Northwoodsmom ...congratulations to you and your son for getting some direction from DTP.
I am a below decks Mom but I do have a bit of knowledge from volunteering on an aircraft carrier museum.
As you know, squadrons are part of the aircraft side, i.e. "airwing". They include more than just pilots...such as their own crews that are responsible for taking care of most aspects of their babies. I believe that each squadron consists of only one specific type of aircraft.
Northwoodsmom...continued.
On my son's recently completed deployment, there were nine squadrons from F35s, F18s, early warning and helicopters. They came from several different bases where certain types seem to be centralized.
So where he will be based certainly depends on what aircraft he is assigned to. They will deploy on the carriers but the squadrons is responsible for pretty much everything involving the aircraft, both inside the hangar deck and during flight operations. Between deployments the will go back to their home base, likely an NAS- Naval Air Station, which may or may not be near the coastal ports.
I am most familiar with Miramar. It used to be an NAS, as in Top Gun, but was moved
In land. It is now a Marine Helicopter base. Most of the jets on the recent deployment came from Lemoore up in Central California but the helos were from North Island where the carrier is stationed. There are other NAS supplying aircraft for the East Coast ship's.
Hope the helps. Good luck.
Canuka, wow, tons of information, thank you. My husband is a industrial electrician and my son worked with him for a summer so he did have a little knowledge about electrical but electronics is very different.
I have alot of respect for you Moms with Sailors below. I spent 2 years trying to psych myself up for it, such a tough deployment with limited communication. Takes a very strong woman to partake in it, I've meant quite a few on here.
Thank you so much for all the information, very appreciated!
Norhwoodsmom -- to clarify... the term "squadron" is not exclusive to aircraft...the carrier was accompanied by a Destroyer Squadron of several ships. There are probably other uses for the word in other areas of the military.
Also, several squadrons (from different NAS) make up a Carrier Air Wing (CVW).
To see who is with the now deployed carriers check out the weekly fleet tracker on news.usni.org
Northwoodsmom -- funny you mentioned the difference between electrical & electronics...I just overheard a discussion between my husband, an auto partsman by trade, and my ETN on the proper way to connect jumper cables.
My poor boy came home to a very dead battery, probably because Dad left the headlights on the last time he started the car. So we are at the auto parts store getting a replacement before he has to muster early tomorrow.
FYI: the whole ship got special liberty from Monday through today with muster tomorrow. Then they start staggered two week leave.
Chipmunk - I only sent packages. I sent them out about once a month. It seems like the first part of the deployment it took quite awhile for packages to get there (3 or 4 weeks). After that, he received them within 2 weeks. I emailed diary type letters about every 2 weeks. My son rarely emailed back. It was easier to read his email than send out. Also there were multiple times when there were communications black outs so no phone calls or WiFi available. We did have quite a few phone calls whenever he was “in” a port (I use that term loosely because both deployments were during covid). They were usually in the middle of the night with jets launching in the background.
Chipmunk -- I too sent monthly packages. Early on, he got them in 3 weeks, then it was more like 5 weeks. But he got them all. I didn't mail any letters and he didn't seem to mind, it was old news because we had usually spoken in the interim.
Mail is not a priority when it comes to deliveries. It seemed like there was alot of inconsistency. There were a couple of huge drops (several thousand packages at once). The first was because mail is sent to the nearest base to where they are going. Our ship was headed to the middle east then turned around mid-way so the mail was a mess, both systems and physically.
Make sure you get the correct mailing address directly from the ship via you sailor. I think that made some of the difference between timely and lost or very delayed packages.
Chipmunk -- adding to the communications discussion.
Since BC, I have gotten used to phone calls every 2-3 weeks; sometimes I have to nudge him for a check-in. I always let him make the calla unless I had something reasonably important to pass along. .then I sent both an email and a text.
Like Anti M says, the email can be difficult...finding one of the few capable computers that is open. Back & forth conversations are almost impossible because there is always someone waiting behind you.
As ProudofK said, our ship had WiFi which enabled the sailors to use their personal phones to text and call from the ship. The coverage was spotty and sometimes disabled for operational or technical reasons. The spouses I knew were thrilled because it allowed for frequent contacts. I believe that the WiFi was turned off for a few days on the return as a ship wide punishment for the leaked plane video. Having WiFi was month to month pending approval of the DOD spending bill. I don't know if and when it is being rolled out to other ships.
Big advice...make sure to let your sailor know that you will welcome and answer phone calls at any time of day. With 24/7 work and time zone differences, they don't always realize what time it is where you are.
More Communication info...
The standard line is "ask your sailor" for specific details.
I also joined the two official FB pages for our ship...the ombudsman and the Family Readiness group. I made some contacts and got a lot of useful information along with a lot of cool ship swag.
