Norfolk Sailors - Family & Friends

Florida mom,

You can go onto www.joann.com and print the coupon you need.  There is one right now for 15% off your whole purchase in the middle of the page where you see the Free Shipping and Get Coupons.  But you will find the 40% off per item coupon when you search for the Joann closest to you in Find a Store and it will have that coupon attached when the store pops up.  I usually print a few, then bring a couple of my daughters if I plan to purchase more than 1 item.  One coupon per person works fine that way~~  Michael's and Hobby Lobby also has their coupons to print online.  Hobby Lobby will only accept their own coupon, not Michael's or Joann, but both Michaels' and Joann will accept all 3 coupons.

Thinking of you and your sailor, Calirose!

Calirose, time to start gathering stuff for care packages!  Please come join this group, great people there and good ideas and advice and fun inspirations:  N4M Care Package Ideas 

You can order a "military pack" of six flat-rate boxes, customs forms, tape and address labels from USPS - call 800-610-8734 and tell them you want the military pack. Or order a pack of 10 or 25 here:  Priority Mail Flat Rate APO/FPO Boxes.  Either way, they'll be delivered to you free and shipping is discounted $2 when sent to FPO addresses, so $14.85 for up to 70 lbs.  Planning you next box to mail is a good way to feel connected to your sailor :)  

Please don't worry, they will be safe and he'll have great stories to share with you soon!  Also - be sure to get on the Ombudsman and Family Readiness Group lists.

Thanks Marcy and Magpie, had a moment yesterday where I  broke down (okay, I had a few moments) but the worst was when he called me before leaving and I made the comment that it must be really busy there with everyone getting ready and he agreed and then told me there were lots of families around also, that made me sad that I couldn't be there too. I am in Washington state so just couldn't swing it this time to go but I plan to be there when the ship pulls back in.  I will join the other groups you mentioned Marcy.....and I will get order those boxes.  

My daughter deployed on the USS Gettysburg Monday from Mayport and will be part of the Truman Strike Group.  My husband and I were able to go visit her and watched the ship depart.  We have her car with us for the duration.

my son and only child is on the TRUMAN.I am having a hard time adjusting,:-(

My only child is also on the Truman - we are hear for you and each other xoxo

Since you'll be shopping for care packages, another fun group to get involved with here is Molly's Adopt a Sailor Project, with really great and friendly moms.  Every month they adopt a deployed ship or unit, there's a theme and 'wish list' and everyone sends at once.  And they have a "Special Hugs" monthly project to Afghanistan too.  Often a bunch of moms will organize packing parties for the monthly "adoptee" and you can get the postage paid (always a great thing!).  Check it out - they'll welcome you and answer all your questions :)  http://www.navyformoms.com/group/mollysadoptasailorproject 

My son is also on the Truman. I'm trying to be strong for him i don't wait him to worry about home when his fellows sailors need his mind there.  we all have to pray for one another and be there for each other.

It is really hard, and my heart is with you having your loved one on the Truman.  My son just recently returned and I know how I felt with him gone, and I know how I feel with him in the USA.

While I know of no special restrictions for mail on subs I will say I've never served on subs. I would think it will take a bit longer to get to them then some surface ships. Hopefully a mom with a Sailor on a sub can add something. 

My other son who is in GC, S Carolina will be on a sub but that is a long way off yet. He has at least 2 years of nuke school first. 

tackyjacky  I love your name, LOL  Don't they get supplied when they are out? Wouldn't they be able to get mail then?

Jmae12, Family Readiness Groups are amazing during deployments with all kinds of support, activities and projects; if you're not a member yet, ask the Truman Ombudsmen Team how to join.  

Jmae, to find all the FRG info, go here http://www.truman.navy.mil and click the tab "FRG" at the top.  

