Norfolk Sailors - Family & Friends

1316 members

For families and friends of Sailors who are stationed at Norfolk; for either Sea Duty or Shore Duty Sailors. Just make sure to keep OPSEC issues in mind and not disclose ship movements in advance.

Weather - Norfolk

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Cindy D

Does anyone know if the navy has any legal service available for the sailors?

Apr 12, 2011
polli k

Yes, there is legal help on the main base @ Norfolk

Apr 12, 2011
dms

my sailor is on the USS Kearsarge she is an M1A3 she guards prisoners and patrols the base,guard duty. I am glad they are getting some relaxation

Apr 13, 2011
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

The Kearsarge has had a very long but admirable deployment; gratitude & congrats to one & all! That's going to be a heck of a homecoming party when they finally arrive back home :-)

Apr 13, 2011
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

Cheryl, your son chose well. Ghent is a lovely area near the base and Old Dominion University. Great shopping & restaurants, too.

Apr 13, 2011
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

Sorry Jenda, don't know what's best, personally. I did just find an interesting website: http://www.navalbasehotels.com. You choose your naval base, then each hotel listing has a description & gives distances to local places. Up to the consumer to book through them or get a better price elsewhere.

Apr 13, 2011
diannep

098daughersbf: My son is also with the USS T Roosevelt. He arrived last May. What is your sailor's rate? Welcome!

Cheryl: Welcome to the group!

Apr 14, 2011
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

Welcome!!

Apr 16, 2011
dms

hi shiba welcome what ship is your sailor on?

Apr 16, 2011
dms

some of us will have a HC soon and will see and hug our sailors

Apr 17, 2011
dms

oh let me add

!!!!!!!!

Apr 17, 2011
dms

my sailor will have to stay in barracks she had a roommate in wash did not enjoy that, did not have any good nights sleep so moved out. right now she is sleeping with over 100 she wares earplugs

Apr 17, 2011
dms

she is on the USS Kearsarge it is an amphibious assault ship huge

Apr 17, 2011
dms

we plan on going to HC if our sailor has ist leave won't know until the end of the month

Apr 17, 2011
dms

welcome robyn

Apr 18, 2011
Cindy D

My son is stationed on the USS Carr, the same ship that the deceased sailor was from. Sad story, prayers to all!

Apr 18, 2011
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

Welcome Nikki!

My two cents - I've been a Realtor for many years (not in VA) and advise parents to investigate the best schools for their kids and start their home search there. Google "top rated schools norfolk va" for example.

It can be better to have a smaller home and a great school, versus a newer larger home but a lesser education.

Also think commute - shiny new homes are often farther from downtown/work, and the hour-each-way commuting parent loses a ton of quality family time (10 hrs/week adds up! over months!).

Something to know about the area around Norfolk is that there are tunnels and bridges that can really disrupt a commute, so avoiding those is a plus.

I'm one who mentioned Ghent the other day...

Apr 18, 2011
SubWife2011

Nikki, the best area for schools around here is going to be in York County. It will be a bit of a commute, but they are the best schools. I grew up here and went to Hampton City schools for elementary, then my parents took me out of hampton and paid tuition for me to attend school in York County. If you live in York County you wouldn't have to pay tuition, the only reason we had to pay it was because we still lived in Hampton. I would not live in Norfolk (really bad area), there is really only a couple good neighborhoods in Newport News, a few good ones in Hampton, Chesapeake is a good area (not sure about the schools on that side of the water though), VA Beach is decent. If you choose York County, I would suggest finding a place in Grafton School Zone. Your son would probably go to Grafton High school and your daughter would go to either Dare, Coventry, Grafton Bethel or Seaford Elementary. The good neighborhoods in the county are Tabb Lakes, Coventry, Brandywine. Those are the decently priced homes. If you want more expensive there are the Greenlands on Hampton Hwy. Hope that helps!

Apr 18, 2011
dms

USS Kearsarge full steam ahead !

Apr 20, 2011
NecornhuskerMom

dms--I totally agree with you... where the USS Kearsarge goes the USS Ponce follows... We will be coming for homecoming!!! We are so excited!

Apr 20, 2011
dms

i am hoping for nice weather

Apr 20, 2011
NecornhuskerMom

Yes, I hope Mother Nature takes pity on us and gives us wonderful weather. I have never been to the east coast.

Apr 20, 2011
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

NECornhuskerMom, you're going to love it!! I'm so excited for all of you as your homecomings approach. Got your signs, flags and pompoms ready? :) These are some I snapped at the Iwo's homecoming in November...sweet!

Apr 21, 2011
NecornhuskerMom

Not yet.... That is on my to do list ..... I am trying to stay focused so that I can work....

Apr 21, 2011
NecornhuskerMom

I think that the Tiger cruise would have been awesome but we can't get there on time for that!!! Maybe next time.

