Norfolk Sailors - Family & Friends

We're actually not that far apart. I'm just south of Shelbyville. Small world.

Oh this is confusing for me because I am a Tracy also. I live in a small town outside of nowhere. 

That's the very reason why my user name is my actual name. I don't have to try to figure out if someone is talking to me. :)

Happy Mother's Day, all of you Navy Moms! May the Lord bless you on your special day. And even though you may be separated from your sons and daughters you can be proud that you are their moms.  On your special day, spend some time remembering them as they grew from babyhood to adulthood and may all those memories bring a smile to your face and joy in your heart!  :) Yvonne

Thank you Yvonne, I wish the same to all of the Navy Mom's too. I will be missing my son this Mother's Day, as will many Mom's I am sure. Prayers for our Sailors safety where ever they may be on this special day and every day.

Yvonne - I pretty much did just what you suggested some tears mostly joy.  I finally finished my son's photo albums. I had them done up until high school.  So I finished that up just the other day.  I even looked through the old ones.  Such great memories.

Thanks BReady, got a box with goodies yesterday!  

Thinking of holidays - here's a Memorial Day travel reminder from Navy FFR, maybe your sailor will take you along!  :)  Reservations http://get.dodlodging.net/

Beautiful flowers, B-Ready!!

Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful Navy Moms!!

B-Ready

Oh, how sweet!  You must be so proud and can't wait till you see him again.  Love that mother son picture.  It speaks a thousand words and with true love a son has for mom.

My sailor sent me chocolate covered strawberries, they were delivered on Mother's Day! So sweet of him, he called me and we also Facetimed later in the day after the strawberries were delivered. Love my son, he has always been so thoughtful on special days.

B-Ready  What a great idea to put your story on paper for your family to have it will be something they will cherish for a life time.  Good luck 

Can anyone tell me a good moving company that the military can use?  My son is wanting to have his motorcycle shipped to him.  I am not sure who would be dependable to use.  He has been asking around but doesn't seem to be getting any help from the people he has talked to.  I told him I would ask on here because moms always know something. ha It would be getting moved from Illinois. We have tried our best to convince him not to get a motorcycle, but he is stubborn.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hello and good morning to all!

I'm a newbie here and so grateful for this group and N4Ms.

My daughter is home on leave now and will be going to Norfolk next week. I know she has been in contact with her sponsor in Norfolk. Since this will be the next step in her Navy journey, can you moms help me to come up with questions I should have her ask her sponsor before she leaves?

thanks!

Leach73,

one questions she needs to ask is how she is going to get from the airport to the base and where she will be staying.  quite a few sailors fly into the airport and have to find their own way to the base and have had to get a hotel room for the night because nobody was there to help them.

if she is not assigned to a ship then she will need to know where she is going to be staying, if she is assigned to a ship then she will be assigned berthing there. 

if she has a car and is planning on driving it to norfolk she will need to find out where she can park it.

hope this gives you a good start.

Leach73 - what Duhhuh said!  

Be sure your daughter has her sponsor's cellphone #, and tell her don't be shy about calling or texting the day before and/or day of, to confirm that the sponsor has her flight info if she's flying in; and what the lodging arrangement is.  I had to rescue a sailor last fall who arrived (from overseas, no less!) to find out his sponsor was not only absent from the airport, but partying somewhere - he'd forgotten all about the arriving sailor, no room lined up, nada.

Her sponsor should also let her know when and where exactly she is to check in to her new command, how she'll get there, and what uniform she is expected to wear.  

I'm sure it will go smoothly; how exciting for her and for you!  

abuon18 - thanks!  I will check into that company.  I am also going to check with a motorcycle dealership tomorrow.  Since he is buying it from his cousin, it is making it a little more tricky to do everything.

  We told him we will help with all this stuff now, but after he gets it out there, it is his problem. It is being delivered to us this weekend, then I need to get all the insurance switched over to him.  I also need to order plates for him too.  I told him I think it would have been easier buying one out there. ha  I am hearing that we should order his license plates from his home state and not Virginia.  Does this sound correct?

I am also glad my son had an awesome sponsor that picked him up at the airport and took good care of him when he first got sent to Norfolk. 

Hi....my son had a great sponsor ....only problem he had was base is huge and you need a car.....We drove his down to him ....he would have not have survived without it....cabs are expensive...and its important to get off base and do fun things...he lives to fish so  car have him opportunity to explore find fishing s pots.  His time in Norfolk soon over....I will be leaving group....Goodluck to the new sailors stationed there.take care

Welcome ALNavyMom!  There are some good programs for Single Sailors at Norfolk.  Activities and liberty programs are here - http://www.discovermwr.com/navalstationnorfolk/ and keep an eye on https://www.facebook.com/NavalStationNorfolk.  

John and Yvonne Wagner have a ministry that reaches out to sailors and they are members of this group :)  They have sailors over to their home on weekends for dinner and game night; sailors hang out, help with cooking, whatever :)  Here's their page to get in touch with them - John and Yvonne Wagner.

