Norfolk Sailors - Family & Friends

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...

Theresa, did you see the Navy Times article saying that the slogan "A global force for good" is unpopular?  I happen to love that slogan.  

Wow, wonder if those that are already deployed will stay out as long a first thought.

The article says that "the John C. Stennis CSG, which deployed in late August, has been the only carrier force in the region since December, when the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group had to return home for repairs.

The Ike CSG is still slated to deploy again later this month and will relieve Stennis. The Ike does not need to complete workups and will allow the Navy to keep one carrier in 5th Fleet when and if the cuts take hold."  

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2013/02/navy-truman-delay-persian-gul...

Geez Theresa thanks - NOT! - for getting me reading Navy Times today - not much good news :(  "The Pentagon will formally recommend that troops next year should receive a 1 percent increase in basic pay, which would be the smallest pay bump in the 40-year history of the all-volunteer force."

Ok off to read now; thanks again Theresa.  It's so important for us all to keep up with developments.  

Regarding that slogan - this is perhaps my favorite Navy spot of them all - the Navy really stands for, and does, so much good in this world.  

I'm praying I'm wrong but what understand they will be on longer deployments :(

Let's pray that they pass a decent budget for all our sailors.  It's bad enough that Panetta wants a military pay cut - hell they're getting less of an increase than welfare recipients.  1% instead of the 1.7%  this is an outrage and slap in the face to all our heros - sorry, I get to emotional - just venting.

Has anyone heard about re-enlisting? My son turned in all of his papers and is waiting for approval.  He really wants to stay in.  He is getting worried if he is going to be approved because of all of the cut backs and with his ship being decommissioned next month.

I wanted to give wives some information on things to do in Norfolk.  Basically when we moved here a few months ago, I was new to the whole "stay at home mom" thing, and was going crazy being in the house all day with the kids.  I started taking them to the park at our housing community, and one of the other wives told me about the programs available.  FREE!  The one that I'm involved in, and has been such a help to us is the Armed Forces YMCA.  Just google that, go to programs, and look at the activities for the location closest to you.  They have work out classes, and also "mommy time" which is just basically time for yourself.  They provide childcare so that you can have time to do your activities, and did I mention, it's FREE!  My kids LOVE playing with the other kids, and the teachers are great!  They hate leaving.  There's something to do Monday-Friday, and it's helped me have time to myself and better deal with time away from my Sailor.  Also, the military housing has events if you live in military housing, but I tend to find those events to be extremely crowded, and the people are just different-not too friendly.

Mrs. Sailor-S, glad to see the positive words!  :)  Here are two more groups you might like and who could use that info, Navy Wives of Portsmouth/Norfolk and Ladies of VA  I'm giving your name to a gal who just married an Iwo Jima sailor and is moving to Norfolk in March with three kids, she can use some great advice.

My hat is off to the sailors and families of USS Truman for coping with this 180 change of plans.  I like CAPT Roth's end to his letter :)   Bless 'em all.

Marcy  Thank you it has been a 180  but getting thing done like turning on cell and getting his car. it will take me a few days  But I will get it done .

:)

The Navy and Marines think they came up with that motto - moms have been doing it since forever!  :)

@GoldnG8r-you can go online to request the materials to ship packages..  Everything you need is on the website.  Or, you can get the flat-rate boxes and the forms at the post office.  The forms are white-ish, about 6" X 4" and have 3 or 4 duplicates attached (operating off memory here, I actually need to go get some today because my daughter just deployed last week!)

http://tinyurl.com/Post-Office-Supplies

Just look for the items that show $0.00 as the price.  Under the forms tab to the left, you can find the customs forms. 

My son is now in Virginia and I am trying to figure out his address, the one he gave me doesn't seem like it is quite right..do I need to put a barracks name on the address? any moms with personal advice on this please give ideas.........

Theresa  Thank You  I got him a ticket he is coming home to get his car and get other things that he needs..  But thank you for the offer. I think he will just live on the ship for now

Laurie....my son had to pay for a PO Box in town  ....no mail at barracks and post offices on base didn't have any PO box rentals left.  It took him a few weeks before I could send him any mail....i was frustrated.  good luck  allie

Theresa, no he isn't assigned to a ship, he is waiting for his next training to start possible the 1st of March, he is a Rescue Swimmer and just finished SERE training.

He doesn't have a car so not sure if  P.O. Box would be a good thing, ok, he gave me an address I might try and send something ( just a note) and see if he gets it.  thanks for the advice

Julie OS Mom     I sent a package out Jan 29th and he got it yesterday . I hope that helps with the time frame for u

Our son decided to get a P.O. box at the local UPS store since the mail on base was so slow. We mail packages from Oregon and now he gets them in 2-3 days. It works so much better than relying on the base to deliver in a timely manner. 

Hi everybody! I hope everyone is doing well.  Also, I know that no one here wants to talk about this but this really hit home for my husband and I'd just like everyone to keep it in mind and think about it. My husband recently found out that a close friend of his was getting other-then honorable discharge because he failed a drug test. His friend never did drugs, and randomly went home on leave and decided to. He has a wife, and a baby on the way, and unfortunately he is now without a job and stranded in Virginia because of what seemed like a tiny mistake.  Our sailors are under A LOT of stress, maybe some of them are just coming to Norfolk, maybe they have tests, are homesick etc. I love all of our sailors and I absolutely hate seeing them make bad decisions. I work at a small convenience store right outside of Naval Station Norfolk and am constantly seeing sailors coming in buying blunt wraps/rolling papers/cigarillos etc. The Navy is cracking down on drugs and drinking more then ever. My husband mentioned something about having sailors take breathalyzer tests at random before being allowed on board. The amount of sailors I see that are drunk-driving/intoxicated/high or whatever is way too many. If everyone could pray for our sailors, and talk to the ones they have here that would be great. Sometimes, just letting your sailor know how proud you are, or how much you love them can help. I'm sure everyone here does this already but I hope that we can all come together and show how much we support them so that they know they dont have to make silly mistakes. They can lean on us.