The ombudsman is primarily a liasion to the ship's command when other lines of communication fail (see standard line above). Ours put out a monthly newsletter -- I had to submit a request that my sailor had to approve-to get on the distribution list. The FRG is mostly a support group for spouses...I joined because I am local; I participated in some activities and monthly on-line meetings which gave me heads up when talking with my son. On the other hand, my Momma concerns were very different than most of the FRG. That is why I appreciate these N4M friendships.
The FRG was especially useful with homecoming preparation so I recommend checking it out. Each of the 3 top officers (CO, XO, CMC) did live Q&As through the FRG.
Best of luck as you prepare.
It is interesting that I am now the experienced one when you have always been the go-to mom. Such is the Navy.
Chipmunk-- just noticed your musings about being there for homecoming. That is a family choice. Remember he should get leave soon after returning so it's up to you and him to decide whether to go homecoming or wait for him to come home to you.
Seeing the ship come in is always inspiring but it goes quickly. I sort of regret not being on the pier, mostly for the socialization but I opted for the view over a long, long wait.
As ProudofK said, some sailors return a week to a month ahead for various reasons. They go back on board when the ship returns to hold down the fort while the others are on special liberty and leave.
Several crew members flew back last week, the FRG and airport USO did a great job greeting them. After seeing the photos, I feel like I should have gone down to welcome the singles. Next time.
3B'sMom, ProudofK & Canuka, Thanks! This has been helpful for me, and I hope any others that are following along will reap from your knowledge as well.
Canuka - my sailor has actually been out to sea for longer than a month, due to COVID keeping them at sea, but not for months at a time. Some things I am familiar with but going through an extended time at sea is a different story. I appreciate everyone's insights and your thoughts on homecomings.
I am glad to glean from your knowledge, just as I have enjoyed sharing my knowledge with everyone else.
Northwoodsmom - I am so happy to hear that your sailor has finally received a new rating!! We appreciate you sharing here. You have been an integral part of this Navy family here, especially with your experience of going through your journey during the height of Covid shut down.
Your encouraging posts are helpful, so please stick around.
Northwoodsmom - good to hear from you and that your son got his first choice to continue his Navy journey. Must be a relief to you to have something to focus on and figure out. I know that always keeps me busy! Sounds like a fun choice too and maybe he will end up seeing some of he old Nuke buddies along the way if he ends up on a carrier.
Canuka - my son also came home to a dead battery. I suspect that is quite common for the sailors when coming back from deployment to find a dead battery if there car has not been driven for months. Especially if the battery is a bit older to begin with. I’m not sure if that is something that they warn them about or not but probably a good heads up to have.
ProudofK-- my son has decided that he will disconnect the battery next time. He didn't because the car was sitting in our driveway and Dad said he would start it once in a while. We'll that only happened about 3 times in six months so no wonder. The battery was about 4 1/2 years old but hadn't been run much consistently for most of the last three years. We drove it back to him during A School then he drove it back last year. There were 2 long underways before they left for good.
But good lesson learned.
Are there any restrictions on the weight and size of the package to send to Abraham Lincoln ship? Please let me know if anyone knows about the rule. Are we allowed to send a package bigger than USPS large white box?
DOREMI - There aren't really any restrictions except for the fact that they don't have a lot of storage room so keep that in mind. Is his ship deployed? And you can send boxes other than the USPS boxes.
DOREMI - I wasn't able to reply earlier and I would have told you to check with your sailor's ombudsman. So, I am glad that B'sNukeMom could give you better information about mailing a package.
I will say that my son's ship did an organized drop when they were out on an underway during the height of COVID. Due to the logistics of that specific drop, there were size restrictions on the boxes. Unfortunately, most of us who lived at a distance were not able to participate since it was a local drop off and we did not have enough time to mail anything. Some of the local moms did offer to make up boxes and deliver for us, if we wished.
In another group we have also talked about the length of time that packages can get to the ships and that once they are turned over to the military from the USPS, you are no longer able to track them.
I already sent a package early this afternoon.. I bought a medium size box(19L,14W,17H) at Walmart. I packed all different kinds of snacks, ramen, etc. It weighed 27 pounds and was $37 to ship. All the snacks and eats, he'll share with his friends.
DOREMI - I am glad you were able to get your box shipped.
FYI for future reference, here is the link to the USPS large flat rate box - Priority Mail Flat Rate® APO/FPO Box - MILIFRB | USPS.com - if you scroll down there is information about mailing to the military. It might have been a little smaller but with the flat rate shipping weight it may have been cheaper.
Did you still have to fill out a customs form? That was the daunting part for me when I did send a box to my sailor before. I needed to refresh my memory on all of this for upcoming sea time. - If you are not close to a PO you may order these boxes and they deliver them for free to you, I believe. Otherwise, I pick up just a couple at a time when I go into the PO.
