Are you flexing to stretch the calf muscles and tendons? If so, stretching is definitely beneficial. Regular stretching gives you a greater range of motion, which helps prevent injury. When muscles and tendons are cold, you want to do dynamic stretches, like tapping the toes. Save the static stretches for when the muscles are warmed up.
Massaging, and foam rollers work great for this, push blood out of the area you're massaging. Then the blood rushes back in, increasing blood flow. So increased oxygen and nutrients from the blood to that area. You just don't want to use the roller if you're injured. A lot of foot and ankle pain is connected to tight calves.
My husband and I went on a motorcycle trip to the National Cemetery in Sarasota with his CMA group today. In talking with another couple we found out that their son was also a Nuke. Small world but it made for some great conversation.
JayDee - small world indeed! Your motorcycle trip looked great. Nice to see you enjoying the Florida weather ;-D
Yesterday was a nice day for us too - hubby and I headed to the beach and the weather was super. Perfect timing as we have a cold front coming in tomorrow and Wednesday it's supposed to be 48* degrees for us. This shouldn't be happening in SoCal!
B'sNukeMom I saw that you were at the beach! It was only a high of 70 here yesterday and it's 53 right now. Supposed to be in the 80s the rest of the week.
We enjoyed the Nuke talk. Her son was an officer so tje experience he had was far different from the enlisted life. We knew far more than they did. They were fascinated by my Tiger Cruise pics as their son was on a sub so they never got to experience that perk.
I'm so excited - just booked our flights to MI - 6/17-6/26! It's a surprise for B - we'll celebrate his 32nd bday and Father's Day. Can't wait....now I just hope I can get vaccinated before we leave!
Good Evening Ladies, it has been a long three weeks but I have finally heard from my son. I knew he got out of ROM but didn't know if they put him back into class or what. He has been into hold and is waiting to be put into a different class. I guess missing that much of schooling has pushed him back. I am praying for him and trusting my Lord to do what is best for him. He seems in good spirits and upbeat about the whole ordeal. He said there are quite of few of them in hold for a class to start back up so he will have Sailors he already know with him. He is going for new glasses next week. Thank you for your help on the matter. Hoping you have a good peaceful night.
BNukesMom - how exciting and so much fun to make it a surprise!!
NWM - I am happy for you that your son is upbeat and taking it well I’m sure it helps to have a few classmates/friends with him.
My son is on two weeks of no PT to rest his shin splints. Other than that, they told him to Ice, take Motrin and get new shoes every 6 months. Did not prescribe physical therapy or special stretching. I will try to get him to go to the running store once his rest time is over. Maybe they can help him with his stride, etc.
My son called me yesterday very sad as his suite mate is having a hard time - it was his suite mate’s birthday yesterday and his family didn’t do anything special... his suite mate was also extra sad as no family has come to visit yet my son has had us (dad, me, aunts, uncle, cousin) visit twice. My son realized how lucky he is, but felt super sad for his friend. He asked me to have “birthday” pie delivered tonight for his suite mate, which I did... I feel bad for his suite mate that he is comparing... not everyone parents in the same manner or has the means to visit - but I am sorry to have made his friend feel sad.
D'sMom 2020 praying your son gets to rest his legs a bit to heal. I know my son said he didn't have to do much PT during A school but that wasn't good because he got out of shape spending so many hours studying and none exercising. He said he learnt his lesson and is continuing to work out during hold.
Your son sounds like a compassionate young man, you must be proud of that. There are so many that are only concerned about themselves and it is a breath of fresh air to see someone that feels the pain of others. That was super nice of you to order his friend a pie. You made my day, thank you for sharing that.
DsMom2020 - You reminded me why it is so important for us to do something as special as we are able for our sailor's b'days. Especially their first ones away. With multiple children and always doing parties for them as they moved out of the house it became harder to do something special for them, but I know how special it was for my mother to always call us on our b'day. No one at NNPTC even knows it is this sailor's b'day but your son. I am glad that you were able to do something special for him.
And our thoughts and prayers for this sailor as well. With all of the restrictions for visitors, and no graduations, it can be a challenge for people to come visit and that is hard. Thanks for sharing.
Birthday idea - I could not coordinate a cake delivery or anything like that for my son's b'day but I had gone to the store and found they had those single serve cake or brownie mixes for a mug. I happened to have a non-breakable microwavable mug for my son to use and I mailed that to him, so he at least had something that resembled a cake!