Apr 21, 2011
dms

we are still waiting for our sailor to find out which leave ist or 2nd so we cannot plan anything we are on the list for the tc ugggg waiting

Apr 21, 2011
dms

if we miss this one there is a good chance we can go on the next one, might be a few years from now. just really excited to see our daughter for a couple of weeks. we have been going to see more places and on more flights in the last 3 years visiting our sailor than we have in the past 15 yrs chicago, washington and now virginia

Apr 22, 2011
dms

the temp will be around 75, humid and virginia is expected to have close to 4 in. of rain so be prepared for that

Apr 22, 2011
ckmom

I hope to see a lot more we don't go anywhere to for from home. So Great Lakes has been the only place I have gone so far to see my son. I wanted to go to Pennsacola and Jacksonville Fl. but that didn't work out. I'm going to the homecomming when the Bataan comes back with or without my husband. We have a dairy farm so that's why it is so hard to get away. Some days I hate the farm. LOL

Apr 22, 2011
dms

i wish the BATAAN a safe mission they are replacing the Kearsarge

Apr 22, 2011
TJ's Mom

Hi, My son was just tell me about the tiger cruise but he don't know to much. Just wanted to know it I could go. He is aboard the USS Leyte Gulf. Can anyone tell me more about it? Hope everyone has a wonderful Easter weekend!

Apr 22, 2011
annamichael

My sailor is currently in school for IT in Pensacola. We are hoping he gets stationed in VA. Can anyone give me a little insight into their day to day.. Like, when they are not deployed, what is their schedule? I know everyone is probably different, but what has been your experience? I'm asking because I would like to get an idea of how it will be when I move with him. Is it an 8-5 kind of thing? Do you see them everyday?

Thank you for your insight! It's very much appreciated.

Apr 24, 2011
SubWife2011

Becky: Those apartments are in an Ok neighborhood, she will be close to shopping. And they are right off of the interstate so it might get a little loud during certain parts of the day, but it should be fine.

Apr 24, 2011
Charlotte Anne

Hi, It is Easter Sunday and I am just having a hard time not having my son home. It seems that these are the hard days. I felt bad for him today because it did not seem like anyone was doing anything. I know it isn't a federal holiday, but I just felt like something could have been done. I think I am feeling sorry for myself. Sorry everyone. He has been at Norfolk for about 3 weeks. I think he needs to meet some more people. Does any one out there have a son or daughter working with helicopters? He will be starting C school in the fall.

He is thinking of taking a college class this summer.. Is anyone out there???

Apr 24, 2011
Illinibeam13

Prayers for Vincent and his family. It's so sad to hear about that.

Apr 25, 2011
Illinibeam13

My boyfriend is on the GHWB too. This will be his first deployment, he arrived in norfolk on friday evening. It's going to be a rough rest of the year.

Apr 25, 2011
duhhuh58 Ship 10/Div 267

Becky, no the don't as long as their permanent address is back home. my brother retired from the navy and he drove around with an expired dl for years. i don't know what the rules are not but then (about 11 years ago) as long as you are not stationed in your home state (his was PA) you can do that.

carol

Apr 26, 2011
Jess_0411

Ughhh don't tell me that! We're moving to Norfolk Sunday, and I have to get a new drivers license with my new last name on it.

Apr 27, 2011
annamichael

Does anyone know if there is a Charleston group like this one? I have searched, but only found Charleston Nuke School groups. :\ My boyfriend is in P'Cola for school and he is choosing Norfolk, Charleston, and another for his top 3 and I want to get familiar with the various bases.

Thanks!

Apr 30, 2011
Ashley

I'm new to the Navy wife life. My husband and I are living in seperate states right now and he is deployed at war. When he comes back I'm moving to Norfolk with him. But, we have no idea where to start.

How do I go about renting a house? How will us not having any kids affect where we can live? Please help :(

Apr 30, 2011
oregonmom

Hi all, we just learned that my son has been assigned to the Mahan. We have spent very little time on the east coast. Is anyone on here from Oregon or California?

Apr 30, 2011
navywife17

Hey Ashley I've been living in Virginia Beach since last july when my hubby got home from deployment. if you are talking about renting a home through the military not having kids will not affect you. we were offered a 3 bedroom and we do not have any kids yet.

Apr 30, 2011
dms

Hi I am from Apple Valley CA have a sailor homecoming soon from USS Kearsarge to VA she will be stationed there for 2 yrs

May 1, 2011
oregonmom

Very cool Denise, I know that you will be so happy to see your daughter. I am happy to make contact with someone with a sailor on the Mahan. God bless their safe return.

May 1, 2011
annamichael

Hi everyone! I have a question about moving. My boyfriend is in A school in Pensacola for IT ATF, and then will have C school there. How close to their graduation (whether it's A or C school) do they get their orders for their home port and where they will be stationed? Do they give families time for looking at apartments/homes, etc?

May 1, 2011
diannep

So proud of our NAVY SEALS and their accomplished Bin Laden mission! HOOYAH!

May 2, 2011
dms

cheryl most hotels have a bar area and large outside area by the pool how about a motel that one of us are staying in close to base easy to find

May 2, 2011
dms

militaryavenue.com navy norfolk naval station has lots of listings

May 2, 2011
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

Hooray for our Virginia Beach SEALs!!

AP: Virginia Beach SEAL team killed Bin Laden

May 2, 2011
Sue(Daniel's Mom)

SEALS - job well done. To all the families of these find young people - GOD bless. I am proud to be a Navy Mom and an American. HOOYAH !!!

May 2, 2011