USS George Washington Sailors

kathy...please give that sailor EXTRA hugs for us waiting on our sailors!

My sailor has always hated being on the short side (5'9") but it sounds like the ship is one place it is an advantage!

  I ordered mine,I think end of Jan. It arrived last Saturday. Definitely call them today!

I was just reading about the cruise last year.  Sorry to change the subject but has anyone heard when the cruise will be this year???  My husband and I want to go to Japan to be with our son but need to know when this cruise is planned.  Anyone know???

Thanks, Kathy...I am on the ombudsman's e-mail but still nothing about the cruise.  We will not make plans to go to Japan without knowing the dates!!

I would tend to agree with katlanta on when to have travel completed by. 

When making the request to be added to the email list you must give your Sailors name and rank/rate and what department they work in. Your Sailor must give approval for you to be added to the list.

The comment made by momof2sailors is correct!  Your sons or daughters MUST approve of your being on the list.  I tried several times w/out his approval and the ombudsman just ignored the request.  Just in the past few weeks did my son FINALLY send an e-mail to the ombudsman to give his approval and wha-la! I just received their update.  So do what momof2sailors said and you are "good to go"!

Got a message from sailor today, said it snowed there today. And here we are in the low 80's!

Mine texted me about the snow!!  Since we live in Houston, TX, he REALLY isn't use to the snow.  He was sooo excited...He showed me the snow on his I-Phone.

Got to skype with my sailor tonight! Said he is working out and the weather is great for running so the snow must be gone. Sounded good, always great to see his face!

Wow JoyceD that would make me crazy!!  I have not heard anything about sending cake, lol that seems kinda messy. Maybe there is a place on base you can order one and have delivered? Or check with the omsbudsman?

katlanta.... sounds like quite the young man ya have!!

My son has mentioned how tough the GW command is, and he works hard. He gets flustered with those who donn't seem to care.

www.herodogawards.org

Hello all - have not been on in a long time.  Ant just left from a leave & was so GREAT to have him home.  He said his dept is really working hard.  I miss him so.  I am asking a favor to those willing.  We have a retired military working dog entered in Hero Dog contest.  Asking you to vote for him, voting starts today and can vote daily until June.  His charity partner is Military Working Dog Adoptions.  His name is BASA and under military dog category.  The idea is to bring awareness of our military personnel and hopefully funding for the charity.  I thank you for any support.  I hope all the GW families are well and have always appreciated the support of this group.  Love to all - Leah

Alright, so I'm a dad, but I started following Navyformoms when he went through basic, because you ladies give better information than the fathers.

Anyways, I have a question....once they put out to sea does mail and/or packages mailed to FPO eventually find its way to them wherever they might be???

Hello all! I have not visited here since last fall when I found out me son would be on the G-Dub. He arrived at the station about 3 weeks ago and is looking forward to learning his way around Japan as he did in S Korea. Because Chris is a common name, we have in the past become used to calling them Chris + mom's initial so to avoid confusion my son for N4M site is ChrisM. It only has to do with my name being Mary. (At one time his rate had less than 10 members and 3 sailors named Chris, and all in school, around the same time frame. In fact one was in his A school class). I look forward to meeting you folks and having some fun here. I'm sure later on my DIL will join the group too. Household goods came and moved their stuff, so she will follow him before too long. Have a great day! Thank your sailors and hugs to each of you.  

My son never got his passport so when the ship goes underway will he be able to get off ship and explore?

Lisa, My son already had a passport before leaving for boot camp but since then he has gotten an updated one (free of charge) because he was assigned outside the US (S Korea) so he traveled on orders. Although the printed orders are enough for the airlines he was given a passport for things like trips sponsored by the MWR (he went from Korea to Cambodia and Viet Nam for a Thanksgiving trip a few years ago), or because he might need to travel without anyone's knowledge that he is military personnel. I just found out the other day that his wife also has been issued a free of charge passport so she can go live there (Japan) with him and travel with him on vacations, etc.

Katlanta, I don't know what a blue card is. I think maybe my son has a blue colored card in his wallet but I never asked what it is. Maybe I will catch him online later and ask. Interesting. :-)

Since the majority of his time in has been shore duty and he is just beginning to experience ship life there are a lot of terms and rates he and I both will be learning. I appreciate help. :-)

Let's all go get some margaritas, find some cute, tanned Cabana Boys to take care of our needs and bask in the day!

