Norfolk Sailors - Family & Friends

I can't go into any details.  But if anyone one could put out prayers for my sailor and his wife I would appreciate the support.

Prayers for your sailor and his wife.

May all of you have a Blessed Easter!!!

   "I Love My Jesus--today, tomorrow, forever!!!

BReady thanks for the support

To the USS Truman folks here - Norfolk photographer Laura Enright is trying to locate this family so she can share with them this wonderful family portrait she caught during homecoming on April 18.  Here's her heartwarming blog post about it:  http://www.lauraenrightphotography.com/truman-homecoming-help-me-fi...

And here's the photo - hopefully someone here recognizes them!  Thanks :)

HELP - Can anyone recommend or suggest roads / routes to take or avoid going east to Norfolk from Michigan / Ohio area? My son flew home and will be driving his truck back for the first time. This Navy mom is a bit nervous... Thanks

Singingbird - thank you so much for all this detailed info on the route! I also posted this question on my FB page and several have suggested this route but the detail if very helpful. Have a great day!

For those who are in Norfolk or familiar with the area, how close is the Portsmouth area to base? I've been looking at hotels for homecoming time (even though it's quite awhile from now), and there seems to be hotels in so many different areas when you do a search. And of course every travel site gives different mileage from each hotel to base. What would be the best area to stay in without having to drive so far every time we go to the base?

NonnaB That is awesome, I had no idea. I am an artist myself and that would be a fainting nitch.

Tracy, my son has been based in both Portsmouth and Norfolk.  For homecoming, you really can't beat the Navy Lodge for location, plus it's the most reasonably priced around and it's very nice!  I've stayed at the Sheraton Waterside in Norfolk and I went back to the Navy Lodge.  Handy to have the kitchenette too, whether just the microwave and fridge in the smallest rooms, or full kitchen as you go up in size.

If you stay in Portsmouth (and I like Olde Towne!), you have a choice of two routes to the base that can get quite clogged with commuter traffic:  one route is a tunnel and surface streets through a part of Norfolk, the other involves a drawbridge, a tunnel and freeways.  My recommendation:  do take the paddlewheel ferry from Norfolk' Waterside to visit Olde Towne, but stay at Navy Lodge :)   Link - Navy Lodge Norfolk info, photos

So how does that work as far as it being a homecoming so obviously our sailor would not be there at check-in to show ID?

How far is Portsmouth from the base?

Thanks for all your info. It's just so overwhelming.

Hello, I've seen that a few of you have stayed at the Navy Lodge near the Norfolk base. Would anyone be able to tell me if they have laundry facilities onsite? I checked the website but wasn't able to find any information regarding laundry. Thank you!

abuon18, Yes, the Navy Lodge does have laundry facilities on site.  I don't remember what the cost was for the washer or dryer.

You're welcome :)

I am looking forward to being part of this group. Everyone was really helpful when I was part of the boot camp group and I am looking forward to sharing stories. My son has been there in Norfolk for about 2 weeks and is so happy to be there.

Hi Norfolk Navy Family & Friends, My sailor will soon leave Great Lakes and report to Norfolk at the end of month.  I have so much to learn from all of you. So grateful for this group :)

For anyone in Norfolk/Portsmouth this weekend - the westbound lanes of the I-264 Downtown Tunnel (to Portsmouth) will be closed 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights this weekend. Traffic will be detoured to the Midtown Tunnel.

My Sailor finally got his orders after being released from limited duty, he will be heading back to Great Lakes for A school for 4 months, since he had the blood clot go to his lung he was disquailified from submarines and had to choose a new rate. He has been so patient during his long wait. I thank the Lord for giving him good health so that he can go back to doing things he enjoys.

donnab

great news!  You must feel relief and pride all at once. 

