/3 of the regular Priority Mail, and it goes in the same stream.  It's a little bit of a challenge to find out about it on the USPS web site, but if you stick to it you can save a bunch, especially if you send a lot of packages (and they love getting stuff, even if it's nothing significant).

Comment by JudyM on March 29, 2017 at 1:18pm

My son has been to Japan twice. Viber works great for messaging. 

Comment by Marianne on March 29, 2017 at 12:47pm

Oops - Japan is 16 hrs, but also one DAY ahead. Sorry for the confusion.

Comment by Marianne on March 29, 2017 at 12:46pm

Proudmom, Japan can be tricky because of the 16 hr. difference and the fact that they are one hour ahead. We pre-arranged times for SKYPE and used Facebook. Email is one of the best because they can pick it up on the ship, where OPSEC and limited bandwith nix phone calls, etc.

Lots of packages helped me feel connected; those military mailers from the USPS are the best because there is no additional cost for FPO and no weight limit.

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