The book is "Flotsam & Jetsam" by Hank McKinney, Rear Adm, US Navy RET

Great!  Gina and the Ombudsmen Team are awesome and have your back, so ask her/them (and us!) anything anytime :)  

ps the Truman FRG doesn't have a FB page I found out - interesting how every ship is different, isn't it?

I just watched a documentary on Netflix on the Virginia class subs. It was interesting with a good peek at the insides of these.  Good history also.  

Got a call from my son who is deployed on the USS Bainbridge.  He LOVES being at sea.  He is busy most of the time.  He got my package I mailed on 7-10. He got it 7-25. Not bad.  I sent him "My Part of the Task" by Col Stanley McCristal. He really enjoyed it and one day one of Commanding Officers on board came up to him with his book in his hands. He asked my son where he got it and told him that he had served with the Col. in Iraq. They then had a conversation of the officers experiences working with Col. McCristal.  Pretty neat.   

That is neat CO-Twin, glad he is enjoying himself and cool he got to chat with the CO about the book.

The Twins group is very active and now has 10 families!! The latest to join has her twins in BC in the same ship and division. 

Any advice on shipping a mandolin to my son's ship? He wants to order one from Italy. Can they ship it to him or do they have to ship to me and I ship it to him?

Jmae12 - you can also read "Rig Ship for Ultra Quiet" by Andrew Karam.  He was enlisted ELT on USS Plunger so the book is written from the enlisted man's perspective.

CO, some places ship to FPOs, some don't.  It might be safest to have it shipped to you first, so you can at least know it made it that far, then you can track it - well, as much as you can track something to an FPO - and insure it too.

CO-Twin,

I don't think I would have an instrument shipped from overseas to the ship as it will go back to the states, through the FPO system and then back to the ship. That is a lot of traveling for something of value with no tracking. If it isn't an expensive instrument and he want's to chance it then that's ok but I wouldn't do it for anything of value.

He won't be home till end of January.  I was going to do the ship it to me then to him through APO/FPO but the boxes are too small.  I have an Italian friend who I am going to have help me order it.  So did the guitar get there in one piece? 

Jmae,

He needs the ship to shore cards, you can't get regular cards. These cards are hard to come by on base and on the ship as my son can never seem to find them and says there is a long wait for them.

AAFES has them online at https://shop.aafes.com/scs/product.aspx?deptid=42000 but notice there are different ones. There are ones that say "ship to shore" and for use on navy ships. $20 for I think is 40 minutes if I remember correctly.

mik3tn

prayers for your sailor going out!!!  Keep us posted on his safe travels.

You need to make sure your Sailors ship has this service as I don't think they all do.

singingbird...you can order them from that website and have them shipped to him. It is actually even more expensive because there is a surcharge for every completed call so that takes some of the 40 minutes off the top before the talking ever starts.

E was trying to call us while underway and we told him to not worry about it and use his call to call his girl. We get to talk to him daily via email while he is underway. I'm going to send him with some cards when they go on their 9 month deployment so we hear his voice once in awhile.

Prayer for save journey. 

My son has made 4 calls in 6 weeks not sure how?

There is a number on the back of the 'ship to shore' card so you can reload it for your sailor.  The cards are sold at the NEX, so if you have one near you and are eligible to make a purchase, that's another option vs. online.   And be prepared 24/7 to answer every odd-looking numbers that show up on your phone :)   Getting a call from your deployed sailor - priceless!! 

Marcy, thanks my son had not told me there were rechargeable. I wonder why he is always on the hunt for a new card and doesn't just refill his? I'll have to inquire, thanks again.

we have an att card that we can re load by calling a toll free number.  our son has used it several years from everywhere.

Rod, even the ship? I don't think you can use the AT&T Universal Calling Cards from the ship, I think they need a special card and it only works from the ship is my understanding.

The card that my son has is from the ships store, is an AT&T card and it is rechargeable by anyone that has the number from the back of it and calls the toll free number and adds money with their credit/debit card.

http://www.corp.att.com/gov/militaryprepaidcards/navy.html