Navy Hugs 

katlanta, I have a few extra boys I brought along from the Geo. H W BUSH group and a huge pitcher of ritas over here under my tent! Here. Have two of my best boys and two ritas to start your day! (One of the boys is excellent at massages ;-D)

katlanta, I found my notifications this morning in my spam folder. About 300 of them! No wonder my computer was so slow! teehee.

kathy, two good Cabana Boys and two ritas comin your way too! You will have to grab the massage dude as he comes back and forth between my tent and katlanta's. My massage time is almost over and time to get back to 10 or 15 mins of work. :-(

Thanks for the passport info!  I'm in for ritas and massages too!  Let the weekend begin!

Hello everyone 

 I just read on my sailor's fb that he has been moved from Engineering to Boat Shop! Hmmm....

Lawd!!!!!!!!! I need to recall those best Cabana Boys! The slackers over here at my tent forgot the "no kids allowed" policy. I came to after an very nice massage to see kids messing in my sandbox and I've been cleaning up all week!! Where are my 'ritas?

stephsmom...I know how it is when you worry about your kids and they act like they have it under control..."it's ok, mom. I really don't need a doctor anyway..." My son has been talking about going to the dentist forever but his hours just never seem to allow the time. Pfftt! I hope your sailor is doing better.

BADma, what's up with the move? Do ya want an extra rita there to chill? I hate finding out things like that at fb...I hope all is ok there.

Mmmmmm....ritas and cabana boys!! That's what I'm missing. My sailor hasn't been too chatty with me lately.LAWDY....I hate finding out stuff happnin in my kids' lives on facebook :/

Hello GW Moms, family and friends!  I am asking for your help again.  My dog Basa, a retired Military Working Dog needs your votes.  Go to www.herodogawards.com and look under category Military Dogs to vote for him.  You can vote everyday until June.  He is now ranked 11 out of 18.  We need your help.  He is paired with the charity partner Military Dog Adoptions, the coordinator is Debbie Kandoll.  This is not about Basa.  This is about bringing awareness to wonderful animals and Debbie's mission to provide service dogs to PTSD Iraqi and Afghanistan Vets.  Debbie just returned from Washington DC to adovocate to streamline the process to these PTSD vets to receive service dogs to assist them.  For example, one vet's dog knocked a pistol out of his hand and prevented a suicide attempt.  I want Basa to bring awareness to the GW families and recognition to the unique sacraficies and honorable service that our fine sailors undergo to protect our country.  I want our GW sailors to be recognized for what they contribute to the protection of our country - not to diminish any military branch or personnel - but awareness of their sacrafices are sometimes not known by the general public.  I would appreciate any support you can give by your votes and please pass along to your family and friends.  Thank you and may each sailor and family be blessed and watched over!

Aww...even though I don't post here a lot,this is making me melancholy reading about your 'farewells" from the GW page )):

My sailor has only been on the GW since June 2011....THAT seems like  a lifetime to me.

The Military are allowed a longer time to get their returns into the IRS under certain circumstances. I have to admit I go onto my 2 sons my pay and print off their W2's and do their taxes for them.

Hi Ladies,

Navy for Moms is awesome; it has gotten me through boot camp, an attempt at Nuke school, and IT A and C schools. I've been lurking in this group for a week or two. Now it’s official, my son will be heading to Japan and the GW after a three week leave. I plan to enjoy every minute I can with him because he will be in Japan for three years. My sailor just graduated from IT c-school, Corry Station, Pensacola Florida. We live on the east coast; so while he was in school at Corry Station he was able to come home for the holidays. We were also able to go visit him in Florida. So, the thought of him being so far away for so long is weighing heavy on my heart.

Once again I'm looking to my more experienced N4M sisters for advice on how to get through this next phase of my son’s Navy career. I have a lot of questions...so many questions. My son will be going through the check-out process today and tomorrow.  He will detach from Corry Station Wednesday. I hope he will be able to provide more information when he gets home. I know there will be some preparation needed before he goes to Japan; but it is important that we enjoy this time together.

How do we get his stuff to Japan...he doesn't have much?

Should we get a Power of Attorney? He's 22 and single.

What’s the best form of communication...cell phones, internet, facebook chat, Skype?

When the GW is out at sea will we be able to communicate?

Does the GW ever deploy to or visit the USA ...Fleet Week for example?

Have any of your sailors taken leave and come home...if so how expensive is that?

Have any of you visited your sailors in Japan and how complicated is that? We have passports.

Will our sailor need to take his passport with him?