Thank so much to you wonderful ladies with helping me out! I really do appreciate it.

If anything else comes to mind, please let me know. I will def. be checking in to see. i'll be praying for everything to go smoothly too! 

Marcy - special thanks to you! Don't know if you remember me but i was part of the Corpsman group and then found out my Sailor signed as Undes...It is nice to reconnect with you on this group. Your help is priceless!

ALNavyMom,

As Marcy posted (thank you Marcy), we would love to invite your son over on the weekends. One of our sailors lives near the shipyard and i"m sure he would be happy to give your son a ride to church and over to our house. I can give you his information so your son can call or text him. 

Yvonne

ALNavyMom,

The sailor I was talking about is on the LIncoln. :)

Yvonne

Leach73, of course I remember you, and congratulations on her graduation!  Exciting times ahead, she is going to such a great location.  I just sent you a PM with some info.  This is a fun and active group so jump right in, enjoy her visit home, start planning your visit to Norfolk, and WELCOME to the Navy family!

I love this! My Navy family circle just keeps getting bigger and bigger! So thankful for everyone!

I have heard good things about Norfolk and will def. plan a trip to see it all with my very eyes:)

Thanks Marcy. I will take a look at the PM you sent to me.

AAlNavyMom My son doesn't have a car but seems to get around. He is going to the Hampton Church and likes it.

PS AlsMom  He is a red head rather short guy if he meets him. 

duhhuh - he took a 3 day course in his home state right before he left for bootcamp.  He has his motorcycle license in our state.  He was told since he has done that, he will just need to take the advanced course once his motorcycle is out there.  He was told he has to take it within 60 days after his bike is there.  Hopefully this is all true. This will be if we ever get his bike out there.  This is definitely not an easy process doing something like this from 4 states away. ha

ALNavyMom - my son is also in a shipyard.  He also has told me many times nobody is around when he goes to bed unless it is the duty people.

  He got a room on the base about a month and a half ago and stays there when he can.  Unfortunately since he doesn't have a vehicle yet, taking a cab can get very expensive to go over there all the time. We were out there a couple of weeks ago, and brought him a TV and some of his favorite blankets and pillows, and clothes.  Now I think he likes being over there more with the comforts from home. ha

CDMom - My understanding it that sailors can do either. However, when I read through the information provided when my son was assigned to Norfolk, it sound like VA has some additional charges/taxes. We are keeping my son's vehicle registered to his home state. It might also make a difference for you depending on how it is insured. If his vehicle is under your policy or if he has his own insurance policy. I'm certainly no expert but I hope this helps. 

My son just reported to Norfolk about 2 weeks ago and bought a car there.  I was trying to get him added to my insurance, because I think it would be cheaper for him that way, but my insurance agent said if it was registered in VA he would have to get insurance there because they couldn't cross state lines or something, but once he moved back to Texas he could be added on my insurance policy. 

Tricare

http://www.tricare.mil/

Ouch, good luck with that!

We have a car that my daughter uses but it is registered in our name and she is listed on the insurance? Can we take this car to her even thought it is under her parents' names or does the car has to be registered under her name?

Also, is her "phase" taken into consideration on whether she is allowed to have a car there?

She leaves to Norfolk tomorrow but I am just trying to prepare myself just in case we might have to plan a trip to go take the car to here later.

Thanks!!

we kept our sons vehicle under out insurance until he could afford it but it was under his name on the title.  I don't think it matters but it is better to keep the licensing of the vehicle to their home state as they do move around a lot and that way they don't have to keep registering every time they move.  I don't know of any phase that she has to wait before she can have a car - she just needs to know where she can park it etc.  Hopefully someone can repost that info as I have forgotten the name/location.

thank you tatmom4rc. every little bit of info is helpful.

I appreciate it :)

My son has had his last two cars registered here at home  as well as his licenses 

My son has gone both ways before.  When he was married his wife's vechicle was titled and registered in Alabama.  His vechicle was at one time titled in Washington State, registered in Alabama.  He finally got the truck registered in Virginia, but it was still titled in Washington State.  In all cases, their insurance was set up for Virginia - this was through GEICO.  To make matters even more complicated his driver's license is from Washington State while he was stationed there.  That license does not expire since he is in the military.  They didn't have to have emission tests while the vehicles were registered in Alabama since he was in the Navy and didn't have to pay any special property taxes for Virginia since he was Navy. 

Leach73, Since the car is in your name, she will need a letter from you, signed and notarized, giving her permission her to drive your car; proof of your insurance; and she may be required to show proof of passing a VA emissions test to the base Pass and ID Office.  The Pass and ID Office is just off base at 9040 Hampton Blvd; for questions, phone 757-322-2978.  

OK car question as long as we are on the subject. I have a `67 Karmen Ghia VW. I bought it when I was in High school, my first car. My son who is at Norfolk wants to restore it. I would like to sign title over to him. first off he doesn't drive yet. Second being a `67 VW it would never pass emissions. Suggestions? 

Does anybody know of a reasonable military insurance for motorcycles?  To cover my son under our company is pretty expensive.