Norfolk Sailors - Family & Friends

Tonya,

What is your daughters rate on the Bush, my son arrived on the Bush a month and a half ago?

As far as the car goes, my son parked his in the ships parking lot for underway periods less than 14 days. Longer than that the NEX has long term parking for $60/month with $5 more if you want it started each month. You much pay half the total fee up front.

Any questions let me know.

Tonya,

My son is also an IT, they may be working together.

I'm not understanding when you say "she would be on the Bush 6-9 months at least twice". If she has orders to the Bush she's going to be on it every day for the next 42 months. She may only do two deployments of 6-9 months during that time but she'll spend every day on the ship and they are out to sea A LOT in between deployments. 

Someone isn't telling her the whole story if she thinks she is only going to be on the bush for 6-9 months.

Does that make sense or did I confuse you more?

She'll still need her car...when she is in port and off work she'll need to get around the base and get off the base to relax for awhile. It will be SO MUCH easier on her if she drives and can carry her belongings in her car and doesn't have to pack her sea bag, garment bag, etc. on her back all at the same time.

I assume she isn't married and will be living on the ship? If she's single she's going to be forced to live on the ship until she gets her quals and gets on a long waiting list for a barracks room (waiting list is over a year long) Her car will also allow her to have a place to store some stuff that she won't be able to fit on the ship because she is going to be so limited for space.

She WILL NOT be happy if she flys to Norfolk and leaves her car in Tampa. She'll make you drive it to her shortly after she arrives as Norfolk isn't setup conviently for those without transportation. There is next to nothing near the ships except a McDonald's  Pizza Hut, Athletic Center and a mini mart. Everything else is a ways away.

My son attempted to make it without a car but I could tell it was really affecting him being stuck at the ship all the time so I shipped his car to him from Phoenix.

Yes, I should have mentioned...she can find a place (rent) to live off the ship but the cost will be completely out of her pocket and the Navy will not reimburse her for anything as she's expected to live on the ship.

After they get all their quals they can get on a waiting list for a Navy provided barracks room so they don't have to live on the ship in port and that is paid for completely by the Navy. She'll still be working on the ship every day regardless where she sleeps at night.

My son thought about the apartment route but he felt it would eat up too much of his paycheck each month, around $400 with a room mate, so he is toughing it out on the ship FOR NOW. 

Being an IT is nice for communicating...IT's on the computer side have access to email 24/7 and can email all the time. IT's on the radio side have access to phone lines so they can call once in awhile.

We communicate daily via email while he is underway. There are pay phones on the ship that are expensive $20 for a 40 minute card that my son calls us on once in awhile.

No, there are MANY Sailors living off the ship/base that are not E5. It's not actually living off base, it's just sleeping off base as they are on the ship during the day working while in port and they live on it while underway.

My son likes having his car because it gives him a small place that he can be alone, talk on the phone, listen to music, etc. He sits in the parking lot in his car with the music on and talks to his girlfriend and us. Before he got his car he really didn't have anyplace to sit alone and relax and talk on the phone as every place is SO crowded. They don't get cell coverage on the ship (except for one small location in the hanger bay) so they have to be off the ship for decent cell coverage.

He hasn't said so yet but I think he actually slept in his car one night just so he didn't have to go back on the ship.

My son is an IT but will be on the USS Brisbane.

Tonya,

That is so common among junior Sailors, they join the Navy but don't want to go on a ship. I was in the Navy for 26 years and my son grew up in the lifestyle and he still acted like he was surprised when he got orders to a ship.

It will be tough on her at first but she'll get used to it and accept it once she is onboard and gets things figured out.

CO-Twin,

Now that is pull if you're renaming ships already...good for you. :)

Good for your son, I hope he continues to like once he arrives on board. My son loves the job he's doing and the people he's working with. He does not like the fact that he has no privacy and no room to get away from people ever. He also doesn't like the fact that his cell phone and laptop don't work on the ship.

I could see the things your son doesn't like being thing my son won't like either, he tends to be a rather private person. 

Dad you said they can call sometimes on ship phonesDo you know the case for destroyers?  Can they get packages while out to sea or deployment? How does that happen?

Destroyers have the same capability with ship phones.  And in regards to shipping packages, you can send to the ships address and it goes to a sorting center and then shipped to the ship itself.  On average it has been taking 3-4 weeks for my Sailor to receive packages.  The cost to send a USPS first class large box not matter the weight is $14.85.

singingbird,

That is great he gets to have his guitar, where the heck does he store it? My son is so limited on space that he doesn't have room for his uniforms. I don't remember it being so tight back when I was a junior Sailor but maybe it was.

My son said he was up watching flight ops the other day and there was a large school of dolphins (he said he thought there were around 30) jumping and playing in the wake behind the ship. He was excited about that.

Tonya,

She can keep plates on her car and a drivers license from whatever state you're from as long as she has an active duty ID card. Is there a particular reason you want to register it in Virginia?

E-4 to E-6 Active Duty Advancement Lists are out!  Congratulations to all that advanced :)  Navy Advancement on FB & scroll down, grouped by ratings alphabetically.

She can definitely keep Florida plates and drivers license. Who is your insurance through? Some companies that don't deal with a lot of military have trouble with insurance on cars that are garaged in a different state then where it is registered. The military friendly companies should have no trouble with this...USAA, GEICO, etc. Best to call your insurance company and ask them how to do it since she is active duty military and the vehicle is registered in FL but she'll be in VA.

There may be some circumstances where it would be advantageous to register the car in Virginia if it is cheaper than FL or if the vehicle has to be in FL for an inspection each year, etc. I don't know what the situation is with things like that with you guys, however, she can definitely drive the car in VA with FL plates and drivers license as long as she has a military ID.

