My son says at Corpus they have sent all civilians and maintenance folks home. Everyone is grounded for the time being. At least the active duties are getting paid. They don't know when they will get to start flying again.
SusanW- my DS also did his own U-Haul move from Pcola to CC a year ago. He explained to me something about certain moves of your residence are still under a 'training' category and some moves later when you are assigned to FRS are covered differently. He liked moving his own stuff anyway, no worries about a delivery schedule and he was settled in right away. Sounds like your DS is well-organized with his housing!
NNM Sheila- I am praying with you, I also wonder about the motives.
I was hoping to get a visit in from our DS but training is back on. All good though, don't want training to stall for any of our LOs!
I'm glad that Meridian is flying again. My DS is on a Det to Key West and he wasn't sure what was going to happen with that. Does anyone have a student from VFA-122 on a detachment to Key West. I would love to know if they are flying or not. If you are caught all the way across the country from where you are based, I guess Key West might be an ok place.
Congrats to your son, Dawn. Mine has enjoyed the Kingsville community - if all goes well he should be winging mid-November.
It's certainly more enjoyable to celebrate their accomplishments, then shed tears for the many tragedies that so many of you have endured... God's speed to all.
NFAO- I have sent you a friend request, I would like to send you a personal message if that okay with you.
Dawn- that is so awesome! I know you will be smiling all weekend! Congrats to your LO.
Adding my prayers for Pcola, my cousin lives on Gulf Breeze, that little island area crossing over the bridge to Pcola beach. He had some pretty harrowing stories of the last hurricance. Its a beautiful location, the wildlife viewing is spectacular, but it seems to be directly on the hurricane path.
Ladies....Again thank you for all your hard work and help with this service project. We made 114 pillowcases and dropped them off yesterday to be shipped out. Bravo Zulo!
Suzie, my DS likes Key West too. He's been signing up for almost every detachment that he can as VFA122 has so few planes to fly. He says that out of around 80 planes in the squadron that 1/2 are picked apart for parts and that courses really shortages in the RAG of doable jets. The detachments at least allow for flying. The GF isn't real happy though.
Question.....I am looking for the size (measurement) of the beds on board ship. Not sure if all the officers beds are the same size or if they differ based on rank? I would appreciate the help.
Nancy W...can't even imagine. One of those things that its better not to know about until after all is said and done. So glad he made it. Prayers for all that are flying in those conditions! Glad to hear that the surgery went well. Praying for more positive news about her recovery.
Nancy W, I learned early on to be thankful that my son tells me in GREAT detail what he's done AFTER he's done it! Their "HOLY COW!!" has a different meaning than our "HOLY COW!!"
Nancy W - Prayers for your family. II hope that whatever the diagnosis, it will be minimally invasive treatment. It will be a great blessing to her once you get there. We're all behind you, too.
You are right about not much news from the GW. I think they have managed to hit every typhoon in the east Pacific this cruise. We've only heard from DS once since he got back there from Top Gun. He had to fly out to meet up with the ship again, got there safely, and that was the last we heard. It's only been 3 weeks, but he is pretty good about staying in touch. Guess we never stop worrying in this business!
Oh Nancy, I hope you are doing okay. This has been a rough year, first Brian and now this. You and your family are in our thoughts. And we Navy moms are standing strong for you.
Trick or Treat bag I just finished for this evening. This one is for our youngest grandson. What you can't see in the picture is I have hand embroidered all the characters. It really make the bag pop. Not that anyone will notice when they are Trick or Treating tonight, but I will:) Hope you all have a great evening.
You are so talented. I love the quilts and other things you do. Wish I had the time.
Last week we got to see our DS when he and another jet flew in from a detachment to Key West on their way back to Lemoore. Short visit but always a treat to see him fly.
Other good news is that he is back in CO for a flyover for astronaut Scott Carpenter's funeral in Boulder CO tomorrow morning. There are 4 jets from Lemoore at the airport and my DH is playing chauffeur this afternoon. DS will take him to work and go to a planning meeting and then we'll go drop the truck off for his dad to get home and he'll steal my vehicle for the weekend. While the jets and fuel are being supplied, lodging, meals and transportation are not. They are all staying at a hotel about 2 miles from our house. We will try to find a good place to see the flyover. Nancy, you might want to alert your brothers to keep an eye out somewhere between 11 and 1 tomorrow. The church is downtown. While I'm not sure, I'm assuming that they will fly the missing man formation.
