Good morning.....My sailor just got his orders for the George Washington in Japan....he is graduating A school on May 15 for AS....Is there any other moms with a sailor with AS? I'm really nervous about my sailor going to Japan and after reading about the GW and it is a "career buster" I'm even more worried.....is life on the GW really bad???
Can my sailor bring a laptop onto the ship? a PS Vista?? Anything else extra?? What does he need to bring to Japan with him? Is there anything we need to do while he is home for two weeks to prepare for Japan? Thanks for your help!!
Yes your son can take his laptop with him. I suggest he get renters insurance. He can get it thru USAA, but it has to be before he leaves the states. Also if he has car insurance now but is a non-owner he can get a non-ownership policy thru USAA for 5.00 a year. It will keep him from having a break in coverage when he comes back stateside. Also it gives him full coverage when he comes home for a vacation.
In regards to the GDUB being a career buster. It depends on the department you are in and if he is ships company or not. I have 2 sons in Japan. 1 is ships company and is stationed at Yokuska. and 1 is station at Atsugi attached to a squadron. But they both deploy on the GDUB. It is a really hard command according to a lot of Sailors. And they have lost some really good Sailors because of it.
There is also a lot of theft on the ship. Hence the reason I suggest getting renters insurance. And it doesn't matter if stuff is locked up or not they still steal.
I would also suggest your son go to the local jag office and get you a power of attorney to be able to handle things stateside for him. Things come up that he is not going to be able to handle and you will need to handle it for him. Trust me with 2 Sailors over there i have had several things I have had to handle. From credit card issues to banking to IRS.
My sons take their XBOX on ship with them. He will not have a lot of room onboard so the less stuff he takes the better.
Regarding cell phones. If he has one now I suggest putting it on Military hold and him getting one when he gets to Japan thru SOFTBANK. He will need it so the ship or his command can get ahold of him for any reason.
And last but not least sign up for SKYPE. You don't need to purchase a account it is free if you use it computer to computer. If he wants to call computer t landline he will need to purchase minutes.
Thank you all.....That is a great help......I just want this to be a great experience for him....so far he has excelled and is doing wonderful in the navy.....why is there so much theft on the ship? He wanted to take his xbox but I didn't think it was a good idea.....how long do they go out on the carrier for? are they in port most of the time? so they can work up to living in barracks rather than on the ship....how long does that usually take? Everybody is telling me he will come home with a japanese bride.....anybody experience this? Sorry so many questions...
My son is on the GDUB he left in january after his post A school leave. The one thing I will share with any sailor getting ready to head over there is make sure your dates to report to japan, travel dates and airlines are all correct. There was a huge error in my sons and he had to pay an extra $240 to change his ticket when the travel dept. made the error. They meet in seattle and take a military plane to japan and then a bus to the base/ship. After the trouble getting to seattle then he had to wait all night in the airport only to find there was a problem with the plane, they all got sent to a hotel and left the next morning. They are not to travel in their uniforms either. Fortunately I encouraged him to pack a carry on bag with change of clothes and toothbrush. He had to go buy shoes, but all of his buddies had to buy clothes and shoes. My understanding is that within the US changing commands they must wear their uniforms but international changes they do not. The one thing we have had to send him more of is civilian clothes, he only took one pair of jeans and a couple of t-shirts and a sweatshirt. If he doesn't get his laundry done he has nothing to wear. He has loved his care packages, I put in his favorites from home. Sent him 2 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies and I think he went to heaven.. LOL... My son has been riding an emotional roller coaster since he has been gone. He is the oldest of 4 he has been the man of the house for 5 years, he misses us all so much. He has had some trouble with his command there with mis-communication. All he can talk about is wanting out. Before he left he was doing great in the Navy. He has some good pals that he has known since boot camp and A school there with him but it does not seem to be helping him. It is so hard for me as a mom. My mommy heart is broken because there is nothing I can do to help him. I am so proud of him and I hope that he will make the most of his journey. This is such a huge adjustment, I am trying to get used to the idea that he is a grown up and also that he is so very far away. We talk quite a bit now with texting, skype and phone calls. Sometimes I wonder if that makes it better or worse. His little brother and sisters miss him so much, it makes me think the close communication is good for them, but not sure if it is good for myself and my sailor. Any thoughts or advice from some more seasoned moms would be much appreciated.