Tonya M have her check rates with Nation wide. My son had Geico and one of his shipmates told him about Nation Wide and it was much cheaper rates so he changed.

My son got a very good rate with USAA and they are good with working with military situations.  He kept his home state driver's license and purchased and registered his car in Virginia, where those on active military status are exempt from the annual registration renewal fee and personal property tax, just have to present an LES each year.  He didn't know that his first year and paid it, but Virginia refunded it the following year.  Military local vehicle registration exemption  Also this Virginia DMV FAQs for Military.

Tonya M, my son had USAA and switched to Nationwide.  It was much cheaper.  He turned 24 in April and has two cars, one is a sports car.  The insurance is still cheaper.  He kept his Texas license and registration in Texas.  He's deployed right now and his car is here at our house (I get to drive it).  One friend stored his car in a storage unit, another did the lot where they start it for you.  He preferred his car to be where he knows who's watching it.  Yes, that meant that I had to drive it back to Texas but no biggie.  I got to spend a week with him before he left.  Nice trade-off. 

All this insurance talk, I have an anomaly for a kid.  He did not want to learn to drive. He is 19 and doesn't drive. He might want his bike. 

All this insurance talk, I have an anomaly for a kid.  He did not want to learn to drive. He is 19 and doesn't drive. He might want his bike. 

Then he's going to get quite the workout in Norfolk LOL  The base is huge, as is the surrounding area (adjacent Virginia Beach is Virginia's largest city) and winters get cold...much more fun when you can get around comfortably!  IMHO.

Will maybe he will figure that out, I think he hopes to not be in port much.  He will have to have someone teach him or do they have a decent bus system? 

There is no bus service to the piers for the most part. On the weekend there is a bus that returns to the pier from the main NEX but for some reason doesn't go directly from the pier to the NEX. So you can get back from the NEX on the weekend but if you want to ride a bus to the NEX you have to ride it around the whole loop which takes near 45 minutes I believe. It costs $2 to ride it and my son tried it and was able to get back from the NEX once but was never able to get to the NEX.

During the week there is nothing but taxi cabs.

Oh dear sounds to me like he better get someone to teach him driving and get a license and a cheap car.  We did get advice to get a cheap car and sell it when you have a long deployment. I don't think that sounds too logical though. How about bikes? 

I've not inquired about bikes so someone else will have to provide that information.

CO-TwinSalorsMom Ship03Div233  Drivers in Norfolk, as in most of VA (I can say this because I live inVA) are insane maniacs.  If your son can learn to drive here, I'd say he could conquer the world!

CO-Twin, Tonya,

Make sure your Sailor asks for their Sponsor to meet them at the airport when they arrive into Norfolk if possible. It will be very confusing for a new Sailor getting to the ship in a Taxi and reporting aboard the ship all alone. Not to mention, trying to pack their seabag, garment bag, backpack, etc. all by themselves is a pain.

My son was lucky that his sponsor offered to meet him at the airport and it was much easier for him than if he would have had to do it alone.

Tonya,

Oh yeah, forgot your daughter is driving...that will be much easier for her. She already knows someone on the Bush? Just make sure she knows someone onboard when she arrives. If she arrives after working hours she's going to be on her own until the next work day which can be overwhelming for a new Sailor. Is much better if there is someone to show her around the ship, her berthing, how to get to her shop, etc. If it is after working hours they are going to check her in on the quarterdeck and get her a rack in berthing and then she'll be left to fend for herself.

Since my son is on the Bush also I'm sure he would be happy to help as well. If she doesn't know anyone I can give you my son's email address and he would be happy to answer any questions she may have. I'm sure he would be happy to show her around the ship but he obviously won't be able to go into the female berthing and he works in a different division, but he could certainly show her around the ship.

Tonya,

Do you have any idea what day she will be arriving in Norfolk? If the ship is underway that is going to change things on how she checks in. If you let me know the day she is going to check in I may be able to tell you offline where she'll need to check-in at.

The problem for Sailors is there simply isn't a bus that runs to the piers where the ships are except for one on the weekend and it doesn't take them to places on base they may need to go. The buses may be great for visitors out in town but for Sailors not so much. Kind of disappointing the largest Navy base in the world doesn't have transportation for Sailors.

When my son got to Norfolk, about a year and a half ago, he didn't take his car.  He soon found out about the lack of public transportation.  He walked to where he needed but couldn't wait to bring his car back.  He did that for six  months and hated it, especially when it was cold.  He was much happier once he had his car which also doubled as a storage unit.  He also needed a way to get AWAY from the ship since he lived on it.  He had friends that lived off base and he crash at their apartments on the weekends. 

Helen,

Exactly what my son found, he didn't make it six months and after a month of walking miles on the base in the rain every day he had me ship him his car. He is much happier now that he can get away from the ship and has a place to store some of his extra things.

Tonya,

What do you mean "car pool area"? There is a HUGE parking lot across the street from the pier that the Bush is tied to. It can be a very long walk to the ship depending how far back in the lot they have to park due to everything up closer being full. It would be a terrible walk if a Sailor had to carry all of their stuff, seabag, garment bag, backpack, etc. all at once. Beauty of having a car is you don't have to do it in one trip like you would have to do if you took a taxi and were just dropped off at the end of the pier.  Is that what you're referring to as the "car pool area"?

Also, it is better check in mid week or early in the week. If she checks in on a Friday she is going to be on her own for the weekend and won't have a clue what is going on. Checking in mid week if possible gives her a day or two to check in, meet those she will be working with, find her shop, find the mess decks, etc before she has to be on her own for the weekend. I know it isn't always possible to pick when you check in but if she has some leeway then this is something to keep in mind.

Checking in on Friday evening will probably result in her being given a rack and told to report to work Monday morning and she'll be lost all weekend because she doesn't know where anything is.