Norfolk Sailors - Family & Friends

@Sherry-I go to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and watch the ship sail from the bay into the Atlantic.  There really isn't much to see on base since your son would have to escort you onto the pier and he will probably be a bit busy.  It will cost $17 for the round trip toll, but I enjoy driving out to the rest area on the bridge, having something to eat at the restaurant and hitting the visitor gift shop.  There is a great lookout point where you can watch the ship sail over the tunnel portion as it heads to sea. 

Others may have their favorite spots, but this is my top pick!

Sherry - You are able to get on base the day the ship leaves. We went down last March to see my son and his ship off. Main gate - need drivers licsense and registration of vehicle. There is a list that your sailor needs to have you put on. Pull up to the gate and give them the name of the ship and your sailor.  I was also in contact with our ships ombudsmen in case there was a problem (which there was not). We had no trouble getting on base - Be sure to get there early - parking is horrendous and be sure to park legally - the police are ruthless and were giving out tix left and right.  I suggest your bring a pair of binoculars to see your sailor when they are manning the rails and the ship begins to leave - and of course a box of Kleenex is a must.  Good Luck and enjoy this experience. I was so glad we were in a position to go - but the bestest......is the Homecoming.  I survived  it was tough - but remember day by day.  We even had an extended deployment. 

I did both! - watched the Iwo Jima cast off, then (thanks to the tip from a Navy wife at the pier) raced to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and parked by the restaurant, got out onto the pier, and saw the ship pass - beachmom is right, a fantastic experience!  Plus got to see the LCACs come roaring (literally) out from Little Creek and join the ship, so impressive.  Since I'd never seen a ship depart, it was very cool to me to watch the process of sailors and Marines arriving at the pier that morning, captain talking to the TV crews, etc.

Here's how to get in touch with your Family Readiness Group, and Ombudsman, here (and it's important to be on their list during deployment):  http://www.navyformoms.com/group/whatsanombudsmanandhowtocontactthe...

In response to Sandra AM Mom....is there any way for us to talk to the FRG if our daughter has not signed us up for it.  It makes me nuts that we don't have this kind of information.   I would LOVE to see my daughter off, and be there when they come back. 

Thank you Sandra AM Mom.  I must miss some comments...not the best computer at home.    Hopefully my daughter will be able to find the time and resources to do this.  May the Lord bless them and keep them safe!!!!

In response to Theresa....I am very interested in joining this group.  I am pretty computer illiterate....lol...where exactly do I go on the website to find out information for this.  Lord willing my daughter will put me on that list ASAP so I will be good to go.  Thank you so much for any info you can provide to me.

My son will be arriving in Norfolk in a little over 2 weeks after SERE in Maine, he is now in Pensacola and will be graduating this week from RSS.  any comments on what it is like in Norfolk? we have never been there  before

thanks for any info

The google alerts thing also works on yahoo. If you have email with gmail you sign up for google alerts or if you have yahoo email, sign up with yahoo alerts. You go to the search page for which ever one you are signing up for and typ in "sign up for alerts" and go from there.

Here's info for finding your Ombudsman and also Family Readiness Group - http://www.navyformoms.com/group/whatsanombudsmanandhowtocontactthe...

Theresa, that's a great idea about Ft Monroe!  There's an interesting retirement-type place there called The Chamberlin; we walked through and it's really beautiful.  That website has a nice aerial of the point.

Laurie, there is a ton to do there, and neighboring Virginia Beach is Virginia's most populous city.  If your son doesn't have a car yet, he'll definitely need one.  Norfolk for starters has a pretty waterfront on the Elizabeth River it has Nauticus to visit, day/sunset sailing cruises and the McArthur Mall for movies, Nordstom, H&M etc, and the $1.50 ferry across to Portsmouth where you can walk to shops and restaurants and the Children's Museum; or just stay on for a  quick roundtrip back to Norfolk :)

thank you, Marcy for the info about Norfolk.  Hoping we will get to visit him sometime as well. He does not have a car, though.

Theresa, thanks for the info!  Love knowing the history of the Chamberlin.  

Gs'mom, have you looked through all the Discussions above?  Members have posted a lot of info about apartments, perhaps that will be of help.