On another note, a T-34 came into the same airport shortly after my DS and the rest came in. Apparently it didn't have any landing gear down and landed on its belly. All are ok. I had thought that the T-34's were being phased out. I've been out of the primary phase of things for awhile though. I don't know if it was out of Corpus or Whiting. My DH couldn't see the tail from his vantage point.I may have a bit more information this evening.
I also saw that the Blue Angels are flying again for the Navy vs Notre Dame game. I'm so glad to see that.
I just found out that it was a civilian T-34. Which is good because if it had been military, they would have had to stay and fill out all sorts of paperwork as witnesses. Although, none of them really saw much as they were securing the jets which takes a bit of time.
It worked out good for DH to help. Denver Air gave them a courtesy car to go to the hotel. 5 went in that vehicle and 3 in our truck and all the gear in the truck. Then DH and a couple other pilots took DH to work and went to Buckley AFB where the meeting is being held. I thought he had to go back up to Boulder. DH works out by the old airport and Buckley is just about 10 miles from there so it worked out good. He'll come back and they'll take the courtesy car back and then we'll go drop the truck for DH. At least it seems organized right now. DS still has to get all the clearances from the FAA for the flight which I understand is a bit of a problem at times.
With anyone's experiences, if an O2 has duty on Thanksgiving Day, what would be the likelihood that they would also be assigned to duty on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Suzie, not sure if our sons met while completing CQs but also excited that he just has 5 flights left in Kingsville before November 15th winging... the countdown begins!
Our LO just got his orders and leaves for SERE either the Friday or Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. Good news is we know when it is. Bad news is no Thanksgiving at home. :-/
I've been reading on my phone and thinking about all of you, but never seem to get to the computer to post!
NOAM: A lot of us have been through the SERE stretch. It's scary, but it does help keep them safe. My DS went through in November in Maine( a while ago); hope yours is further south! One good thing is that they usually get some leave after they finish, so hopefully he will make it home for the holidays. Good luck to him.
Suzie: Have a wonderful winging. It will be so extra special to have the whole family there. You are blessed.
Kabar: Ditto navy wife and mom. DS is O3 now, but as O2, he was able to get Christmas leave when he drew duty on Thanksgiving. The earlier requested, the better, as once again the O2s don't get top priority.
Welcome Thetribemom! My DS is based at Atsugi also. He is on the same ship, USS George Washington, with Nancy W's DS. Our DS is in a different Squadron VFA-27, Royal Maces. You should be able to hear from your Son when they are out to sea by email, they are usually very busy and may not get back to you right away. When they are in Atsugi, communication is possible more frequently but again they stay busy! Our squadron, and the ombudsman have facebook pages and are very good at posting pictures and events. Hubby and I are flying to Japan in early December when they come back from the fall cruise. DS was able to come home for the holidays last year, but wont be able to this year. They love getting care packages, so box up all that leftover Halloween candy!
Thetribemom: Welcome to the Liberty Bells! My DS is a Hawkeye NFO coming up on the end of year 2 in Japan. Atsugi is a small joint base with the Japanese Air Force. We went over last year for Christmas and although it was relatively quiet on base, had a wonderful time.
A lot of people live off-base because housing is tight. Housing allowances are pretty generous, even with the high costs over there. Atsugi is not far from Yokohama (20 min. max on the local trains), and an additional 25-30 min. from Tokyo. The view of Mt. Fuji is incredible; you'll see it on patches, etc.
The toughest thing in communication (other than already mentioned) is the 16 hr. time difference between there and where we live in Chicago. Skype is one of God's gift to military families! While on these extended cruises, you'll have to settle for really hit or miss until they are in port. Keep sending emails, though they might not get a chance to read them for a while.
Packages are always welcome, whether on cruise or land. My DS used to get teased about all the packages he got, but the squadron know we always put in stuff to share. Surprisingly, the single biggest "hit" for passing around are used magazines. Especially with the rough weather this cruise, a lot of time is spent waiting to fly, so they love to have a pile of magazines around to read.
