Norfolk Sailors - Family & Friends

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.

Thanks for that Emmie!  The Navy has made their zero-tolerance policy abundantly clear, and fortunately they have many resources available for financial, behavioral health and more issues facing sailors.  

The Navy began use of Alcohol Detection Devices this month at thirteen commands for sailors reporting for duty (regardless of rank), with fleet-wide use to be in effect by May.  Impaired sailors put their shipmates' safety as well as mission readiness at risk; anyone who chooses to ignore this or balks at this is endangering your sailor and mine.  A BAC reading of .04 or more is the benchmark for being unsafe to perform duties (by the way, that's the same for commercial pilots).  .02 will be retested after 20 minutes to allow for results that may be due to mouthwash and the like.  These guidelines are helpful and might be good to pass along to sailors who drink alcohol - From%20NAVINST%205350.8%20FAQ.pdf

Maddie, sounds fun!  If there are any Arizona moms here, we're having a get-together March 17 in Phoenix with an Admiral as our speaker, here's the invite - http://www.navyformoms.com/events/az-moms-meet-up-with-the-admiral

Hello....need some help from anyone living in Norfolk  that knows a reputable car repair place for brakes.....son having brake issues  doesn't want to take car to someplace and get ripped off....If any of you know of a repair place that would be safe to take car please let me know.   Is there a Monroe  or one those shops in area that is good to use?   Thank you Allie  

allie1928 - my son has taken his car to Accurate Tune Plus on Monticello Ave in Norfolk.  The mechanic's name is TJ.  This place was recommended by another mom on here who's sailor has taken his car there and other sailors as well.  My son liked him and said he was pretty honest.

emmie and others.

My Husband and I came here almost 13 years ago in order to minister to the sailors, soldiers and marines who are stationed here. We have a 'home away from home'-a place they can go and be in a home with a family while they are away from their own homes.  We play board games, mini golf and bowling, go to some of the historic places here on Saturday eves and yes we feed them! :)  One Sunday I make a home cooked meal including homemade bread and dessert and do various things afterwards-watch a movie, get to know each other, share experiences, etc.  Please let your sons and daughters know about us and also those you see at the store.  You can check us out at our website:www.openbibleministries.com

Jackie...thank you for responding  I will pass the information along to my son. I appreciate your help  allie 

Thank you so much for that..  no matter how you look at scripture...it spells love.

Love that John 3:16 Valentine!

The downtown Norfolk waterfront has some interesting stuff, if you are into history.  There is the USS Wisconsin and Nauticus.  Town Point Park (all there in the same place) has one of my favorite exhibits: bronze plaques that look like papers blown around on the ground.  Each is a letter home from a soldier or sailor at war.  The Victory Rover is a tour boat that conducts tours of the Norfolk waterfront and the naval base. http://www.navalbasecruises.com/  I just checked and the tours start up again on February 28.  The Virginia Aquarium hosts whale watching tours if you want to be out on the water. http://www.virginiaaquarium.com/educational-adventures/Pages/winter...

If you prefer to keep your feet on dry land, the aquarium is pretty wonderful (I may be a bit biased).  Fortress Monroe is another great historical spot and right on the way to Williamsburg.  Jefferson Davis was prisoner there at the end of the Civil War...the museum is great for history buffs!  If you are into food, the downtown Norfolk area around Granby Street has some terrific options.

I am sure others have some great suggestions as well.  There is lots to see and do here!

For a quick bite, there's a true drive-in bbq place on Monticello called Doumar's - been there since the 50s - and they bring the tray to the car :)   Guy Fieri's featured it on the Food Network.  And show your son you can be super-local too - pronounce Norfolk  NAHfuk - right Beachmom?  :)  ps your son and "bahs' would fit well in Boston too lol

Thanks Theresa!

To loriLAB-

What kind of food do you like? If you like seafood and money is no object-:)-Captain Georges is a great place-all you can eat crablegs and of course everything else including dessert.

We have all the regular restaurants like everywhere else.

If  you like Greek food we have a restaurant called Orapax. Delicious food!

Enjoy your time here! 

Theresa, do you have the meeting details?  I'll pass it along in the iwo & Kearsarge groups.

My son is on Enterprise and will be looking for housing just south of Newport News in a couple mos. in anticipation of Enterprise being moved over to the shipyards this summer. He wants to be across the tunnel to avoid the traffic.  Currently, he is staying with his sister(navy also)in Norfolk, who is xferring to Mayport soon.  Any suggestions on decent housing. This will be his first time being alone and I would like him to get a townhouse or condo so there will be people around and hopefully he won't spend all his free time on his computer!  I'm a mom and I worry about him.  Thanks for any help.

This was put on my face book and I am just trying to help .. if any one might know please let me know ,, maybe some family might like to have this pic . of a son ....

More news of what may happen if Congress doesn't act - so make your calls, sign petitions!  http://wtkr.com/2013/02/19/navy-says-bataan-wont-deploy-air-wings-w...

Also - Trevor's Mom, what was the cost/month for long term parking?

So scary.  Even though they're on recess, we can still call our representatives and register our views with the person answering - to get their phone and fax #s, here's an easy way - http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/

Ship and Theresa, thank you so much for the info.  I will see my sailor this weekend and let him know. :)

Welcome Gwen B.  I'm part of the Navy Moms of Norfolk group on FB.  I really like the interaction there.  This is also a great site to connect with others.