Laurie, if your son is going to be living in Norfolk vs. deployed for a long time, he'll be needing a car - I think the others here will agree :)

There are multiple gyms on Norfolk Naval Station.  The best hours on Norfolk Naval Station can probably be found at the Waterfront Gym (Bldg Q-80) which is right by the aircraft carrier piers.  Is he at Norfolk or Little Creek?

to Marcy, my son will be starting SERE in Maine, then will be at Norfolk, so I am not sure at this point how long he will be in Norfolk, he is a Rescue Swimmer. So the car situation may be a problem.

The $17 is the round trip fee if you complete the trip within 24 hours.  Normally, it is $12 each way.  Pricey, but I love the view and much prefer traveling 13 up the eastern shore than I-64 and I-95.

I am probably a wuss, but I always avoided watching the ship pull away from the pier...too hard for me! But the Bay-Bridge Tunnel is so beautiful, watching the ship from there never bothered me as much. Besides, hubby was an engineer and was usually on board the night before so I rarely got to see him the day of departure.  If he didn't have duty, the girls and I would drop him off at the pier and head to McD's for breakfast.  That became our little ritual.  Even when they were in high school and I suggested going someplace nicer, they insisted on pancakes at the golden arches.   

I can understand, it's different and no doubt easier at the pier for a mom than a wife - we've already had to come to grips with separation of a different kind :)  For moms who haven't been to the base, the McD's is on-base across a parking lot from the piers.   Beachmom, you're right about 13!  For someone who does want a day trip, right across the bridge is a conference center/hotel on the left side.  You can drive down to the beach where there's an outdoor bar in summer.  I've only gone in off-season when it's deserted, and it makes for a great walk on the sand at water's edge. 

I am shipping my sons truck to him via a semi truck car carrier service. Does anyone know of a process or service available to take delivery of his vehicle if they are underway or on duty and can't sign for it . The only reason I ask is the carrier can't promise a firm delivery time because the truck is traveling xcountry

Thanks Dustin'sMom I can imagine some of the nightmares out there but I'm kinda in the business of vehicle transportation so not too worried about the carrier just looking for some help on the recieving end... If  all goes well I will share my refrences and tips with anybody else here that may need the same help.

Perhaps you can give a car storage facility authorization to accept it?  Also, try asking your Family Readiness Group and/or the Ombudsman for your ship.  They should be familiar with car storage or have some advice.  

If you're not in touch with your FRG or Ombudsman, here's info http://www.navyformoms.com/group/whatsanombudsmanandhowtocontactthe...

Hi Ladies! My husband is on the USS Jason Dunham, my son is about to start C school at Dam Neck. Me and my other 3 boys are moving to the area in June from WI. I am looking for some tips for a good area to live that's an easy drive from Norfolk Base. I have been told by a few that they recommend Chesapeake over VA Beach. I see that Grassfield High School looks like a good school thats a 30 min drive and I was thinking of looking more into an neighborhood around there. Any advice?  Thanks so much! :)

@Tumbleweed... The 30 minute drive is calculated without traffic; it will probably be closer to an hour during rush hour.  Lots of people like Chesapeake because you seem to get more house for your money.  Grassfield is a new school, but that area is growing like crazy, so you might want to check on school crowding.  There may be someone who lives in that area and can give you more specifics. If you can (or your Sailor can) try to drive to a few locations during the busiest hours to get a sense of the commute.  Traffic here starts picking up by 6 am and starts to ease around 8 am. By about 4 pm, the roads home get pretty congested. The HOV (minimum 2 in the car) lanes are restricted from 6-8 am heading to the base and 4-6 pm heading away from the base.   

I think it is all a matter of personal preference, but I like Virginia Beach; we have great schools, awesome community centers and, of course, the beach!  LOL We can also take back roads to get to the base that let us avoid the highway.  Always good to have a plan B around here.

Whatever you choose, I hope you like it here as much as we do!

Hello All,

I am planning to relocate to the Virginia Beach/Norfolk/Chesapeake area this coming summer.  I am tryign to get all of my ducks in a row. I will greatly GREATLY appreicate any insight on neighborhoods, schools, traffic, and activities for a 9 year old boy.  We will be relocating to be with my sailor who is stationed in Norfolk.