It kinda feels like bootcamp again, can't contact him, just have to wait for him to be able to make contact...only worse since it could be months instead of weeks between contact. : (
My sailor emailed tonight. He said " busy doesn't even begin to describe it".
Last year he was home for Motherr's Day. He was on leave betwen A School and Japan. The day after Mother's Day I took him to the airport to head to Japan.THAT was awful!!!!!
My son called at the last minute he had to call, said he was also very busy, just called to tell me Happy Mother's Day, it will be hard because he has keeped in contact. Will just have to see how this works.
Like you all, I go crazy just knowing I can't have contact! But I gently remind myself, this is his job and he will be fine... (she says with tears...sigh)
Lisa CCMom .... I feel ya.I cried myself to sleep last night. I keep reminding myself "this is his job" but that doesn't work too well because my daughter has a 'job' too but I can pick up a phone anytime and hear her sweet voice!!
I am so thankful for my Navy moms because you all 'get" it.
"I am a Sailor's mother, I sometimes march alone.
And yet I stand with many, trying to be strong.
You may not recognize me as you pass me on the street;
I may look like any other that you by chance might meet.
Like any mother, in a lot of ways I still remain,
But watching my son become a Sailor brought a forever change.
For deep down inside where you cannot see,
My own battle rages that’s as real as it can be.
It starts with feeling pride in all he has become,
But often worry creeps in before the day is done.
Then there is his absence that never will seem right -
The days without a word that causes many sleepless nights.
And at the sight of another sailor, my heart skips a beat,
For it reminds me of my own, and that face I’d love to see.
And I have a deeper sense of the sacrifices our heroes make;
I can see the hardships on the families – the loneliness, the heartache.
But in spite of all that’s raging, this mother’s love holds strong...
As I’m wrapped in God’s peace and comfort and strength to go on.♥"
Lisa CCMom... I swear I have the cleanest tear ducts!!!! I cry at the drop of a hat. I have since my SR went to boot Camp to become a sailor! That verse made me a puddle AGAIN!
jams 126..... its nice to know that our kids will always have each others' back.
Has anyone heard from their sailor lately? While mine was doing intake he called once or twice a day. Now that he is on the ship, no word. I know they are doing time trials but do they have no time at all? Is it normal not to hear from them? He has his laptop, ipod touch and iphone. are they allowed or have access to the internet?
peetreesmama.... the sailors are kept VERY busy while at sea. There were times that I wouldn't get an email for a week but mine would email and say he was working 16-18 hour days.they have internet access....not facebook BUT the time is limited duue to work schedules.
Today is one year since I've seen my son.It was the MOST awful ttrip to the airport to send him off to Japan ))):
I received a quick, "I'm alive" email from son... You would of thought it was a work of art the way I ran around and showed everyone, lol, I'm hoping the next one is a little more informative... Haha who am I kidding?
Got a phone call last night, so good to hear his voice! I almost didn't answer since no number showed on my caller id, and then i didn't recognize it was him at first, LOL. He sounded better then he has in a while, so good to hear him feeling motivated again!
I miss my son so much. First mothers day in 19 years without him. Knowing that they are heading underway soon has me very sad and excited at the same time. The 5 days while they were out for trials was hard enough not talking to him daily. I guess I am going to have to work on letting go:( I hope the facebook pictures get put up regularly when they head back out, I liked knowing what they were up to.
purple - I'm right there with you. My son's birthday was a few weeks ago too, and that was hard - first one I haven't been with him!
kathy - thanks! I'll just keep sending things and see what happens. From CA he's been getting them in less than a week, but I expect that changes once they head out to sea!
Man, I did a lot of crying the first year but it did eventually get easier. As Kathy says you work around the holidays. The year my son got out of C school and left for his first overseas assignment was tough. He was home just through his bd but had been in bootcamp during Thanksgiving and Christmas. We got the whole family together in May and did his bd and Christmas. Complete with 2 foot Christmas tree in the corner, his presents under it, a turkey, and the reruns of the Christmas Day football games. It was a little hot for our normal Christmas, but he had time with family and was able to celebrate. Wow! Now I miss him!
KAtlanta, I know how you feel. My sailor was home just long enough between school and Korea to celebrate his 20th but then the last two have been from overseas and it appears this one will be at sea. Maybe he will be lucky and they will be in port on his bd...I'm sure it bothers me more than it does him. teehee.
