USS Essex Navy Moms

Good afternoon,  My son just got orders and will be going to the Essex next month as an MM3.  This is his first ship!

Hi Jane,  Thanks.  Samuel was actually in the nuclear program in Charleston.  He had 1 week to go in Power School when he found out his scores weren't high enough to make it-- ugh!  He is still in Charleston right now.  He reports to the ship the end of March and he is very excited.  He was hoping for the west coast.

Thanks.  I hope so.  He likes to be active so this sounds like it would be a great learning experience.  As far as Power School goes, I don't want to give the wrong impression.  They do keep track of grades and points of all the students.  He was studying hours and hours every day and almost made it!  I think it was so hard for him in that most people who failed did so early on.   

Linda

Hi Essex moms.  I just rejoined this group.  My son was on the Essex when it was stationed in Sasebo, Japan.  He is now in San Diego and will be stationed on the Essex again.

Greetings from New Orleans.  Our son finished training in April, came home & then headed to San Diego.  I just wonder what they are doing in the  the interim and when is the Essex headed back out to sea. He went for a week out on the San Diego ship.

Any other Mom's have sons on the berthing barge while the USS Essex is in dry dock? 

He's trying to get off the barge as soon as possible.  I've heard that the food situation for them on the barge is horrible and some are having to skip meals.

Anybody know anything about that?

My son is eating PB&J's too as well as drinking protein drinks.  He said he is determined "not to get as skinny as the other guys are."  Any idea if they are planning to fix the galley on the barge at all?  I'll let him know about locking things up, Thank you.  Tell your son, "Thank you" for his service.  God bless them all.

Yep - my son is still on barge.  Says every day there are food trucks but $$ so he eats raman noodles & canned soup.

Jane, MM Mom, I'm so glad your son got into barracks. Bet you and he are both relieved.  I'm sure you're feeding him well now that he is home for a few days.

My son is in the engineering dept. 

ValK.  Tell your son, "Thank you so much" too.  My son eats Top Ramen noodles too. We should buy stock. ='(   I know no one's son wants to make waves but do you know if any of the hungry Sailors have asked why they aren't getting the basics (food)?   If the ship doesn't come out of dry dock for months, that's a long time to eat PB&J and Top Ramen noodles. 

ValK,

Talked to my son tonight and he suggested having your son get Mass Gainer from GNC.  He says it has 700 calories in it with lots of protein, carbs and vitamins.  He's been mixing three scoops (recommended) of it with water every morning and it's helped him a lot.  He's always been Mr. Fitness so his finding this product to use didn't surprise me  Hope this helps you.

Thanks for the info Trinket - I will let him know ASAP :-)

Greetings - Daughter & I are trying to plan trip to San Diego. Does anyone know anything about the Navy Lodge(s)?  Is there more than 1 location?  I see North Lodge, Coronado & website is not behaving.  Any info is much appreciated. Our son is super excited about visit.

Jane - Thank you so much for sharing such great info. I will let son know about supplements, Wow.  We are from New Orleans.  None of us have ever visited SD, been to L.A. but not southern CA. 

Hope you have a safe and wonderful trip Val.  How exciting for you and your son. =)

Jane - Can you provide info on the "traveler's website" & MWR please?   There's a # on my reservation - need to call about access to & from base.

Hi Momma TS,

My son has been assigned to the USS Essex in San Diego since July 2013.

Your son will be wonderfully welcomed when he comes. The Sailors seem really friendly there.  He'll be living on a berthing barge at first because the ship is currently undergoing a major overhaul and isn't liveable yet.  It was in dry dock, but only recently was put into the water for the first time.  The tentative date for moving onto the ship itself is sometime in December.  The galley on the ship is not functional yet and the galley on the barge is out of order.  The working times and travel times to the main mess hall ion base s sometimes tricky.  Most of their food will be snacks they buy, fast food, food they buy off base, or from the Roach Coach that comes by the ship.  My advice is to make sure your son budgets his money well, or you are able to send him some money because the $10.00 a day they are allotted for meals is really insufficient.  Also, as previously mentioned on this thread, make sure he knows to lock up his valuables.  Unfortunately, there have been some thefts.  He'll make friends easily.  They are a great group of men.  My son very much enjoys the crew he works with and they like to watch movies together and hang out during their off time.  

Welcome!  Looking forward to hearing from you more. 