Japan is pretty temperate compared to Illinois, but it does get really damp and chilly. They have very little room on ship, but extra socks, sweaters, sweatshirts, etc. are appreciated. Believe me, Japanese central heat is not my idea of comfy, and my house is always set lower than most, so your LO will appreciate them on land, too.
VAW 115 is a very close-knit group and really friendly. I hope your son will have as good an experience as mine. If you have any specific questions, please ask. This is a great group and we all know what you are going through. No one understands like other military families!
TNnavymom: Have a great trip. Tokyo was not my favorite, but if you will be there for it, don't miss the hilarious charity parade when motorcyclists all dress up like Santa and go down the main shopping street. For a primarily Buddhist and Shinto country, they have an amazing array of holiday decorations and lights.
I hope that you will go to Kyoto, the old imperial capital. It is about 21/2 hr. by bullet train and will really give you a feel for old time Japan. After simply being with my son, it was definitely the high point of the trip for our whole family.
God bless all. I wish you a lovely Thanksgiving. I am trying to have some sailors from Great Lakes join us, as we have in the past, but the red tape is getting ridiculous. Seriously, do they think we are a security risk even with an active duty officer???
As Nancy said, be careful about the address. Also, we have two special Navy email addresses that seem to get through a lot faster. I only use those when he is on cruise. Be sure to get those.
The flat rate boxes are the best! No weight restrictions, so you can cram in a lot. If I hadn't used the flat rate military, the last package would have cost almost 4X as much because of the weight of the magazines. Remember that letters, etc. to the military are the same postage rate as in the US, no matter where in the world they go. You can actually have the Post Office deliver packages of 25 boxes free to your home. Go on the website and make sure you ask for the military, not the regular flat rate boxes. It is very convenient, and that way I just keep them and a stack of customs forms on hand. You will also need to fill out a form for each box.
I've never had a box take more than two and a half weeks, but I guess I've been lucky!
Thank you all so much. You have been wonderful. I will try to be on more often for your help, but I work 6 days a week so not much time to chat. Thanks agian.
GW moms: In case you haven't heard, they pulled the GW out of Hong Kong three days early to aid in relief efforts in the Philippines. Luckily, I got to talk to DS last night, but at that point they still thought they had two or three days left in port.
The heli pilots are going to be really busy ferrying relief to the smaller places and also, according to the news, bringing injured on board. At least some people should see all the peacetime good our LOs do.
Helomom
What else would Helomom have in her living room?
Sep 30, 2013
Helomom
Oct 1, 2013
jamielss
My son says at Corpus they have sent all civilians and maintenance folks home. Everyone is grounded for the time being. At least the active duties are getting paid. They don't know when they will get to start flying again.
Oct 2, 2013
ulua
SusanW- my DS also did his own U-Haul move from Pcola to CC a year ago. He explained to me something about certain moves of your residence are still under a 'training' category and some moves later when you are assigned to FRS are covered differently. He liked moving his own stuff anyway, no worries about a delivery schedule and he was settled in right away. Sounds like your DS is well-organized with his housing!
NNM Sheila- I am praying with you, I also wonder about the motives.
I was hoping to get a visit in from our DS but training is back on. All good though, don't want training to stall for any of our LOs!
Oct 2, 2013
AH
I'm glad that Meridian is flying again. My DS is on a Det to Key West and he wasn't sure what was going to happen with that. Does anyone have a student from VFA-122 on a detachment to Key West. I would love to know if they are flying or not. If you are caught all the way across the country from where you are based, I guess Key West might be an ok place.
Oct 2, 2013
aggiemom
When I talked to my DS in CC today he said he was waiting for a flight briefing I am assuming that he did actually did fly.
Oct 2, 2013
Dawn
Oct 3, 2013
CheriH
Yay Dawn! Congrats to him!
Oct 3, 2013
Dawn
Oct 3, 2013
NFAO
Congrats to your son, Dawn. Mine has enjoyed the Kingsville community - if all goes well he should be winging mid-November.
It's certainly more enjoyable to celebrate their accomplishments, then shed tears for the many tragedies that so many of you have endured... God's speed to all.