What I don't understand is how your sailor is sent back to duty and another one of our sailor is sent home.  It doesn't make sense to me.  Sorry for celebration and griping in the same email.  I still can't get over it.  Do I need forgiveness here or is it justified anger?

jw'smom

Welcome to Norfolk group.  Pointers: it is a big base but good reason to take up walking.  Many feel that you have to have a car there.  My son has managed just fine for the last 9 months without one.  There is a bus system that will take him lots of places.  He needs to start socializing at the MWR (morale, welfare, and recreation) bldg.  Free games, internet, etc.  Bowling alley, movie theatre at the mall, bus takes them to the mall, etc.

Any other ideas out there ladies?

NavyMom2013 and CO-TwinSailorsMom

I understand completely if I had my way and if my son was ok with it I had rather him had been sent home. In case something like this happened again. I will always worry no matter what.

I suppose the doctors know best, my son ask them about getting out or staying in and the time it would take them to process him out he would have been almost finished with his enlistment. But I am sure it would have been the doctors final decision.

Welcome Forever proud!  Sent you a Friend request :)  

I'm saying this with kindness and wishing everyone involved well:  I personally think it's time to stop speculating about recent situations about which we don't have all the information, nor should we.  These are private issues involving sailors, the Navy and their families and that needs to be respected.  

Hello everyone--

I have been following this group for a while, but not posting much ever since I knew my son would be going here for his next duty station.  Well, the time has come--his 30 days leave is over and I will be taking him to the airport tomorrow for his flight to Norfolk.  I am nervous in one respect, but glad in another,  to have him back in the States and not across the ocean.  We will be able to stay in contact by cell phone again....lol...  I am looking forward to being a more active member of this group. 

Thank you Navy Mom 2013, I appreciate the tip.  I will relay to my sailor about the transportation offered!

Hi everyone! We just got back yesterday from seeing our sailor son in Norfolk.  Does it ever get easier to tell them good-bye?  I am so bummed today and was not ready to come home.  Of course the weather started getting nicer the few days before we left.  When we left Saturday, he kept wanting us to stay longer.  It was really hard to tell him we couldn't. 

It seemed like during the week when we picked him up we had time to visit during supper.  Then once he showered he couldn't stay awake.  We were waking him up at 4:30 a.m. and leaving our condo every morning at 5:00 to take him to the shipyard.  It was about a 30 minute drive.  So really the weekends were the main time we spent with him.  I will say though, that I WILL NOT MISS THAT TRAFFIC from Virginia Beach to Norfolk. ha  We do not have that crazy stuff where we live and it was making me nervous. I do miss the sound of the ocean though.  Where we live in Illinois is blah compared to the east coast. Even the drive home through the mountains was beautiful. 

The room he stays in on the base on the weekends is even way far away from the main gate of the base.  He doesn't have his motorcycle out there yet, so he usually just stays in his room all weekend unless going out to eat.  Those cab fares are getting expensive for him to do stuff all the time.  He also has to use a cab when he leaves the shipyard during the week to do anything.  His room was so sterile so it made his dad and I feel better to take a TV and some of his clothes.  Then before we left we went to the NEX and bought him a bunch of stuff so it looks a little more lived in when we left.  He wanted me to bring his favorite blankets and a couple of his pillows.  Knowing he had some comforts from home put a smile on his face. 

Don't get me wrong, he is glad he chose the NAVY, but it is just hard for mom and dad and his sisters to not see him more often.  Hopefully he will get back in the swing of work this week and not be too bummed we are gone.  He has never once told us he is homesick or wants to come home.  He is very private with his emotions so I don't always know what he is feeling.  I couldn't believe how many sailors I saw sitting by themselves eating at the NEX in the food court.  They were eating and messing with their phones the whole time. ha  My son is the same way and it makes me sad.  But I know many kids are fine with doing things by themselves.

Sorry for the long post! :)

HuffyMom23 - I have not seen my son since early January and it was so good to read your post. I miss him so much.  Like your son, he is very private and does not tell us too much.  He just arrived in Norfolk in mid March and still stays on the ship.  We plan to go out and see him (we live in N. Minnesota) the end of June. We are staying at the Navy Lodge outside of the base.  We are hoping to fly but it is getting expensive for all 3 of us.  How long did it take you to drive out?  How long did you stay?  Anything you can suggest would be appreciated!