Greetings All. Our trip to San Diego went exceedingly well.  We had a great time visiting our son BUT we were just in time for the government shut down. I was staying at North Base & he is stationed at the Yard. Because of shut down, no visitor passes were available. Stores/Shops on Base were closed due to personnel on furlough. Any time I left base, my son had to be with me to return to base and he would have to find a ride back to Barge. I was amazed there was no work around. Hopefully all is well now. Yes, Essex krewe (New Orleans influence)  should be on ship for December. Our son is coming home for a New Year's visit. While still on the barge, they find sustainance by Roach Coach and lots of prepacked processed foods (not healthy). Son was most happy to sleep in a real bed and eat LOTS of cooked food.  Inn on North Island was FANTASTIQUE,  I would suggest to stay in one of the side buildings & ask for the last room - the ocean is right out of your patio door.  We took our son to the Del Coronado for lunch - he enjoyed every second and morsel of food.

ValK,

I was literally choked up reading your post here.  My son came home for a very short visit recently and, like your own, he was famished for every home cooked meal he could fit inside his stomach. Sadly, at first, he could only eat a few bites.  Due to his lack of large meals and eating mostly snacks, his stomach couldn't barely hold more than a few bites.  After a couple of days, he was gobbling up everything in sight.  What you wrote, touched my heart.  I'll keep your son in my prayers.

I'm so very glad you had a wonderful visit with your son.  My own will be coming home also over New Years and we are all so eager to spend time with him.

Keep the Sailors on the barge in your prayers.  Latest is that there are sewage issues and the toilets and water are shut down for them, have been now for 24 hours and counting.  Wish they'd just feed my son and let him have a decent place to live.   I guess it proves that the sacrifices of the people in our military start hard and fast and continue (even when their ship is in dry dock).  Don't forget to say thank you to every person you meet in the military, they deserve our thanks. This is ridiculous on top of our sons eating snacks and canned soup to survive.  They are in my prayers.  I hope their situation changes very soon for the better. 

Yep, no water for 3 days, raw sewrage is still "deep" in section of ship.  Tons of laundry.  This is a health hazard.  They have to go to barracks or another ship to bathe.  The barge is just that, a barge moored in "The Yard". Sketchy neighborhood.  Hopefully these sailors can move to barracks and soon.

The barge is a "temporary" place for them while the ship is being repaired.

Sadly, the mess hall is often closed before our guys get off of work from the ship. Many of the Sailors just rely on snacks that they stuff into their lockers or go off base to eat after the long hours they put in at work. I hear tomorrow they are having a BBQ for the Sailors, if they can make it in time. I bet there won't be any leftovers. 

The barges only have a few toilets (when they are working) and few outlets for charging their phones.  Many of the Sailors have bought "super chargers" to charge their phones quickly because there just aren't enough outlets.  There is no wifi on the barge, so emails via computer are out unless they go to Starbucks or some other place where they have wifi.  I am not sure how much locker room they get, other than a standing locker and the one that is part of their rack/bunk.  I'll ask for you.

 ValK, I agree with you about this being a health hazard.  My son said that most of them now don't have clean clothes to wear either now because of the lack of water.  They are buying bottled water with what little money they have.  Thank God for the ship nearby them that has allowed the Sailors to go there for showers. 

It isn't what I expected either.  My son had bed bugs in his rack in A School the entire time even after he repeatedly asked for a replacement mattress.  He eventually bought some spray and a mattress cover and treated it himself. 

Hopefully, these Sailors can move to barracks soon.  Although it takes some time to get into them because they have to do certain listed things before they earn the right to move there.  I will ask if they are able to live off base. 

Just send lots of love and support to our guys. They need it.  They are good men and have certainly proven how tough they are.  God bless them all.

Thank you ValK and Trinket for all the information.  How long have the USS Essex sailors been living under these conditions?  Seems to me that prisoners are treated better...... I hope the conditions have improved and that they are able to move back on the ship or to barracks soon!

My sailor should be reporting at the end of the month.  I will keep in contact with you. 

Thanks again,

Momma TS

Jane, MM Mom,

I'm so glad your son found other living arrangements.  You're right about how expensive it is to live in San Diego.  You must have been so happy to have him off that barge and eating again.  I'm so happy for him. =)

Momma TSOften when we have sent money and food packages to our son at the address he gave us, he can not easily pick it up.  His long work hours keep him from being able to get the mail and the Sailor assigned to pick up the mail for them is also working long hours and he was unable to get it either.  It has taken 3-4 weeks for him to get what we have sent to him because of this.  We have started using Western Union to send him money and also have sent packages to a FedEx office and this seems to be easier for him to pick up.  Just a heads up. 

