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Comment by helena2000 on February 11, 2020 at 12:55pm

When my husband was deployed on a carrier in the late 90's he would call about once a month with a special calling card that cost $1 a minute. I sent lots of regular letters and some care packages. I don't recall if they had email at that time.

Comment by B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet) on February 11, 2020 at 12:15pm

Chipmunk - B used a calling card from the ship's phones.  I remember there was quite a delay in the call so the conversation was difficult!  Then when they got to port and he had wifi he used the "WhatsApp" to communicate with us.  I had posted info about the AT&T calling cards in the Truman page - a discussion when they deployed back in 2015.  I can look for it if you need it.

Comment by B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet) on February 11, 2020 at 12:11pm

Comment by jes12joy on February 10, 2020 at 10:09pm

Also, when the husband was active duty and deployed which was about 8 years ago, the only time they were allowed to call from the ship when they were underway on a deployment was during an emergency. They would use a satellite phone called Marsat (probably called something else now) and those calls were very expensive. Things may be different now with the advancement of technology. He would call on his cell phone when the ship got close enough to the coast to pick up a signal if they were pulling into port or doing circles for training however deployments are a whole different situation and I usually didn't verbally hear from him until port visits but would get some emails from time to time depending on his work schedule. 

Comment by jes12joy on February 10, 2020 at 9:58pm

My husband would call when they pulled into port. There was usually a bank of pay phones on the pier or right off the pier for the sailors to use to call home and they would need the calling cards then. I would refill the husband's card periodically when he was deployed so he had plenty on there to call home when he had the opportunity.  I am not sure now since cell phones can be used overseas if the pay phones are as prevalent however his last deployment was using calling cards. Our sailor's phone is able to be used overseas so not sure if he will use it when he makes it to the fleet or need the card. I will probably make sure he has both just in case.  

Comment by Chipmunk on February 10, 2020 at 9:46pm

So when they are deployed, do they use the calling card on the ship and call from payphones there, or do they call when they are in port? My son has not been deployed, but he has been on underways. I just know I don't hear from him, but he can check his email. When the ship was in drydock he could call on his cell phone in the hanger bay, and when he is back in port, he uses his cell phone to call home, so this is all new to me. 

Comment by Chipmunk on February 10, 2020 at 9:44pm

jes12joy - AT&T was what this lady was having trouble with. I assume it is a calling card that works with the cell phones? Different than the payphone calling card I purchased for my son during BC. I don't know. 

The ship evidently ran out of calling cards and so she had purchased one online for him and was going to email him the access and pin, but had not received the calling card, I guess. She wondered how long the process would be and when she would get an email. (see her comments in the Main Room chat.) 

I don't have any experience with deployment or this type of calling card, so could only direct her to the ombudsman. 

Comment by jes12joy on February 10, 2020 at 9:34pm

ProudOfK, I am with you on that one. My husband and I were late to the game however with his teachings, we have turned our financial life around. I talk with the son and daughter all the time about it so they hopefully will be smarter with money while they are young. So far so good. We had our sailor attend financial peace  while he was in school here and I wasn't sure much had stuck with him until he was talking to us about his TSP and how he is talking with his friends about their finances. Happy that some of it stuck with him and hope it will continue.  

Chipmunk, I think we bought an AT&T card that was refillable for the sailor when he left for bootcamp. This one was not for wireless and could be refilled if needed. Dear Hubby always had a calling card on him when he deployed and we just kept refilling it as needed and I do believe that one was an AT&T one too.                                                                                                                                                                           

Comment by ProudOfK on February 10, 2020 at 9:28pm

Jes12joy - it appears that you and I are of a similar mind when it comes to Dave Ramsey and money. I only wish I had all the info he teaches when I was my sailor’s age. I think we instilled a lot of it into our sailor. So far it seems to have stuck. 

Comment by Chipmunk on February 10, 2020 at 9:14pm

BTW - glad to see our normal picture up above with the Nuke Moms name. That was weird this morning, opening the page and thinking something was wrong!

Lots of good information!!

BTW, in main chat a mom was asking about calling cards during deployment. - She was having an issue with refilling one that I suggested she talk to her ombudsman about, but I wondered if any of you had experience with calling cards on deployment? I know we have discussed cell phones, but this was new to me. Thanks!

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