Northwoodsmom - glad your son is out of ROM and hopefully he can get his new glasses soon!
DsMom2020 - well hopefully the ice and ibuprofen will help. Both my boys ran XC/track in high school - and youngest in college too and they lived on the ice/ibuprofen. Youngest is also a college coach now and works at a running store - if your son needs any help with shoes let me know and my son can help him out.
And that's so sweet that you are sending birthday pie to his suitemate! Hopefully it will cheer him up a bit.
B'sNukeMom - Another mom told me about a running store near Goosecreek. First, I will encourage my son to go there for a personal fitting, etc. If he neglects to do that, I will take you up on your offer to get advice on the best shoe and/or supports to buy for my son. I appreciate your offer and will let you know.
I've been following the discussions, but not said anything because I've been keeping busy with work, spending as much time as I can with my son, etc. but just posting that he's trying to get out of town today. Something came up with his car last night, so they're at the shop right now. He also doesn't know where to report when he gets to SD and if he needs to wear his dress uniform. He knows it's the Carl Vinson, but still hasn't heard back from his sponsor and would like more details. I was also wondering what the options are for where he can keep his car, I suppose they have parking areas, and hopefully storage for when he deploys. He likes having all his ducks in a row, so it's frustrating not having all the info yet. It was a great visit, and he was able to get so much taken care of. The hardest part was not s/mothering him too much while he was here since he had other people to spend time with and lots of other activities going on. It was also fun to have 2 nukes in the house at one point because his prototype roommate came through on his way west. It all worked out fine, but sometimes he felt like he was pulled in too many directions. I'm so grateful for all the time we did get together.
helena2000- if you go to Facebook and/or the web and get on the base website they have a section for newcomers that can help address some of the questions you have posted. His sponsor will be a help, so don't worry. I don't know if carriers call them sea dads or not, but on subs the sailors have a sea dad that will help them. The goal is to come together as a team and there will be support and help. When you have too many worries, just give them up to God. We're here when you need us, too.!
helena2000 I'm sorry your son hasn't heard from his sponsor, but it doesn't surprise me. My daughter NEVER heard back from hers and I've had several other moms who've said the same thing. On the good news front, it all works out in the end.
I do know that in Norfolk there is parking available and would presume the same in SD. My friends daughter was stationed there. Let me know if you want me to ask her any questions.
helena2000 - I was trying to locate something else for you, but I pulled this up on FB - (3) USS Carl Vinson Ombudsman | Facebook - I will be honest, I am leery of this Ombudsman page being open. Ours is private, I was just trying to see if I could find the ombudsman contact info, so your sailor could see about messaging the ombudsman via FB. She might be able to give some indication as to why he has not heard from his sponsor.
Your sailor may also have received something with his orders that is a link to the ship page on DVIDS. It may say something like New Check-ins and contact information. My son sent me the link to his, so that we could have the ombudsman and ship contact. I don't know if it is the same for your son but he might look for that as well, and see if it gives any other information.
FYI - for others. If your sailor is to report to duty to a ship that is out to sea, it can be difficult for the sponsor to reply to their messages. When they make first contact with them, they might want to ask for alternate contacts if something like this would happen before they actually report to their new duty station. I dealt with another mom in one of my groups with a similar issue. Due to the ROMs and other things going on with the ship and timing of her son's arrival, it was tricky for awhile but we managed to get her sailor connected where he needed to be.
Helena2000 - There may not be anything on DVIDS about your sailor's contact but I thought I would share what I had, at least. Searching the site hasn't produced anything for me.
I was trying to get some info on the flooding in Hawaii, and it's still a mess, but from what I could learn the base is okay. I'd be so interested if anyone else has some info.
Hello, does anyone know if you have to change their address if they are in hold waiting for the next class to start up. My son was set back because of his 2 week ROM and is not in the same class anymore. I did ask him but he doesn't seem to know anything. Thank you for any information you might have.
Northwoodsmom - I am sorry to be slow in replying, it has been a busy day on the home front.
Okay, I don't know the answer to your question specifically. Prior to A school they are INDOC, between A school and PS, they are T-Track. but rollback, I am not sure. What I do know, is what I recall from my son. If a letter is sent then it is delivered to the class by one of the other classmates - much like in BC - so you would need to know the Class #. However, a package is held at the mailroom and I think they are sent a slip of paper to pick up the package. So, my suggestion if you want to send something, mail it priority mail and get a tracking #. I found out recently that if you are mailing something small and light that it might actually be cheaper to put in a regular box, not the flat rate ("if it fits, it ships) priority mailing boxes.