Hugs to all and we will muddle through this cruise just like others. Prayers, laughter, tears and wine (or a pitcher of 'Ritas).
Navy Moms - if you are on facebook and have little ones or grandkids, check out JellyBean's Resale and Consignment (Baby and Kid's Goods) - there is a special sale for military families in honor of Armed Forces Day!
And they are off again... My son called at 1:00 am HIS time to get some family time in with all of us before he left again, bless his heart, I think he was feeling a little homesick, lol, which for him is huge! I think it's the whole no contact thing unless you can get to a ship computer and check email. Plus his 20th birthday is in 2 weeks. I tried so hard not to cry, lol, but when you tell your son how proud you are you can't help but get choked up... it's all good. This is his first cruise, I hope it goes well for him.
I was able to fly to Japan recently and visit my son. It really helps me to have a better idea what he is dealing with. The USS George Washington Facebook page is the best way to follow their travels and occasionally there is news in the Stars and Stripes or other publications. Hang in there, especially if this is your loved one's first trip.
Love love the GDub fb page! I am hoping to visit when and if they have their family/friends tour later this summer. Where did you stay Navy Mom? I'm keeping a list of places to check out online :)
Katlanta, Is there a lot of paperwork with the FF cruise like there is with a tiger cruise? I could not do tiger cruise with my son on the BUSH because of the heart failure. If I remember correctly from a Navy Dad, the Family cruise is a one day cruise right? The Tiger was three days. Was just wondering if the same rules would apply.
When I visited my son recently, I flew into Haneda Airport and the train station is right at the airport. You can go anywhere in Japan on the train. My son lives off base and has an apartment which makes visiting easier.
I only know about 1 fire onboard. Not sure about the one during sea trials. But also how are you getting a international package tracked? Because I was told by the post office that they can only track a package till it gets to California and once the Army takes over the packages and delivering them to the ship there is no tracking. Which is one reason I don't pay for tracking to Japan. When you put your tracking number in does it say what Post Office the package is at? There is no post office onboard the ship for packages to be delivered. If you look back on the GDUB Facebook page you will see the amount of packages they deal with when they get a replenishment. The hangar bay so to speak if full of pallets and pallets to be sorted.
The only way I have been able to send stuff is insured. The people at the post office themselves told me that they have no way of tracking a package for the Military. I was also told that there are 2 places that packages go to for the Military. One is in California and there is a place on the East Coast. But don't remember where it is. The one in California is a Military base and ran by the Army. And because of the shear volume they can not track packages. Does the final destination give you a zip code? When did you mail your package? When my boys are on base they usually have it within a week to 10 days. It can take longer when they are deployed.
I have not any contact with either son. Other than a email I received from my son on Monday morning. I found out via a Facebook post from someone else on the ship that they have been delayed even longer today. You should be over sensitive when not receiving emails from your Sailor. When they are deployed you are at the mercy of email. They only have so much bandwidth to use. And sometimes due to security reasons they take email down for everyone except for the upper command. And due to what happen on the ship there certain departments that are really busy getting everything feed.
Most of the navy personnel stayed on the ship while the repairs are being made and it looks like there was a news blackout. My source says that everything is OK, they need to get repairs done and will be on their way. The delay was not a complete surprise. I did not get a confirmation of a fire, no denial either. They will be out to sea for a while so don't expect to have any regular contact. They are excited about their mission and looking forward to getting underway.
Yay jams! I check everyday to see if my son is anywhere in the photos, lol, so congratulations!
Welcome mrkoolaid, wow a nephew and a son in the Navy, nice!
Tonya... no problem. I was going to get a generic money card but most of them, in small print, state that they cannot be used outside the continental U.S.So i went to my bank and purchased a VISA.
Hi jams126, I haven't hardly heard from my sailor either. I was hearing from Trevor several times per day. The past couple of weeks, I've been lucky to hear from him at all. Been getting alot of 1-2 word messages. It's discouraging to not hear anything when they'll be leaving soon. Does anyone know when the new leave date is?
Tonya, To purchase stuff on the ship the Sailors have a Navy cash card that they transfer money to from the checking account. That is the only way to purchase stuff on the ship.
I would not get a generic visa card for the Sailors to use outside the country. You will find they don't work and you can't get a refund. If you have a Power of Attorney for your Sailor you can always take it to his or her bank and tell them you want to deposit money into their account. You would probably need their SSN. You can check with your local bank and see if they have a card that you can put money on for them. But I would not get one from a grocery store or drug store. You want one that is reputable.