Oct 3, 2013
Dawn
Oct 3, 2013
ulua
NFAO- I have sent you a friend request, I would like to send you a personal message if that okay with you.
Dawn- that is so awesome! I know you will be smiling all weekend! Congrats to your LO.
Adding my prayers for Pcola, my cousin lives on Gulf Breeze, that little island area crossing over the bridge to Pcola beach. He had some pretty harrowing stories of the last hurricance. Its a beautiful location, the wildlife viewing is spectacular, but it seems to be directly on the hurricane path.
Oct 4, 2013
Paymaster
Ladies....Again thank you for all your hard work and help with this service project. We made 114 pillowcases and dropped them off yesterday to be shipped out. Bravo Zulo!
Pillowcases for the Wounded Warrior project
Pillowcases for the Wounded Warrior project
Oct 4, 2013
JudyM
Dawn, congrats on your son going to Kingsville. Also, NFAO, great news about winging in November. What an awesome time.
Oct 4, 2013
Dawn
Oct 5, 2013
AH
Oct 6, 2013
AH
Suzie, my DS likes Key West too. He's been signing up for almost every detachment that he can as VFA122 has so few planes to fly. He says that out of around 80 planes in the squadron that 1/2 are picked apart for parts and that courses really shortages in the RAG of doable jets. The detachments at least allow for flying. The GF isn't real happy though.
Oct 6, 2013
Paymaster
Question.....I am looking for the size (measurement) of the beds on board ship. Not sure if all the officers beds are the same size or if they differ based on rank? I would appreciate the help.
Oct 15, 2013
Barb
Nancy W., oh my gosh.
Oct 16, 2013
CheriH
Nancy W...can't even imagine. One of those things that its better not to know about until after all is said and done. So glad he made it. Prayers for all that are flying in those conditions! Glad to hear that the surgery went well. Praying for more positive news about her recovery.
Oct 16, 2013
chopsmom
Nancy W, I learned early on to be thankful that my son tells me in GREAT detail what he's done AFTER he's done it! Their "HOLY COW!!" has a different meaning than our "HOLY COW!!"
Oct 16, 2013
chopsmom
Isn't it FUN to hear them talk and know that they are doing something they absolutely love?? That's my favorite part.
Oct 16, 2013
Dawn
Oct 19, 2013
Paymaster
Nancy....I pray that you will find the path through all of this and that things work out for your wonderful family.
Oct 19, 2013
Marianne
Nancy W - Prayers for your family. II hope that whatever the diagnosis, it will be minimally invasive treatment. It will be a great blessing to her once you get there. We're all behind you, too.
You are right about not much news from the GW. I think they have managed to hit every typhoon in the east Pacific this cruise. We've only heard from DS once since he got back there from Top Gun. He had to fly out to meet up with the ship again, got there safely, and that was the last we heard. It's only been 3 weeks, but he is pretty good about staying in touch. Guess we never stop worrying in this business!
Oct 20, 2013
Helomom
Oct 23, 2013
Dawn
Oct 24, 2013
Paymaster
Nancy....We need a like button!
Oct 24, 2013
CheriH
That's great news Nancy. How is she feeling? Enjoy your visit!
Oct 25, 2013
Helomom
Oct 27, 2013
Paymaster
Sheila....So cool about going to Nashville! I know you will enjoy yourself!
Oct 30, 2013
Paymaster
Trick or Treat Bag
Trick or Treat Bag
Trick or Treat bag I just finished for this evening. This one is for our youngest grandson. What you can't see in the picture is I have hand embroidered all the characters. It really make the bag pop. Not that anyone will notice when they are Trick or Treating tonight, but I will:) Hope you all have a great evening.
Oct 31, 2013
AH
You are so talented. I love the quilts and other things you do. Wish I had the time.
Last week we got to see our DS when he and another jet flew in from a detachment to Key West on their way back to Lemoore. Short visit but always a treat to see him fly.