If you have a tracking number for a package you can send that to your sailor and watch it as well. Then he will know when it arrives in GC and he can go check for it at the mail room - if he is allowed to do that. You might want to just put ROM in the lower left corner.
I know these questions have been asked before - but I can’t find the discussions. My sailor has orders for the George Washington. I know I have read about sheets, penlights, and knives. I want to to get him these as a present for completing Prototype. Any information would be helpful, and any tips on transitioning from Goose Creek to a carrier would be appreciated as well.
JenNC - Rack Sheets is what you are asking about, and I don't have the link but I know that JayDee659 has ordered some and hopefully she will post the link for you or message you. Some discussions in the comment area, I keep in my email feed because it is easier to search for it there.
I think she mentioned ordering white sheets for her SIL on his sub and her daughter could have colored sheets and she had the embroidery done in the same color as the 400 count sheets.
I don't know that knives would be allowed at all. Your sailor can not travel via airlines with a knife. Others have mentioned penlights, but this is what my son likes. He has owned two of these in his life from a young boy and I just recently purchased a new one for him. He claims the light lasts a long time on the battery, he uses it for reading his Kindle which is not backlit, and because it is enclosed in plastic, it can go where other metal lights can not.
My son also purchased a micro SD card with a lot of memory to put into his phone so that he could have it for being able to download books and things on it, so he has text to read, audio, and music to listen to when he doesn't have access to anything else.
Another idea is a good pair of sound cancelling headphones, or earphones. Those might be something you want to let your sailor buy and reimburse or give a gift card for.
I had also purchased a very thin, compact camping comforter from our Outdoors store and my son had not taken it the first year, but he took it with him this year for the ship because he doesn't like to sleep cold. I did not get all of the story, but they were sleeping without much heat and he had his hoodies on to cover his head and wrapped in his blanket and sleeping in his sweats and stayed warm. That is something you could look for later on when he has more to share about the ship.
JenNC - Pen lights are great - especially if it has a red light option. The red light is a little kinder to those sleeping when you are coming and going at all hours. Regarding a knife, I it seems like I remember my son saying that he had the same guidelines that he did while in GC. I don't remember exactly what those were, and it may differ between commands.
He loves it. He also requested multiple charging banks for his phone (he uses it for an alarm). That way he doesn't have to worry about access to an outlet.
A small battery operated fan may also help. Berthing is cold in the winter time, but hot in the summer.
3B'smom - Good to hear from you. Thanks for sharing!! I should have gotten one of those for my sailor last year before they were out so much. I don't know that it will be very useful now but he would have probably appreciated that. He told me the sheets were fine, but that Rack Pack is cool!
KayCee, NNLori, and MOMom - Just sending you some BNMHs! I don't visit with you as much - but I think of you often and your sailors. I sent mine an email early this morning, just encouraging him and telling him how much I appreciated him, even through his long rough days. I guess it was what he needed because he sent me a quickie back to tell me so. The time change messed with their watch standings, I gathered.
Hello all! It is a great day!
First, my son has finished prototype! The past few weeks have been a roller coaster ride- being ahead then behind then ROMs of both students and staff then board delays. I am thrilled that his next duty station will be only 25 miles away (vs. 2500 for GC).
Second, I got to spend the last few hours with nuke boots, not mine but close. We gave Helena2000's son the grand tour before he reports to his ship tomorrow. So much fun conversing in nuke lingo all thanks to this website and group. He PIR'D with my son but is slightly ahead being MM vs. ET.
Thank you all for your information, wisdom and support. The journey continues.
Canuka, it was so awesome that you got to spend some time with my son thanks to this message board and that your son has finished up prototype. I appreciate it for sure.
Canuka - Congratulations!! You have reason to be proud. Very cool you got to have time with his buddy too.
Have a wonderful time having your son so close. I live in Orange County and hope my son will end up in San Diego one day (although he says he will want to stay on the east coast as he loves it there)... but I can hope he will really miss us by the time he finishes (He graduated A school in May so we’ve got a bit of time to go yet). Anyway, your lucky to have him close by.
Chipmunk, Helrna2000 & Rakenator - thank you for your congratulations to my son. I am so proud of him, especially for pushing through these last few frustrating weeks.
