FYI : All info on deployment length is just "scuttle butt".... I am a Navy Mom, and also the daughter of an Air Force Colonel who served in WW ll thru Viet Nam.... So until you see your loved ones face or hear directly from his or her lips do not believe any thing.... I don't write on here often, but know from long past experiences, things can change from second to second, for your Sailor or Marine.... So all take a deep breath and "BREATHE"... This will be over before you know it.... I know I sound like a Mom, but I am.... Don't count days left count days past..... Stay safe all of you... I cannot post on here often for security reasons... You all understand?
I normally get emails around 5am (central time) so im guessing i will probably get phone calls at about midnight my time if he calls when around the time he emails (i have yet to get a phone call since we cut his cell phone off). but im with you. i'll take it when i can! :)
Now i'm wishing we wouldnt have suspended his cell phone! maybe i will email him and ask him if he wants me to turn it back on...i'm glad you got to talk to him. i'm really impressed you didn't cry! i try not to but its not working very well. i passed a girl scout troop selling cookies for the troops in old navy and i broke down in the middle of the mall. i have a feeling i am in for a lot of random crying spurs for the next however many months!
I'm sending mine too! its a box full of the "grass" with little things hidden inside. He doesn't like sweets very much except for Reese's Cups and those will melt so its not a very "Easter-y" care package but he should enjoy it.
those postal boxes that will hold any weight, well up to 70lbs for a flat rate are great i spent 34.00 on shipping one lg box. should of used 2 of the flat rate
Good Morning Ladies, looks like everyone is spending their time getting those care packages together, Me too, it does help sending them things. I've been doing ok, someone is wanting to buy my sons car, its the car he had at home, he had it in high school.My son has been wanting to sale it but i've been holding on to it,I don't know why but it makes me sad lettting it go. I'm waiting on him to message me and tell me if he wants me to sale it.
ckmom- We have a yellow ribbon around our tree, but the ombudsman warned me that it could be dangerous for a single woman to put one out since people would know she was alone. I don't live alone so that's not a problem for me. Our house actually looks like a navy recruitment office! My sister went a little Navy Crazy while i was in Norfolk before they left. I came home to flags, banners, car decals, everything under the sun!
Just got home from an auction and had a email from Curtis. Said today is like having a vacation day, just sitting around in the shop doing nothing. He said not much is happening on the ship, so nothing to talk about. His commanders are telling him he needs to do officer schooling. So going to apply for that. I don't know what that involves.
I heard from my sailor today! He definitely didnt get a vacation day though. Up at 4:30 am and probably still working. :( but I'm happy that I got to hear his voice!!
I got a call from my son today, its was great hearing his voice, we talked about 10 minutes and he said there was a line of people wanting to use the phones, he wanted to make sure others got to make their calls too, he has always been so considerate to others, hes a wonderful son!!
Ckmom he can buy one thats what my son did, but i did order him some, i ordered them the week before he left, on friday i think, he still hasn't received them.Heres the site, get the ones that are ship to shore, https://thor.aafes.com/scs/product.apsx
I hope he receives them, its a little scarey ordering things online, hoping they send what you ordered.
Ladies I have a question- Which customs form do I need? 2976 or 2976-A? and for those of you that mail everything from home, do you just guess on the weight or do you have a scale that you use??
another customs forms question- i read somewhere to keep it generalized (like toiletries, entertainment, snacks), but the usps said to be specific when listing the items. What do ya'll do?
A.Mitchell- i have read where people do the pick up at the door with the flat rate boxes. Just pay online and schedule a pick up.
My first package i listed everything, but others have told me to just generalize, so the other packages thats what i have been doing so i don't half to feel out like 5 forms.I hope its ok to do that? I live in a small town so my post master told me to put snacks,toiletries,etc. and she told me if i send something that is expensive don't put on the form , cause she has had a few customers put on their form bracelet and the amount and they never received it, I'm all new at this so i hope there are others that can help us out.
Just got my baby boy signed up for pre-k, hes in the picture with my son, My son e-mailed me early this morning to make sure i took pictures of him signing up,he doesnt want to miss out on anything.
Hey everyone! I have not had a moment to read all the post. My Son is on his way to meet the USS Bataan and my question is...do they have access to a phone and can they use a calling card? Also do they have access to a computer so they can email? Also how do I send him calling cards or can I send him anything? Thanks!!
thanks regina thats good to know. i wish they would just make a mail drop soon so i would know if any of my letters made it. ive never had to send anything to him on the ship or command. he has always had a p.o. box in norfolk.
I did hear that you don't want to list the expensive stuff, if it's a laptop or camera just put it's a game instead. You don't know who handles the packages after it leaves home.
i think the liquid thing is kinda the same as the when you fly now. just an extra precaution. some one may have shipped a dangerous liquid so the rest of us cant send anything. I have sent liquids before, but not to the ship.
Kellie- do they normally give a date before they leave or is it a round about date? I felt like the months range was a little strange, but we havent done this before so i wasnt sure if that was standard procedure.
a.mitchell- when i saw the photo of the day and the guy looking at a radar screen i thought "how cool would it be if that was her husband" cause you had just posted something about him looking at radar all day. how exciting!! I can almost guarantee my fiance will not be in any pictures he runs from cameras!
Kellie- I agree. just makes me cry more when other people emphasize just how much it sucks!
www.bataan.navy.mil thats the bataan website and there on the top bar it where it says family you can register and then they will send you a user name and password to see photots, get messages from the frg and co.
ooops I sent some Gatorade, I did put each one in a zip lock bag, hope that helps.. I didn't mail it yet should I reopen the box and take it out. I have it in my car ready to take it to the post office on the way to work tomorrow.