It took us about 15 hours.  We divided it up between 2 days.  We stayed at the Navy Lodge the first night we got there which is very close to the base.  For us that part didn't matter because our son is at the AEB shipyard and it is still a bit of a drive from there. But the Navy Lodge is awesome for the price and very clean.  I love them!  We might go back out in the fall and we are planning to stay at the Navy Lodge then if we go.  My brother lives in Virginia Beach but he is out for about 4 or 5 months on his deployment.  We missed seeing him. :(  We left on April 24th and got back yesterday.  We stayed at a condo on Virginia Beach for 1 week.

My son will talk to us about everything that is going on with him out there and usually calls us about every night.  But, when it comes to his emotions, he just won't say anything.  Honestly if he would have said I really miss you guys and don't want you to leave without me, I would have lost it. ha  But this was his decision to join the Navy, so I know he understands that he will be away from everyone. He is a strong kid and as long as his path steers the way he would like in the Navy, he will most likely make a career out of it.  Two of my brothers were in for 20 years and my brother-n-law was in the Air Force for 20 years.  So he has good role models. But I never missed my brothers like I do my son! ha ha  Would it also be a long drive for you? My biggest adjustment was that traffic.  I did every bit of the driving the whole trip because my husband never drives my car and isn't comfortable in it.  He has a big quad cab truck and he is used to sitting up high.  So I wasn't real happy about doing all of the driving.  Usually he does. :) You might be used to crazy traffic.

HuffyMom 23 - we are from Duluth, Minnesota so not used to much traffic.  I do have a sister in Minneapolis so we drive there but is it worse than that?!  We are thinking of flying into Richmond and driving to Norfolk. 

Hello to all.

My Sailor will be heading to Norfolk in a couple of weeks. Her PIR was 04/18 so here I go again, moving along, with the help of N4Ms, of learning as she moves on to the next part of her journey in Navy life. Just wanted to join the group and say Hello!

mariecb - I drive a 2 lane highway that eventually merges into 4 lanes on my way to work.  So I am not used to major traffic. When you are not use to it, then it is an adjustment.  I just hope when I go back to work tomorrow that I remember to not drive 75 or 80. ha I am sure it will be nothing for you guys. The end of June will be here before you know it. I bet he is excited for you to come..

HuffyMom- What part of IL do you live?

Mariecb - 

I have used both Norfolk and Richmond airports and Norfolk is much closer to the base - about 10 minutes. Richmond is a good 30+ minutes depending on traffic. Flying out of Richmond the TSA there are stricter than anything I have encountered before.

Last week I rode from Michigan back to the base with my son. We took the Ohio turnpike which becomes I-76 E; Merge onto  I-70 E at exit 161 towards Breezewood, PA. Breezewood, PA (very easy off and on) and stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, which was very clean. We ate at the sports bar directly in front of the hotel and our waitress’s husband was retired Navy. We then took US 522 South towards Winchester, VA. Next take US 17 South towards Fredericksburg, VA and then I-95 South towards Richmond, VA. The final leg was 64 E to Norfolk, VA. This was a great route, traffic wasn’t bad, and it takes you through the Blue Ridge Mountains and north end of the Shenandoah Valley – so picturesque! Loves of places to stop for gas, restroom, and food. 

DARmom - thanks for that helpful information.  If I could get my husband to take more vacation I would love to drive out there!

Nice article about visiting Norfolk in yesterday's New York Daily News ...

"Looking for a great road-trip this spring? Perhaps a little farther south than the Washington Mall cherry-blossoms? Then beautiful Norfolk, Va., is the perfect locale to spend a few days, or better yet an entire week."

Link:  http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/road-trip-norfolk-va-article-...

Tracy - I live in a small town outside of Springfield.