Greetings All. Our sailor will be home the week of New Year's.  If sailor has duty, they're on/available for 24 hours. Otherwise, his day was usually over by 1600.  Great idea about restaurant gift cards. I know they had a "skating party" over Halloween.  I hope they have a nice Thanksgiving dinner.

Merry Christmas! I am missing my Sailor this Christmas :( He had duty for the second year in a row.

Salutations & Felicitations this Holiday Seaton.  I had a hard cry Christmas morning missing my Sailor Man but he's coming home on Saturday.  He said all he wants to do is sleep in his bed & eat home cooking.  Apparently the food trucks are gone from the Yard.  Plumbing seems to be fixed on the Essex.

Does anyone have the # for The USS Essexat the great lakes naval base? The sailors had the number on their leave chits, but my sons got thrown away by mistake. They need to call that number if their flight gets cancelled 

I writing this to all the families who have loved ones assigned to the Essex.

I, too, have someone I love assigned to that ship.   I urge you STRONGLY to call your sons and daughters and open up lines of communication with them inviting them to vent their feelings right now with you.  From what I have heard, the 18 hour work days with one day off a week (if they don't have duty or someone assigns them extra work) and the way they are being treated by others in the Navy is breaking down their spirits.  Some of the sailors are dangerously depressed from the stress of the situation the way it is right now. 

Please, contact your Sailors.  Make sure they are okay and that they know you love them and are there for them and that you care about what they are going through.  They need it right now, badly.

Sorry to even have to write something like this.  I wish the situation was better for our Sailors on that ship.  Hopefully it will be once the repairs are all done.

Jane,MM Mom -

Since these forums are probably being monitored, I hesitate to answer your question about which department.  I'm so sorry.  Just don't want to risk these sailors getting punishment in the form of even more hours, etc. 

Mostly I am just concerned by the things I've been hearing with regards to the morale of some of our sailors and I just urge you to all make sure your own loved ones are doing okay and make sure the communication channels are open between you and them so that if they need to talk and complain, they are able to.  It would go a long way right now.

Just sent another box of goodies to SailorMan.  He does not finish duty until late & galley is closed ore ok but 4 hour old food.  FYI - Post Office $15 box "if it fits is ships" is the perfect size - don't use soft envelopes as contents get crushed.  Plumbing issues seem to but some heads continue to back up.  Ick.  I was told a Girl Scout came to the dock (with her family) selling cookies & did quite well.

Thank you ValK for the update and the info about the packages and the update on the plumbing issues. My own Sailor is also working an average 15 hours a day and often 6 and 7 days a week.  I hadn't heard about the 4-hour old food that our late-night working Sailors are eating in the galley.  That is a GREAT way to get them all sick from bacteria. Sadly, I keep hearing the words of the Sailor at MEPS when my Sailor was sworn in, "You're son is in the Navy now, we'll be taking very good care of them."  I'm still waiting for the Navy to make good on that regarding our sons on the Essex. Keeping your SailorMan in my prayers and all our Sailors who are having to deal with these seemingly never ending issues. 

When are they going to stop working our sailors 16-18 hours a day?   Feel so sick when they only gets 4 hours of sleep.  Most of the sailors on this ship, I hear are working regular hours.  My own sailor and others are being tortured.  Signing up for 4 years is one thing but working them endlessly these hours and working them on hardly any sleep is unacceptable and dangerous.  Hurts like hell to hear about this night after night.   Please, again, check with your sailors.  They need our love and support.  This is madness.  Praying for YOUR SAILORS too.   I expected better.  Our sacrificing Sailors deserve better treatment.

Hello All, I'm new in this group. Sailor just got orders and will be leaving soon. After reading some of these posts I'm really worried. How are they being treated? What is going on?

There is a family cruise day on the Essex next week.  I think the sign up deadline was May 9th.  For families of sailors to go on a day cruise on the Essex.  My family is flying out there for it.  It will be such an honor to be on the ship our son serves on.

Thanks guys. I feel a little better now. My son is undesignated.

Does anyone else  have a sailor who is undesignated?

Lorraine - Yes, my sailor man is undesignated.  How did you find out about family cruise day?