My son just e-mailed me and said he received a package yesterday. I sent a package out on the 25th and on the 29th, he received the 29th package first,He really needed the first one first, it had the stuff he forgot to get before they left, the second one had homemade cookies and other goodies.Hopefully he gets it soon.
yep. my sailor told me that they may not get their 2nd paycheck in april. i did read that they should get back pay once everything is settled. but i also read that they are trying to pass a resolution that ensures the military gets a check. but i dont believe it has passed.
Thats crazy! That shouldn't even happen, the sailores and their families shouldn't half to be worried about this, i just pray they pass it today. I'm just shocked!!
ckmom
Mar 31, 2011
ckmom
Apr 1, 2011
Sailor's Mom
Apr 1, 2011
JillG
Apr 1, 2011
JillG
Apr 1, 2011
JillG
Apr 1, 2011
JillG
Apr 1, 2011
JillG
Now i'm wishing we wouldnt have suspended his cell phone! maybe i will email him and ask him if he wants me to turn it back on...i'm glad you got to talk to him. i'm really impressed you didn't cry! i try not to but its not working very well. i passed a girl scout troop selling cookies for the troops in old navy and i broke down in the middle of the mall. i have a feeling i am in for a lot of random crying spurs for the next however many months!
Apr 1, 2011
JillG
Apr 1, 2011
JillG
the comment has been deleted.
Apr 1, 2011
dms
http://www.uso.org/uso_rocketlife_photo_books.aspx
or go directly to http://uso.rocketlifeproduction.com
Apr 3, 2011
dms
Apr 3, 2011
dms
Apr 3, 2011
ckmom
Ladies, Thanks for the info. helps a lot!
Ihad someone ask about putting a yellow ribbon around a tree for our sailors deployment. Is that something I need to do? Again I'm new to all this.
Apr 3, 2011
dms
Apr 3, 2011
siscarrie
Good Morning Ladies, looks like everyone is spending their time getting those care packages together, Me too, it does help sending them things. I've been doing ok, someone is wanting to buy my sons car, its the car he had at home, he had it in high school.My son has been wanting to sale it but i've been holding on to it,I don't know why but it makes me sad lettting it go. I'm waiting on him to message me and tell me if he wants me to sale it.
Have a good day!
Apr 3, 2011
dms
Apr 3, 2011
JillG
Apr 3, 2011
ckmom
Apr 3, 2011
JillG
Apr 3, 2011
ckmom
Apr 3, 2011
siscarrie
Apr 3, 2011
ckmom
Apr 3, 2011
siscarrie
Ckmom he can buy one thats what my son did, but i did order him some, i ordered them the week before he left, on friday i think, he still hasn't received them.Heres the site, get the ones that are ship to shore, https://thor.aafes.com/scs/product.apsx
I hope he receives them, its a little scarey ordering things online, hoping they send what you ordered.
Apr 4, 2011
siscarrie
The cards have$20 on them, i don't know how long they will last once they get to where their going, but US its 10 cents a minute, hope this helps.
Apr 4, 2011
ckmom
Apr 4, 2011
JillG
Apr 4, 2011
JillG
Apr 4, 2011
JillG
another customs forms question- i read somewhere to keep it generalized (like toiletries, entertainment, snacks), but the usps said to be specific when listing the items. What do ya'll do?
A.Mitchell- i have read where people do the pick up at the door with the flat rate boxes. Just pay online and schedule a pick up.
Apr 4, 2011
siscarrie
My first package i listed everything, but others have told me to just generalize, so the other packages thats what i have been doing so i don't half to feel out like 5 forms.I hope its ok to do that? I live in a small town so my post master told me to put snacks,toiletries,etc. and she told me if i send something that is expensive don't put on the form , cause she has had a few customers put on their form bracelet and the amount and they never received it, I'm all new at this so i hope there are others that can help us out.
Apr 4, 2011
siscarrie
Apr 4, 2011
chandlersmom
Apr 4, 2011
chandlersmom
Apr 4, 2011
JillG
Ok I looked at the newsletter. they talk about box numbers. My sailor told me it his address was just:
NAME
Engineering/Repair
USS Bataan (LHD 5)
FPO AE 09554-1657
am i missing a box number??
Apr 4, 2011
JillG
Apr 4, 2011
siscarrie
Apr 4, 2011
ckmom
Apr 4, 2011
JillG
Apr 4, 2011
JillG
Apr 4, 2011
JillG
ugh. i hate that phrase "dont know when they will be getting back" i have to say that alllllll the time to people.
Apr 4, 2011
JillG
a.mitchell- when i saw the photo of the day and the guy looking at a radar screen i thought "how cool would it be if that was her husband" cause you had just posted something about him looking at radar all day. how exciting!! I can almost guarantee my fiance will not be in any pictures he runs from cameras!
Kellie- I agree. just makes me cry more when other people emphasize just how much it sucks!
Apr 4, 2011
JillG
Apr 4, 2011
ckmom
Apr 4, 2011
JillG
Apr 4, 2011
ckmom
Apr 4, 2011
JillG
i doubt it, but ya never know with the navy. im sure there are lots of people that send liquids.
Apr 4, 2011
siscarrie
Apr 5, 2011
siscarrie
Apr 6, 2011
JillG
Apr 6, 2011
siscarrie
Apr 6, 2011