And as far as them leaving again. I will not post the date because they do watch this site. But will be soon. And for those of you with new Sailors onboard tell them they need to let their banks know they will be out of the country so that there is no issue with them using their bank cards in other countries. I have gotten several 5am calls from Navy Federal regarding possible fraud on my sons account. But also tell them to watch their accounts because there has been fraud on some of our Sailors accounts in foreign countries.
And I have only gotten 2 emails since last Saturday one from each of my Sailors on the ship. They are really busy trying to clean up the mess.
navymomfromCT (Ship 11, Div.037)
Good morning.....My sailor just got his orders for the George Washington in Japan....he is graduating A school on May 15 for AS....Is there any other moms with a sailor with AS? I'm really nervous about my sailor going to Japan and after reading about the GW and it is a "career buster" I'm even more worried.....is life on the GW really bad???
May 10, 2012
navymomfromCT (Ship 11, Div.037)
Can my sailor bring a laptop onto the ship? a PS Vista?? Anything else extra?? What does he need to bring to Japan with him? Is there anything we need to do while he is home for two weeks to prepare for Japan? Thanks for your help!!
May 10, 2012
momof2sailors
navy mom from CT;
Yes your son can take his laptop with him. I suggest he get renters insurance. He can get it thru USAA, but it has to be before he leaves the states. Also if he has car insurance now but is a non-owner he can get a non-ownership policy thru USAA for 5.00 a year. It will keep him from having a break in coverage when he comes back stateside. Also it gives him full coverage when he comes home for a vacation.
In regards to the GDUB being a career buster. It depends on the department you are in and if he is ships company or not. I have 2 sons in Japan. 1 is ships company and is stationed at Yokuska. and 1 is station at Atsugi attached to a squadron. But they both deploy on the GDUB. It is a really hard command according to a lot of Sailors. And they have lost some really good Sailors because of it.
There is also a lot of theft on the ship. Hence the reason I suggest getting renters insurance. And it doesn't matter if stuff is locked up or not they still steal.
I would also suggest your son go to the local jag office and get you a power of attorney to be able to handle things stateside for him. Things come up that he is not going to be able to handle and you will need to handle it for him. Trust me with 2 Sailors over there i have had several things I have had to handle. From credit card issues to banking to IRS.
My sons take their XBOX on ship with them. He will not have a lot of room onboard so the less stuff he takes the better.
Regarding cell phones. If he has one now I suggest putting it on Military hold and him getting one when he gets to Japan thru SOFTBANK. He will need it so the ship or his command can get ahold of him for any reason.
And last but not least sign up for SKYPE. You don't need to purchase a account it is free if you use it computer to computer. If he wants to call computer t landline he will need to purchase minutes.
I hope this helps you. Any questions just ask.
May 10, 2012
navymomfromCT (Ship 11, Div.037)
Thank you all.....That is a great help......I just want this to be a great experience for him....so far he has excelled and is doing wonderful in the navy.....why is there so much theft on the ship? He wanted to take his xbox but I didn't think it was a good idea.....how long do they go out on the carrier for? are they in port most of the time? so they can work up to living in barracks rather than on the ship....how long does that usually take? Everybody is telling me he will come home with a japanese bride.....anybody experience this? Sorry so many questions...