Rakenator - it looks like he will have about a month to transition, not really liberty. I told him that I expect at least a week with him here before he reports to his ship. After that, I don't expect to see a lot of him when he is busy working and living his own life. I hope he tellls when the ship deploys long-term; for underways- a short drive to the harbor will tell us when he/the ship is 'home'.
Rakenator - good luck to you and your son during this last phase. Things were going so smoothly then it was one roadblock after another. My impression is that there are more sailors needing check-offs or boards than slots/staff (staff ROMs made it worse). So my advice for your son is to be proactive, i.e. be the early bird signing up before things fill up.
Again, thank you to all the wonderful Moms here. You have made my experience, so far, so much better. I am not going anywhere, just into a new part of the pipeline. On to the Fleet!
D'sMom2020 - thank you.
I have mixed feelings about him " coming home" because he joined the Navy to see the world. But it will sure be nice to have him closer. He is a West Coast boy, his preference was basically "anywhere but Norfolk".There are more options for subs than for carriers.
He enjoyed Charleston, had about 8 months there before the lockdowns. But he didn't get to see as much of the greater area as he wanted.
Northwoodsmom & Chipmunk - thanks for you comments about the Blue Angels photo. Yes, I never get tired watching them fly.
Northwoodsmom - I hope you got your answer on mail and class number. I am sorry to hear that your son was rolled back, it is usually for the best. FYI: their PS class number stays the same for prototype but becomes a moot point for mailing because they usually get mail directly at their off-site residence.
I just want to 2nd what Canuka said about your sailors being very proactive in Prototype. With my son's class, he was starting to think he would not be done with oral boards before graduation. He started pushing himself harder and being more proactive to the point that one of the staff commented that others needed to follow his example. I don't know that it was just my son - because there were others that were ahead of him, but we actually got to meet a couple of the civilian staff members at his graduation because they had all finished oral boards before graduation!! It was a great accomplishment and the staff enjoyed being able to participate instead of standing an oral board.
Prototype as I recall was much more about the sailors figuring out how to get their check offs done and being self - motivated, so yes, they need to do their best to always be ahead.
Canuka - I am hopeful that your son will actually get to see some of the world!! Be sure to connect with your sailor's ombudsman and know that your information or connection here is always appreciated.
Mine is there now and recently had to ROM due to an instructor having COVID. He was proactive from the beginning just cause and was surprised to find when he returned after the ROM that he was only behind by one item. Others who were ROMed have much more to catch up on. That is not to say he did not miss some stuff. I guess there was a test soon after his return and due to missing 2 weeks he did not do as well as the others who did not ROM. He was not happy.
Given the likelihood of ROM these days having the cushion is a good thing.
JenNC -My son is assigned to the Washington and it is in Newport News undergoing repairs/maintenance for another year. Then it will go to Norfolk for a year of underways before it heads out to Japan. Take with a grain of salt because, it is the Navy, and you never know! Congratulations to your son!
New Adventures
DsMom2020 sent you a chat message instead
Mar 7, 2021
MoMom
Chipmunk,
Are you flexing to stretch the calf muscles and tendons? If so, stretching is definitely beneficial. Regular stretching gives you a greater range of motion, which helps prevent injury. When muscles and tendons are cold, you want to do dynamic stretches, like tapping the toes. Save the static stretches for when the muscles are warmed up.
Massaging, and foam rollers work great for this, push blood out of the area you're massaging. Then the blood rushes back in, increasing blood flow. So increased oxygen and nutrients from the blood to that area. You just don't want to use the roller if you're injured. A lot of foot and ankle pain is connected to tight calves.
Mar 7, 2021
JayDee659
My husband and I went on a motorcycle trip to the National Cemetery in Sarasota with his CMA group today. In talking with another couple we found out that their son was also a Nuke. Small world but it made for some great conversation.
Mar 7, 2021
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
DsMom - I sent you a PM.
JayDee - small world indeed! Your motorcycle trip looked great. Nice to see you enjoying the Florida weather ;-D
Yesterday was a nice day for us too - hubby and I headed to the beach and the weather was super. Perfect timing as we have a cold front coming in tomorrow and Wednesday it's supposed to be 48* degrees for us. This shouldn't be happening in SoCal!
Mar 8, 2021
JayDee659
B'sNukeMom I saw that you were at the beach! It was only a high of 70 here yesterday and it's 53 right now. Supposed to be in the 80s the rest of the week.