Other good news is that he is back in CO for a flyover for astronaut Scott Carpenter's funeral in Boulder CO tomorrow morning. There are 4 jets from Lemoore at the airport and my DH is playing chauffeur this afternoon. DS will take him to work and go to a planning meeting and then we'll go drop the truck off for his dad to get home and he'll steal my vehicle for the weekend. While the jets and fuel are being supplied, lodging, meals and transportation are not. They are all staying at a hotel about 2 miles from our house. We will try to find a good place to see the flyover. Nancy, you might want to alert your brothers to keep an eye out somewhere between 11 and 1 tomorrow. The church is downtown. While I'm not sure, I'm assuming that they will fly the missing man formation.
On another note, a T-34 came into the same airport shortly after my DS and the rest came in. Apparently it didn't have any landing gear down and landed on its belly. All are ok. I had thought that the T-34's were being phased out. I've been out of the primary phase of things for awhile though. I don't know if it was out of Corpus or Whiting. My DH couldn't see the tail from his vantage point.I may have a bit more information this evening.
I also saw that the Blue Angels are flying again for the Navy vs Notre Dame game. I'm so glad to see that.
Nov 1, 2013
AH
I just found out that it was a civilian T-34. Which is good because if it had been military, they would have had to stay and fill out all sorts of paperwork as witnesses. Although, none of them really saw much as they were securing the jets which takes a bit of time.
It worked out good for DH to help. Denver Air gave them a courtesy car to go to the hotel. 5 went in that vehicle and 3 in our truck and all the gear in the truck. Then DH and a couple other pilots took DH to work and went to Buckley AFB where the meeting is being held. I thought he had to go back up to Boulder. DH works out by the old airport and Buckley is just about 10 miles from there so it worked out good. He'll come back and they'll take the courtesy car back and then we'll go drop the truck for DH. At least it seems organized right now. DS still has to get all the clearances from the FAA for the flight which I understand is a bit of a problem at times.
It will be nice to see the formation tomorrow.
Nov 1, 2013
JudyM
Seems like forever since I have posted. I do keep up with reading, each of you amaze me with your support, strength and courage.
DS leaves in the morning for a Det in Key West for two weeks. It will be a nice change of weather from Washington.
My thoughts are always with this group. There is such a special bond.
Anyone know the names of the pilots from Lemoore? Several from DS's winging class went to Lemoore.
Nov 1, 2013
Kabar
With anyone's experiences, if an O2 has duty on Thanksgiving Day, what would be the likelihood that they would also be assigned to duty on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Nov 2, 2013
NFAO
Suzie, not sure if our sons met while completing CQs but also excited that he just has 5 flights left in Kingsville before November 15th winging... the countdown begins!
Nov 3, 2013
NFAO
Suzie - yes, completed on Halloween out of JAX on CVN71 (USS Roosevelt).
Nov 3, 2013
NOAM
Our LO just got his orders and leaves for SERE either the Friday or Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. Good news is we know when it is. Bad news is no Thanksgiving at home. :-/
Nov 4, 2013
Marianne
I've been reading on my phone and thinking about all of you, but never seem to get to the computer to post!
NOAM: A lot of us have been through the SERE stretch. It's scary, but it does help keep them safe. My DS went through in November in Maine( a while ago); hope yours is further south! One good thing is that they usually get some leave after they finish, so hopefully he will make it home for the holidays. Good luck to him.
Suzie: Have a wonderful winging. It will be so extra special to have the whole family there. You are blessed.
Kabar: Ditto navy wife and mom. DS is O3 now, but as O2, he was able to get Christmas leave when he drew duty on Thanksgiving. The earlier requested, the better, as once again the O2s don't get top priority.
Nov 4, 2013
TennMom
Praying for the student and instructor pilots in the T-45 crash in Pensacola. ABC news says that they were taken to the hospital.
Nov 4, 2013
Barb
TNnavymom, adding my prayers to yours. Following the news now.
Nov 4, 2013
CheriH
I saw late last night that both pilots were in stable condition. Anybody see anything else? Praying for them and their families.
Nov 5, 2013
Thetribemom
Hello I am new here. My son is going to Japan to jion the VAW 115 does anyone have some one with them?
Nov 9, 2013
Thetribemom
I am new at this , he is the first in the military for us.