May 10, 2012
purplemama4
My son is on the GDUB he left in january after his post A school leave. The one thing I will share with any sailor getting ready to head over there is make sure your dates to report to japan, travel dates and airlines are all correct. There was a huge error in my sons and he had to pay an extra $240 to change his ticket when the travel dept. made the error. They meet in seattle and take a military plane to japan and then a bus to the base/ship. After the trouble getting to seattle then he had to wait all night in the airport only to find there was a problem with the plane, they all got sent to a hotel and left the next morning. They are not to travel in their uniforms either. Fortunately I encouraged him to pack a carry on bag with change of clothes and toothbrush. He had to go buy shoes, but all of his buddies had to buy clothes and shoes. My understanding is that within the US changing commands they must wear their uniforms but international changes they do not. The one thing we have had to send him more of is civilian clothes, he only took one pair of jeans and a couple of t-shirts and a sweatshirt. If he doesn't get his laundry done he has nothing to wear. He has loved his care packages, I put in his favorites from home. Sent him 2 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies and I think he went to heaven.. LOL... My son has been riding an emotional roller coaster since he has been gone. He is the oldest of 4 he has been the man of the house for 5 years, he misses us all so much. He has had some trouble with his command there with mis-communication. All he can talk about is wanting out. Before he left he was doing great in the Navy. He has some good pals that he has known since boot camp and A school there with him but it does not seem to be helping him. It is so hard for me as a mom. My mommy heart is broken because there is nothing I can do to help him. I am so proud of him and I hope that he will make the most of his journey. This is such a huge adjustment, I am trying to get used to the idea that he is a grown up and also that he is so very far away. We talk quite a bit now with texting, skype and phone calls. Sometimes I wonder if that makes it better or worse. His little brother and sisters miss him so much, it makes me think the close communication is good for them, but not sure if it is good for myself and my sailor. Any thoughts or advice from some more seasoned moms would be much appreciated.
May 10, 2012
BADma
)): And they're off....trial run )):
May 11, 2012
momof2sailors
UGH did they have to do this on Mothers Day weekend???
May 11, 2012
TexasSailorMom
It kinda feels like bootcamp again, can't contact him, just have to wait for him to be able to make contact...only worse since it could be months instead of weeks between contact. : (
May 11, 2012
BADma
My sailor emailed tonight. He said " busy doesn't even begin to describe it".
Last year he was home for Motherr's Day. He was on leave betwen A School and Japan. The day after Mother's Day I took him to the airport to head to Japan.THAT was awful!!!!!
May 12, 2012
sharma.penix
May 12, 2012
Lisa FLNavyMom
May 12, 2012
Lisa FLNavyMom
May 12, 2012
BADma
Lisa CCMom .... I feel ya.I cried myself to sleep last night. I keep reminding myself "this is his job" but that doesn't work too well because my daughter has a 'job' too but I can pick up a phone anytime and hear her sweet voice!!
I am so thankful for my Navy moms because you all 'get" it.
May 12, 2012
BADma
MILITARY MOMS
This year on Mother's Day
We should think of offspring lost
And Mothers of all those Troops
Who paid the ultimate cost.
They 've watched Sons and Daughters
Sent off to a foreign land
To fight wars and give their all
In some conflicts so ill planned.
But no matter what the reasons
They've always stepped up to the line
To give their lives for Freedoms
Enjoyed by all of yours and mine.
We must Honor all those Mothers
Of all those who have Served
And Sacrifices that they made
With our, Thanks! , so well deserved.
It takes a very Special Lady
To let Her Child go off to War
Or just to join the Military
With the pride and fear and more.
There's too many Gold Star Mothers
And if you might know of one
Please send Her a special wish
To praise Her Daughter or Son.
Military Moms are the Greatest
With a strength beyond compare
Who hope and pray their loved one
Comes Home safe, from over there.
So, let's keep them in our thoughts
And hope their prayers come true
All those Moms and all those Troops
Who stand Strong and Proud, and True.
Del Abe Jones
5-10-2006
May 12, 2012
Lisa FLNavyMom
"I am a Sailor's mother, I sometimes march alone.
And yet I stand with many, trying to be strong.
You may not recognize me as you pass me on the street;
I may look like any other that you by chance might meet.
Like any mother, in a lot of ways I still remain,
But watching my son become a Sailor brought a forever change.
For deep down inside where you cannot see,
My own battle rages that’s as real as it can be.
It starts with feeling pride in all he has become,
But often worry creeps in before the day is done.
Then there is his absence that never will seem right -
The days without a word that causes many sleepless nights.
And at the sight of another sailor, my heart skips a beat,
For it reminds me of my own, and that face I’d love to see.
And I have a deeper sense of the sacrifices our heroes make;
I can see the hardships on the families – the loneliness, the heartache.
But in spite of all that’s raging, this mother’s love holds strong...
As I’m wrapped in God’s peace and comfort and strength to go on.♥"
May 12, 2012
Lisa FLNavyMom
{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}
May 12, 2012
BADma
Lisa CCMom... I swear I have the cleanest tear ducts!!!! I cry at the drop of a hat. I have since my SR went to boot Camp to become a sailor! That verse made me a puddle AGAIN!
jams 126..... its nice to know that our kids will always have each others' back.