We enjoyed the Nuke talk. Her son was an officer so tje experience he had was far different from the enlisted life. We knew far more than they did. They were fascinated by my Tiger Cruise pics as their son was on a sub so they never got to experience that perk.
Mar 8, 2021
Chipmunk
MOMom - Thank you!! I appreciate it!
Mar 8, 2021
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Mar 8, 2021
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
I'm so excited - just booked our flights to MI - 6/17-6/26! It's a surprise for B - we'll celebrate his 32nd bday and Father's Day. Can't wait....now I just hope I can get vaccinated before we leave!
Mar 9, 2021
Chipmunk
B'sNuke Mom - How exciting!!!
Mar 9, 2021
Northwoodsmom
Good Evening Ladies, it has been a long three weeks but I have finally heard from my son. I knew he got out of ROM but didn't know if they put him back into class or what. He has been into hold and is waiting to be put into a different class. I guess missing that much of schooling has pushed him back. I am praying for him and trusting my Lord to do what is best for him. He seems in good spirits and upbeat about the whole ordeal. He said there are quite of few of them in hold for a class to start back up so he will have Sailors he already know with him. He is going for new glasses next week. Thank you for your help on the matter. Hoping you have a good peaceful night.
Mar 9, 2021
DsMom2020
BNukesMom - how exciting and so much fun to make it a surprise!!
NWM - I am happy for you that your son is upbeat and taking it well I’m sure it helps to have a few classmates/friends with him.
My son is on two weeks of no PT to rest his shin splints. Other than that, they told him to Ice, take Motrin and get new shoes every 6 months. Did not prescribe physical therapy or special stretching. I will try to get him to go to the running store once his rest time is over. Maybe they can help him with his stride, etc.
My son called me yesterday very sad as his suite mate is having a hard time - it was his suite mate’s birthday yesterday and his family didn’t do anything special... his suite mate was also extra sad as no family has come to visit yet my son has had us (dad, me, aunts, uncle, cousin) visit twice. My son realized how lucky he is, but felt super sad for his friend. He asked me to have “birthday” pie delivered tonight for his suite mate, which I did... I feel bad for his suite mate that he is comparing... not everyone parents in the same manner or has the means to visit - but I am sorry to have made his friend feel sad.
Mar 10, 2021
Northwoodsmom
D'sMom 2020 praying your son gets to rest his legs a bit to heal. I know my son said he didn't have to do much PT during A school but that wasn't good because he got out of shape spending so many hours studying and none exercising. He said he learnt his lesson and is continuing to work out during hold.
Your son sounds like a compassionate young man, you must be proud of that. There are so many that are only concerned about themselves and it is a breath of fresh air to see someone that feels the pain of others. That was super nice of you to order his friend a pie. You made my day, thank you for sharing that.
Mar 10, 2021
Chipmunk
DsMom2020 - You reminded me why it is so important for us to do something as special as we are able for our sailor's b'days. Especially their first ones away. With multiple children and always doing parties for them as they moved out of the house it became harder to do something special for them, but I know how special it was for my mother to always call us on our b'day. No one at NNPTC even knows it is this sailor's b'day but your son. I am glad that you were able to do something special for him.
And our thoughts and prayers for this sailor as well. With all of the restrictions for visitors, and no graduations, it can be a challenge for people to come visit and that is hard. Thanks for sharing.
Mar 10, 2021
Chipmunk
Birthday idea - I could not coordinate a cake delivery or anything like that for my son's b'day but I had gone to the store and found they had those single serve cake or brownie mixes for a mug. I happened to have a non-breakable microwavable mug for my son to use and I mailed that to him, so he at least had something that resembled a cake!
Mar 10, 2021
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Hi all - Happy Wednesday! I saw this on FB and thought it was fitting for us here ;-D
Mar 10, 2021
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Northwoodsmom - glad your son is out of ROM and hopefully he can get his new glasses soon!
DsMom2020 - well hopefully the ice and ibuprofen will help. Both my boys ran XC/track in high school - and youngest in college too and they lived on the ice/ibuprofen. Youngest is also a college coach now and works at a running store - if your son needs any help with shoes let me know and my son can help him out.
And that's so sweet that you are sending birthday pie to his suitemate! Hopefully it will cheer him up a bit.
Mar 10, 2021
DsMom2020
B'sNukeMom - Another mom told me about a running store near Goosecreek. First, I will encourage my son to go there for a personal fitting, etc. If he neglects to do that, I will take you up on your offer to get advice on the best shoe and/or supports to buy for my son. I appreciate your offer and will let you know.