I am also going to be seeking employment.  I currently work in HR as a Specialist I have 5 years experience and a Masters in Public Administration.  I know that it;s WHO you know these days and will GREALTY appreciate beind sent in the right direction in the area as well.

jackarita thank you so much for the offer I may take you up on it. It looks like we will be shipping the truck week of 2/11/13 so I will e-mail you if I need your help.

Again thanks for making such a generous offer......

Welcome JNJNavyGF!   Some of us here live in VA, but a lot, like me, live elsewhere.  Here are some more good area groups for you to join in addition to this one, the more the merrier!  http://www.navyformoms.com/group/ladiesofva and http://www.navyformoms.com/group/navywivesofnorfolkportsmouthva.  Also, if you haven't seen this job search site, it's pretty cool - http://www.indeed.com (you can post your resumé, too :)   You will really like living in the area!

Welcome JNJ!  In addition to Marcy's suggestions, I recommend contacting the Fleet and Family Support Center.  Ask for the Career Development Center; the folks there can help you with your job search. They have listings of job announcements for the area and can help you target your resume. The number is 757-444-2102.  For information about the local community, call the same number, ask for relocation and request a "Welcome Aboard" packet for the Hampton Roads area.  They can send you loads of resources. 

This is my fourth time living in this area.  We love it so much we decided to stay when hubby retired.  Hope you like it, too!

Hi beachmom76 and thank you sooo much for that info!!

Hi Marcy.. thank you for all those valuable links!!

Hi everyone!  Anybody with a sailor on the USS Donald Cook?

Welcome CindyLou!

Just came across this:  DogsOnDeployment.org - "All Military, All Pets."  

The site says that "Dogs On Deployment is a 501(c)(3) national non-profit which provides a central online database for service members to search for individuals or families who are willing to welcome a Dog On Deployment into their home for the length of their owner's deployment."  

Volunteers who meet their requirements can apply to board pets for military members. 

Hello Julie and Calirose. 

Just wanted to let you both know that my husband and I open our home on the weekends for any sailors who want to come over. On saturday evenings we play board games or go mini golfing or bowling and of course we feed them! :)  On Sundays, I make a home-cooked meal with homemade bread and dessert at 1:00 pm. Sometimes we just get to know each other or watch a movie, etc.  We would love for your son's to come join us if they like. If they do not have transportation, we would be happy to pick them up and give them a ride over here and back to the base.  You can check us out at our website: www.openbibleministries.com      Please tell them 'welcome to VA. '  :)  

Yvonne and John Wagner

P.S. If there are any other moms out there with sons or daughters stationed here, please feel free to give them our information. We would love to be a 'home away from home' for them also. :)

Thank you John and Yvonne for the welcome, I will let my sailor know.  

Will do Denise, thanks!

Hello Everyone....it's been a while since I posted here. I hope everyone is doing well. I was wondering if anyone knows a good website to post furniture for sell. My daughter and her roommates are moving out of their apartment and are trying to sell the furniture they purchased. Living room and dining room set. It's in very good shape. If you know anyone looking to buy furniture inbox me.

Does their lease contain a military clause?  A military clause per the Landlord Tenant Act allows for a lease to be terminated if a military member is transferred.  This link to Military OneSource says you may be able to terminate for deployment under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act:  http://www.militaryonesource.mil/pfm?content_id=269402  Try asking the Navy Housing Welcome Center to see what they advise, 757-445-2832, or Military OneSource 800-342-9647.  

CLAMOM - everyone seems to rely on Craigslist for buying and selling furniture (photos are a big plus to Craigslist ads for getting stuff sold btw).    

I totally understand your concerns!  Yes, most leases do have that clause, but only a check of the lease will show if it does or not.  Here are some more good resources:  Navy Housing,  Navy Housing/Issue Resolution, Navy Housing's Rental Partnership Program, and Navy Housing on Facebook.  Once this issue is settled, it would be good to make use of the Navy's programs and get assistance and a lease review before signing the next lease  :)  Good luck and let me know how it goes!

Thanks Marcy I will tell them to post on craigslist.

If they use Craigslist, please tell them to be careful meeting people - never a roommate by herself, imply they have a cop bf/husband etc :)

Yes that's my biggest fear. My daughter seems to be the maturest out of the bunch which is quite scary...LOL

Hi everyone!!!  Hope 2013 is off to a Great start for everyone  :)

Wow.  And amen...