May 12, 2012
BADma
kathy... What picture from Blondie? The telephone? Please let know,i'll find and post it here,
.
May 12, 2012
BADma
May 12, 2012
BADma
katlanta...... ((: which is a lost talent....my sailor has called ONCE in tthe past year. He is good at email though.
May 12, 2012
BADma
katlanta.... that is so nice!!
Happy Mother's Day all...
May 13, 2012
Lisa FLNavyMom
http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=67147
A little peek at what our sailors were up to last night.
May 13, 2012
peetreesmama(USS Harry S Truman)
Has anyone heard from their sailor lately? While mine was doing intake he called once or twice a day. Now that he is on the ship, no word. I know they are doing time trials but do they have no time at all? Is it normal not to hear from them? He has his laptop, ipod touch and iphone. are they allowed or have access to the internet?
May 14, 2012
BADma
peetreesmama.... the sailors are kept VERY busy while at sea. There were times that I wouldn't get an email for a week but mine would email and say he was working 16-18 hour days.they have internet access....not facebook BUT the time is limited duue to work schedules.
Today is one year since I've seen my son.It was the MOST awful ttrip to the airport to send him off to Japan ))):
May 14, 2012
navymomfromCT (Ship 11, Div.037)
Thanks for the info guys.....Hope everybody had a great day on sunday!!
May 14, 2012
CArol
Does anyone know how often they get mail once they are underway?
May 14, 2012
Lisa FLNavyMom
May 14, 2012
TexasSailorMom
Got a phone call last night, so good to hear his voice! I almost didn't answer since no number showed on my caller id, and then i didn't recognize it was him at first, LOL. He sounded better then he has in a while, so good to hear him feeling motivated again!
May 17, 2012
yamamom
According to the GW facebook page, it looks like they're back from their trial run.
May 17, 2012
purplemama4
I miss my son so much. First mothers day in 19 years without him. Knowing that they are heading underway soon has me very sad and excited at the same time. The 5 days while they were out for trials was hard enough not talking to him daily. I guess I am going to have to work on letting go:( I hope the facebook pictures get put up regularly when they head back out, I liked knowing what they were up to.
May 17, 2012
CArol
purple - I'm right there with you. My son's birthday was a few weeks ago too, and that was hard - first one I haven't been with him!
kathy - thanks! I'll just keep sending things and see what happens. From CA he's been getting them in less than a week, but I expect that changes once they head out to sea!
May 17, 2012
Mary (Chris' mom)
Man, I did a lot of crying the first year but it did eventually get easier. As Kathy says you work around the holidays. The year my son got out of C school and left for his first overseas assignment was tough. He was home just through his bd but had been in bootcamp during Thanksgiving and Christmas. We got the whole family together in May and did his bd and Christmas. Complete with 2 foot Christmas tree in the corner, his presents under it, a turkey, and the reruns of the Christmas Day football games. It was a little hot for our normal Christmas, but he had time with family and was able to celebrate. Wow! Now I miss him!
KAtlanta, I know how you feel. My sailor was home just long enough between school and Korea to celebrate his 20th but then the last two have been from overseas and it appears this one will be at sea. Maybe he will be lucky and they will be in port on his bd...I'm sure it bothers me more than it does him. teehee.
Hugs to all and we will muddle through this cruise just like others. Prayers, laughter, tears and wine (or a pitcher of 'Ritas).
May 19, 2012
yamamom
Navy Moms - if you are on facebook and have little ones or grandkids, check out JellyBean's Resale and Consignment (Baby and Kid's Goods) - there is a special sale for military families in honor of Armed Forces Day!
May 20, 2012
Lisa FLNavyMom
May 20, 2012
Navy Mom
I was able to fly to Japan recently and visit my son. It really helps me to have a better idea what he is dealing with. The USS George Washington Facebook page is the best way to follow their travels and occasionally there is news in the Stars and Stripes or other publications. Hang in there, especially if this is your loved one's first trip.
May 21, 2012
Lisa FLNavyMom
May 21, 2012
Mary (Chris' mom)
Katlanta, Is there a lot of paperwork with the FF cruise like there is with a tiger cruise? I could not do tiger cruise with my son on the BUSH because of the heart failure. If I remember correctly from a Navy Dad, the Family cruise is a one day cruise right? The Tiger was three days. Was just wondering if the same rules would apply.