JDMK-NavyMom-SC,

 Before heading to Japan I have a couple recommendations for your son to do before he leaves. I highly recommend that he get renters insurance. There is a lot of theft on the GDUB. He can get it thru USAA really reasonable. But he has to get it before he leaves the states. I have 2 sons in Japan. One is at Atsugi and one is in Security on the GDUB at Yokusoka where the GDUB is. 

Another thing is, if he does not own a car but has car insurance he can get a International Non-Ownership policy thru USAA for only 5.00 a year. This will keep him from having a break in coverage and it also gives him full coverage when he comes back stateside for a visit. Well worth 5.00 a year.

Also make sure he gets you a Power Of Attorney so that you can handle stuff for him stateside. Without it if he asks to talk to the bank, etc. They won't talk to you without it. I have had to handle IRS situations also lost bank cards, etc. 

If he has a cell phone now he will probably want to put it on Military hold. I can tell you from experience with Verizon they do not have service in Japan. Most Sailors get a cell from once they get to Japan thru a company called Softbank. Much cheaper than trying to take one from the states. Also you and he will want to set up a SKYPE accounts in order to talk for free. SKYPE is free computer to computer. If he should try to call from his computer to a land line he will need to pay for it. 

Also going to the GDUB he is going to need a lot of patience. I can tell you from experience with one of my sons and other Navy Kids that I talk to that are on the GDUB that it can be a career buster. Not to scare you but that is what they say. 

Best of luck to you and your Sailor.

Terre

Sorry I just saw your other questions. When they are out on deployment the only communication is via email. Unless they are in port somewhere and they can go to a internet cafe. And what I tell my sons is if they are in port send me a email and let me know you are on SKYPE so that I know to sign on. I have a cell phone that I can SKYPE with them if I am not at home. I also get email on my phone and I turn my notification ringer up loud when I go to bed so I can hear if I get a email. Unfortunately I get notification from every email I get. But I consider my cell phone my lifeline between me and my 2 Sailors.

Both my Sailors have come home on leave and yes it can be expensive. this last visit cost 1500.00 and 1700.00 round trip. I have not been able to visit my sons in Japan due to health reasons. But the moms that I know have said it is beautiful. The GDUB never comes stateside.

If your son has a passport yes he will want to take it with him. He can take his stuff with him on the plane. He will not need to pay for extra bags.

If you have more questions I can PM you my phone numbers. 

Terre

Thank momof2sailors (Terre)

I'm sure there will be more question, but knowing I have a place to find answers gives me great comfort.

Jill

I would get rental insurance regardless if out to sea or not. Theft has happens even in the barracks and out at sea. My son had stuff stolen at the USO. I don't understand what you are saying about 1/2 bags?

Hello ladies - Mamma Nonie, thank you for voting for Basa.  We appreciate any support.  My son, Ant, has been in Japan for almost 4 years now.  Wish we had been wise enough to think of renter's insurance - smart thing to do!  And yes he uses Softbank phone, email, and we skype, really like to be able to skype.  He is sounding like he will possibly come back to states in Sept. when he will have been there 4 years and has already enlisted.  Not sure how the next leg of this journey will work.  Does anyone know if he will have the opportunity to voice choices about next duty base?  For me, of course I would be thrilled as this has been a long going on 4 years.  A couple of leaves home but as stated so very expensive to fly home.  He is an IC.  I am thankful he has made some good close friends and the opportunity to have experiences of a lifetime.  There have definitely been ups and downs but the ups have outweighed the down times.  I am amazed at how much he has matured, not always good decisions, but thankful of the maturity made because of this experience.  And thank you GDUB family for always being there when needed.

Ladies, I meant re-enlisted.

I'm planning to visit my son in September. He's only been on the GW for about two months and neither of us know how to plan this trip. It's his first deployment. Logan says there is the Navy Lodge and he's going to find out how to reserve a room. Please, if anyone has any advise on travel, rules and regulations, where to go and what to see, anything...please post.

Jeanine - the 'Care Package' group has many good ideas about things to send once he is underway with the ship. It's nice to know he will be on board :)

Make reservation here https://www.navy-lodge.com/lodge_page.html?p_lodge_number=4  The lodge is a nice accomadation.

jams126,

I have 2 boys that deploy on the GDUB and I get upset when I don't hear from them. But keep in mind they are due to deploy soon and right now they are really busy. So you may not hear from him. And when they deploy they are at the mercy of bandwidth and crap.