I also like your post Moms need other moms!
Mar 11, 2021
helena2000
I've been following the discussions, but not said anything because I've been keeping busy with work, spending as much time as I can with my son, etc. but just posting that he's trying to get out of town today. Something came up with his car last night, so they're at the shop right now. He also doesn't know where to report when he gets to SD and if he needs to wear his dress uniform. He knows it's the Carl Vinson, but still hasn't heard back from his sponsor and would like more details. I was also wondering what the options are for where he can keep his car, I suppose they have parking areas, and hopefully storage for when he deploys. He likes having all his ducks in a row, so it's frustrating not having all the info yet. It was a great visit, and he was able to get so much taken care of. The hardest part was not s/mothering him too much while he was here since he had other people to spend time with and lots of other activities going on. It was also fun to have 2 nukes in the house at one point because his prototype roommate came through on his way west. It all worked out fine, but sometimes he felt like he was pulled in too many directions. I'm so grateful for all the time we did get together.
Mar 11, 2021
CSW
helena2000- if you go to Facebook and/or the web and get on the base website they have a section for newcomers that can help address some of the questions you have posted. His sponsor will be a help, so don't worry. I don't know if carriers call them sea dads or not, but on subs the sailors have a sea dad that will help them. The goal is to come together as a team and there will be support and help. When you have too many worries, just give them up to God. We're here when you need us, too.!
Mar 11, 2021
JayDee659
helena2000 I'm sorry your son hasn't heard from his sponsor, but it doesn't surprise me. My daughter NEVER heard back from hers and I've had several other moms who've said the same thing. On the good news front, it all works out in the end.
I do know that in Norfolk there is parking available and would presume the same in SD. My friends daughter was stationed there. Let me know if you want me to ask her any questions.
Mar 11, 2021
Chipmunk
helena2000 - I was trying to locate something else for you, but I pulled this up on FB - (3) USS Carl Vinson Ombudsman | Facebook - I will be honest, I am leery of this Ombudsman page being open. Ours is private, I was just trying to see if I could find the ombudsman contact info, so your sailor could see about messaging the ombudsman via FB. She might be able to give some indication as to why he has not heard from his sponsor.
Your sailor may also have received something with his orders that is a link to the ship page on DVIDS. It may say something like New Check-ins and contact information. My son sent me the link to his, so that we could have the ombudsman and ship contact. I don't know if it is the same for your son but he might look for that as well, and see if it gives any other information.
FYI - for others. If your sailor is to report to duty to a ship that is out to sea, it can be difficult for the sponsor to reply to their messages. When they make first contact with them, they might want to ask for alternate contacts if something like this would happen before they actually report to their new duty station. I dealt with another mom in one of my groups with a similar issue. Due to the ROMs and other things going on with the ship and timing of her son's arrival, it was tricky for awhile but we managed to get her sailor connected where he needed to be.
Good Morning CSW!!
Mar 11, 2021
Chipmunk
Helena2000 - There may not be anything on DVIDS about your sailor's contact but I thought I would share what I had, at least. Searching the site hasn't produced anything for me.
Mar 11, 2021
CSW
Good morning all.
I was trying to get some info on the flooding in Hawaii, and it's still a mess, but from what I could learn the base is okay. I'd be so interested if anyone else has some info.
Thanks,
Mar 11, 2021
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Mar 11, 2021
Northwoodsmom
Hello, does anyone know if you have to change their address if they are in hold waiting for the next class to start up. My son was set back because of his 2 week ROM and is not in the same class anymore. I did ask him but he doesn't seem to know anything. Thank you for any information you might have.
Mar 11, 2021
Chipmunk
Northwoodsmom - I am sorry to be slow in replying, it has been a busy day on the home front.
Okay, I don't know the answer to your question specifically. Prior to A school they are INDOC, between A school and PS, they are T-Track. but rollback, I am not sure. What I do know, is what I recall from my son. If a letter is sent then it is delivered to the class by one of the other classmates - much like in BC - so you would need to know the Class #. However, a package is held at the mailroom and I think they are sent a slip of paper to pick up the package. So, my suggestion if you want to send something, mail it priority mail and get a tracking #. I found out recently that if you are mailing something small and light that it might actually be cheaper to put in a regular box, not the flat rate ("if it fits, it ships) priority mailing boxes.