Nov 9, 2013
TennMom
Welcome Thetribemom! My DS is based at Atsugi also. He is on the same ship, USS George Washington, with Nancy W's DS. Our DS is in a different Squadron VFA-27, Royal Maces. You should be able to hear from your Son when they are out to sea by email, they are usually very busy and may not get back to you right away. When they are in Atsugi, communication is possible more frequently but again they stay busy! Our squadron, and the ombudsman have facebook pages and are very good at posting pictures and events. Hubby and I are flying to Japan in early December when they come back from the fall cruise. DS was able to come home for the holidays last year, but wont be able to this year. They love getting care packages, so box up all that leftover Halloween candy!
Good luck!!
Nov 9, 2013
Marianne
Thetribemom: Welcome to the Liberty Bells! My DS is a Hawkeye NFO coming up on the end of year 2 in Japan. Atsugi is a small joint base with the Japanese Air Force. We went over last year for Christmas and although it was relatively quiet on base, had a wonderful time.
A lot of people live off-base because housing is tight. Housing allowances are pretty generous, even with the high costs over there. Atsugi is not far from Yokohama (20 min. max on the local trains), and an additional 25-30 min. from Tokyo. The view of Mt. Fuji is incredible; you'll see it on patches, etc.
The toughest thing in communication (other than already mentioned) is the 16 hr. time difference between there and where we live in Chicago. Skype is one of God's gift to military families! While on these extended cruises, you'll have to settle for really hit or miss until they are in port. Keep sending emails, though they might not get a chance to read them for a while.
Packages are always welcome, whether on cruise or land. My DS used to get teased about all the packages he got, but the squadron know we always put in stuff to share. Surprisingly, the single biggest "hit" for passing around are used magazines. Especially with the rough weather this cruise, a lot of time is spent waiting to fly, so they love to have a pile of magazines around to read.
Japan is pretty temperate compared to Illinois, but it does get really damp and chilly. They have very little room on ship, but extra socks, sweaters, sweatshirts, etc. are appreciated. Believe me, Japanese central heat is not my idea of comfy, and my house is always set lower than most, so your LO will appreciate them on land, too.
VAW 115 is a very close-knit group and really friendly. I hope your son will have as good an experience as mine. If you have any specific questions, please ask. This is a great group and we all know what you are going through. No one understands like other military families!
TNnavymom: Have a great trip. Tokyo was not my favorite, but if you will be there for it, don't miss the hilarious charity parade when motorcyclists all dress up like Santa and go down the main shopping street. For a primarily Buddhist and Shinto country, they have an amazing array of holiday decorations and lights.
I hope that you will go to Kyoto, the old imperial capital. It is about 21/2 hr. by bullet train and will really give you a feel for old time Japan. After simply being with my son, it was definitely the high point of the trip for our whole family.
God bless all. I wish you a lovely Thanksgiving. I am trying to have some sailors from Great Lakes join us, as we have in the past, but the red tape is getting ridiculous. Seriously, do they think we are a security risk even with an active duty officer???
Nov 9, 2013
Marianne
And more...
As Nancy said, be careful about the address. Also, we have two special Navy email addresses that seem to get through a lot faster. I only use those when he is on cruise. Be sure to get those.
The flat rate boxes are the best! No weight restrictions, so you can cram in a lot. If I hadn't used the flat rate military, the last package would have cost almost 4X as much because of the weight of the magazines. Remember that letters, etc. to the military are the same postage rate as in the US, no matter where in the world they go. You can actually have the Post Office deliver packages of 25 boxes free to your home. Go on the website and make sure you ask for the military, not the regular flat rate boxes. It is very convenient, and that way I just keep them and a stack of customs forms on hand. You will also need to fill out a form for each box.
I've never had a box take more than two and a half weeks, but I guess I've been lucky!
Nov 9, 2013
Thetribemom
Thank you all so much. You have been wonderful. I will try to be on more often for your help, but I work 6 days a week so not much time to chat. Thanks agian.
Nov 11, 2013
Marianne
GW moms: In case you haven't heard, they pulled the GW out of Hong Kong three days early to aid in relief efforts in the Philippines. Luckily, I got to talk to DS last night, but at that point they still thought they had two or three days left in port.
The heli pilots are going to be really busy ferrying relief to the smaller places and also, according to the news, bringing injured on board. At least some people should see all the peacetime good our LOs do.
Nov 11, 2013