May 21, 2012
momof2sailors
Lisa CCMom,
I just got a email from my son and the ship has been delayed leaving a couple days due to a fire.
May 21, 2012
momof2sailors
I didn't hear about a fire during sea trials. But I just got the email from one of my sons onboard that they are delayed a couple days due to a fire.
May 21, 2012
Navy Mom
When I visited my son recently, I flew into Haneda Airport and the train station is right at the airport. You can go anywhere in Japan on the train. My son lives off base and has an apartment which makes visiting easier.
May 21, 2012
momof2sailors
I only know about 1 fire onboard. Not sure about the one during sea trials. But also how are you getting a international package tracked? Because I was told by the post office that they can only track a package till it gets to California and once the Army takes over the packages and delivering them to the ship there is no tracking. Which is one reason I don't pay for tracking to Japan. When you put your tracking number in does it say what Post Office the package is at? There is no post office onboard the ship for packages to be delivered. If you look back on the GDUB Facebook page you will see the amount of packages they deal with when they get a replenishment. The hangar bay so to speak if full of pallets and pallets to be sorted.
May 21, 2012
momof2sailors
The only way I have been able to send stuff is insured. The people at the post office themselves told me that they have no way of tracking a package for the Military. I was also told that there are 2 places that packages go to for the Military. One is in California and there is a place on the East Coast. But don't remember where it is. The one in California is a Military base and ran by the Army. And because of the shear volume they can not track packages. Does the final destination give you a zip code? When did you mail your package? When my boys are on base they usually have it within a week to 10 days. It can take longer when they are deployed.
May 21, 2012
momof2sailors
Look like the GDUB has been delayed again. Not sure when they will be leaving.
May 22, 2012
momof2sailors
I have not any contact with either son. Other than a email I received from my son on Monday morning. I found out via a Facebook post from someone else on the ship that they have been delayed even longer today. You should be over sensitive when not receiving emails from your Sailor. When they are deployed you are at the mercy of email. They only have so much bandwidth to use. And sometimes due to security reasons they take email down for everyone except for the upper command. And due to what happen on the ship there certain departments that are really busy getting everything feed.
May 22, 2012
Navy Mom
Most of the navy personnel stayed on the ship while the repairs are being made and it looks like there was a news blackout. My source says that everything is OK, they need to get repairs done and will be on their way. The delay was not a complete surprise. I did not get a confirmation of a fire, no denial either. They will be out to sea for a while so don't expect to have any regular contact. They are excited about their mission and looking forward to getting underway.
May 22, 2012
Lisa FLNavyMom
Welcome mrkoolaid, wow a nephew and a son in the Navy, nice!
May 23, 2012
BADma
Tonya....for a Christmas present to my sailor I got a VISA card.Visa is accepted anywhere.
May 24, 2012
BADma
Tonya... no problem. I was going to get a generic money card but most of them, in small print, state that they cannot be used outside the continental U.S.So i went to my bank and purchased a VISA.
May 24, 2012
Kimberly214
Hi jams126, I haven't hardly heard from my sailor either. I was hearing from Trevor several times per day. The past couple of weeks, I've been lucky to hear from him at all. Been getting alot of 1-2 word messages. It's discouraging to not hear anything when they'll be leaving soon. Does anyone know when the new leave date is?
May 24, 2012
momof2sailors
Tonya, To purchase stuff on the ship the Sailors have a Navy cash card that they transfer money to from the checking account. That is the only way to purchase stuff on the ship.
I would not get a generic visa card for the Sailors to use outside the country. You will find they don't work and you can't get a refund. If you have a Power of Attorney for your Sailor you can always take it to his or her bank and tell them you want to deposit money into their account. You would probably need their SSN. You can check with your local bank and see if they have a card that you can put money on for them. But I would not get one from a grocery store or drug store. You want one that is reputable.
And as far as them leaving again. I will not post the date because they do watch this site. But will be soon. And for those of you with new Sailors onboard tell them they need to let their banks know they will be out of the country so that there is no issue with them using their bank cards in other countries. I have gotten several 5am calls from Navy Federal regarding possible fraud on my sons account. But also tell them to watch their accounts because there has been fraud on some of our Sailors accounts in foreign countries.
And I have only gotten 2 emails since last Saturday one from each of my Sailors on the ship. They are really busy trying to clean up the mess.
May 24, 2012