If you have a tracking number for a package you can send that to your sailor and watch it as well. Then he will know when it arrives in GC and he can go check for it at the mail room - if he is allowed to do that. You might want to just put ROM in the lower left corner.
Mar 11, 2021
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Mar 12, 2021
CanukaVet
Blue Angels over our daughter's house, today.
Mar 13, 2021
Northwoodsmom
Canuka, that picture was beautiful, thank you for sharing it.
Mar 13, 2021
Chipmunk
Canuka - Thank you for sharing your picture!! I love it when I get to see them flying!
Reminder for those that need it - Spring Forward with your clocks!
Daylight Saving Time 2021 in the United States (timeanddate.com)
Mar 14, 2021
JenNC
I know these questions have been asked before - but I can’t find the discussions. My sailor has orders for the George Washington. I know I have read about sheets, penlights, and knives. I want to to get him these as a present for completing Prototype. Any information would be helpful, and any tips on transitioning from Goose Creek to a carrier would be appreciated as well.
Mar 14, 2021
Chipmunk
JenNC - Rack Sheets is what you are asking about, and I don't have the link but I know that JayDee659 has ordered some and hopefully she will post the link for you or message you. Some discussions in the comment area, I keep in my email feed because it is easier to search for it there.
I think she mentioned ordering white sheets for her SIL on his sub and her daughter could have colored sheets and she had the embroidery done in the same color as the 400 count sheets.
I don't know that knives would be allowed at all. Your sailor can not travel via airlines with a knife. Others have mentioned penlights, but this is what my son likes. He has owned two of these in his life from a young boy and I just recently purchased a new one for him. He claims the light lasts a long time on the battery, he uses it for reading his Kindle which is not backlit, and because it is enclosed in plastic, it can go where other metal lights can not.
Amazon.com: Carson X-Scope Kids 7 Function Multi Purpose Optical Po...
My son also purchased a micro SD card with a lot of memory to put into his phone so that he could have it for being able to download books and things on it, so he has text to read, audio, and music to listen to when he doesn't have access to anything else.
Another idea is a good pair of sound cancelling headphones, or earphones. Those might be something you want to let your sailor buy and reimburse or give a gift card for.
I had also purchased a very thin, compact camping comforter from our Outdoors store and my son had not taken it the first year, but he took it with him this year for the ship because he doesn't like to sleep cold. I did not get all of the story, but they were sleeping without much heat and he had his hoodies on to cover his head and wrapped in his blanket and sleeping in his sweats and stayed warm. That is something you could look for later on when he has more to share about the ship.
I am sure others will share ideas also.
Mar 14, 2021
3B'smom
JenNC - Pen lights are great - especially if it has a red light option. The red light is a little kinder to those sleeping when you are coming and going at all hours. Regarding a knife, I it seems like I remember my son saying that he had the same guidelines that he did while in GC. I don't remember exactly what those were, and it may differ between commands.
I sent my son one of these before his first deployment.. https://www.navyrackpacks.com/details.html
He loves it. He also requested multiple charging banks for his phone (he uses it for an alarm). That way he doesn't have to worry about access to an outlet.
A small battery operated fan may also help. Berthing is cold in the winter time, but hot in the summer.
Mar 14, 2021
Chipmunk
3B'smom - Good to hear from you. Thanks for sharing!! I should have gotten one of those for my sailor last year before they were out so much. I don't know that it will be very useful now but he would have probably appreciated that. He told me the sheets were fine, but that Rack Pack is cool!
KayCee, NNLori, and MOMom - Just sending you some BNMHs! I don't visit with you as much - but I think of you often and your sailors. I sent mine an email early this morning, just encouraging him and telling him how much I appreciated him, even through his long rough days. I guess it was what he needed because he sent me a quickie back to tell me so. The time change messed with their watch standings, I gathered.
Mar 14, 2021
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Mar 15, 2021
CanukaVet
First, my son has finished prototype! The past few weeks have been a roller coaster ride- being ahead then behind then ROMs of both students and staff then board delays. I am thrilled that his next duty station will be only 25 miles away (vs. 2500 for GC).
Second, I got to spend the last few hours with nuke boots, not mine but close. We gave Helena2000's son the grand tour before he reports to his ship tomorrow. So much fun conversing in nuke lingo all thanks to this website and group. He PIR'D with my son but is slightly ahead being MM vs. ET.
Thank you all for your information, wisdom and support. The journey continues.
Mar 15, 2021
helena2000
Canuka, it was so awesome that you got to spend some time with my son thanks to this message board and that your son has finished up prototype. I appreciate it for sure.
Mar 15, 2021
Chipmunk
Canuka - Congratulations to your sailor!!! And that is wonderful that you were able to host Helena2000's son. Yeah for a duty station nearby!!
Rakenator - All the best to your sailor as he continues on through the pipeline.
Mar 15, 2021
DsMom2020
Canuka - Congratulations!! You have reason to be proud. Very cool you got to have time with his buddy too.
Have a wonderful time having your son so close. I live in Orange County and hope my son will end up in San Diego one day (although he says he will want to stay on the east coast as he loves it there)... but I can hope he will really miss us by the time he finishes (He graduated A school in May so we’ve got a bit of time to go yet). Anyway, your lucky to have him close by.
Mar 16, 2021
DsMom2020
Helena2000 - so I am assuming your son just recently graduated too? If so, congratulations to you too!!
Mar 16, 2021
CanukaVet
Chipmunk, Helrna2000 & Rakenator - thank you for your congratulations to my son. I am so proud of him, especially for pushing through these last few frustrating weeks.
Rakenator - it looks like he will have about a month to transition, not really liberty. I told him that I expect at least a week with him here before he reports to his ship. After that, I don't expect to see a lot of him when he is busy working and living his own life. I hope he tellls when the ship deploys long-term; for underways- a short drive to the harbor will tell us when he/the ship is 'home'.
Rakenator - good luck to you and your son during this last phase. Things were going so smoothly then it was one roadblock after another. My impression is that there are more sailors needing check-offs or boards than slots/staff (staff ROMs made it worse). So my advice for your son is to be proactive, i.e. be the early bird signing up before things fill up.
Again, thank you to all the wonderful Moms here. You have made my experience, so far, so much better. I am not going anywhere, just into a new part of the pipeline. On to the Fleet!
Mar 16, 2021
CanukaVet
I have mixed feelings about him " coming home" because he joined the Navy to see the world. But it will sure be nice to have him closer. He is a West Coast boy, his preference was basically "anywhere but Norfolk".There are more options for subs than for carriers.
He enjoyed Charleston, had about 8 months there before the lockdowns. But he didn't get to see as much of the greater area as he wanted.
Mar 16, 2021
CanukaVet
Northwoodsmom - I hope you got your answer on mail and class number. I am sorry to hear that your son was rolled back, it is usually for the best. FYI: their PS class number stays the same for prototype but becomes a moot point for mailing because they usually get mail directly at their off-site residence.
Mar 16, 2021
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Canuka - BZ to your son! It's a great feeling to be through the nuke pipeline ;-D
Mar 16, 2021
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Mar 16, 2021
Chipmunk
Good Morning Everyone!!
I just want to 2nd what Canuka said about your sailors being very proactive in Prototype. With my son's class, he was starting to think he would not be done with oral boards before graduation. He started pushing himself harder and being more proactive to the point that one of the staff commented that others needed to follow his example. I don't know that it was just my son - because there were others that were ahead of him, but we actually got to meet a couple of the civilian staff members at his graduation because they had all finished oral boards before graduation!! It was a great accomplishment and the staff enjoyed being able to participate instead of standing an oral board.
Prototype as I recall was much more about the sailors figuring out how to get their check offs done and being self - motivated, so yes, they need to do their best to always be ahead.
Canuka - I am hopeful that your son will actually get to see some of the world!! Be sure to connect with your sailor's ombudsman and know that your information or connection here is always appreciated.
Mar 16, 2021
New Adventures
I also 2nd/3rd being proactive in Prototype.
Mine is there now and recently had to ROM due to an instructor having COVID. He was proactive from the beginning just cause and was surprised to find when he returned after the ROM that he was only behind by one item. Others who were ROMed have much more to catch up on. That is not to say he did not miss some stuff. I guess there was a test soon after his return and due to missing 2 weeks he did not do as well as the others who did not ROM. He was not happy.
Given the likelihood of ROM these days having the cushion is a good thing.
Mar 16, 2021
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Mar 17, 2021
Scram
JenNC -My son is assigned to the Washington and it is in Newport News undergoing repairs/maintenance for another year. Then it will go to Norfolk for a year of underways before it heads out to Japan. Take with a grain of salt because, it is the Navy, and you never know! Congratulations to your son!
Mar 17, 2021
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
I've got my green shirt on and I got my first vaccine this morning!
Mar 17, 2021