DOREMI - I think the most daunting thing for me with the customs form was having to assign a weight amount to everything. Our postmaster weighed the box for me and gave me a total and then I had to itemize and assign a weight to everything for it to add up. I don't know if others do it that way, but that was what caused me angst.
I am glad that you were able to get the box mailed to your sailor.
DOREMI & Chipmunk --- the form was intimidating the first time, filled it manually the went to the po to make sure.
From then on I used USPS Click & Send. I paid on line, the app printed a form that was both label and for Customs. Yes, still had to itemize and weigh everything...I already had a household postal scale. When done it is bar coded so you can just give it to your local carrier or p.o. Our closest is a carrier annex that doesn't handle $$$$ but took the package.
Also, I used USPS priority mail boxes. Seemed to be cheaper for heavy stuff as long as you don't exceed the max weight.
I used individually wrapped hard candy as filler to help with contents movement. My son wanted low sugar Red Bull so I wrapped each can separately in a sealed plastic bag then in bubble wrap. These fit nicely in and around the other items.
My son said he and shipmates were able to get what they needed directly through Amazon. He was on a carrier so might not work on smaller ships.
Canuka - Thank you!! I am not sure I would be as bold as you to ship canned drinks like that but using the hard candy as filler is a great idea!! I know my son asks for hard candy a lot, because it gets dry down where they are at.
It's also a good idea to line the inside of the box with a trash bag. Put everything in and then seal up the bag before you close the box. That way if another box around yours has something break open (liquid) it won't ruin what's in your box!
Recommend to limit your time watching news reports as they will hype things and will cause most to fret and worry more than normal.
Do not listen to others' speculation. Speculations turn into rumors. Rumors feed fear. This just makes people worry more.
Do not call your sailor and let them know how scared you are over the issues going on in the world. They need to be focused on their school, their ship command, or wherever they are currently at. Your fears could be a distraction they do not need.
The U.S. Navy will not rush anyone through training. An untrained sailor would be more of a danger and hindrance to the fleet.
The U.S. Navy will not recall all sailors and put all ships to sea. We have had forces in place for a few weeks, but they are just there as a show of force. The U.S. Navy will not put all their eggs in one basket so to speak.
DO NOT POST what you think is OPSEC. All the admin are aware of what is and is not OPSEC and we have post control for a reason. We will control the narrative on this topic.
Finally, say your prayers as in reality, this will be all you can do as the family of any service member. Remember they took an oath and now are adults having to do adult things.
STAY ANCHORED DURING THIS STORM AND SUPPORT YOUR SAILORS
thank you for posting the piece from the Navy Dads group. Great information and so helpful at this time. As always praying for our leaders and our troops.
Northwoodsmom, thank you so much for asking. I'm so sorry, but I haven't been reading things from this page because life had gotten so crazy in the last couple of months. I logged in today to ask a question and I saw that you had asked how my son likes it at GC. Thank you for asking - he loves it there! He got rolled back because we all got Covid over Christmas and he was delayed returning to GC for 3 days. At first, he was disappointed that he didn't get to be in the same group as his friends from BC, but he is doing well with his new group.
Sadly, both my MIL and my father passed away on the same day last week (Tuesday). He was able to come home for my MIL's funeral on Saturday, but couldn't go to my dad's funeral yesterday because he didn't want to get rolled back again. (And we were fine with that.)
Nautical Mom - I hope you had a great day!! Sorry, I did not say hi earlier.
MomofJoseph - I am so sorry to hear of the passing of your loved ones. My sister's FIL passed away the same day as our mother did, so I understand how much you have been going through, not only physically but also emotionally. I am glad that your son is doing well with his new group.
Northwoodsmom - Thank you for checking on MomofJoseph, I have to admit, I have a hard time keeping up with everyone.
MomofJoseph, I am so sorry for the loss of your MIL and FIL. I know you were happy to have your son home even under those circumstances. Having to make new friends after being rolled back is tough but it is so good your son is handling it well and likes his new group. Just wanted to let you know I am keeping him in my prayers along with you and that you were in my thoughts. God Bless.
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Northwoodsmom - well I don't know anything about that rate but here's the link to the group:
Aviation Electronics Tech - AE
Hopefully you can glean some info from there.
And I'm glad that he got his first choice - I'm sure he'll do great things there! His patience has paid off.....good luck to him in this new endeavor.
And of course, please stick around as you are a wealth of info for others ;-D
Feb 16, 2022
CanukaVet
I am a below decks Mom but I do have a bit of knowledge from volunteering on an aircraft carrier museum.
As you know, squadrons are part of the aircraft side, i.e. "airwing". They include more than just pilots...such as their own crews that are responsible for taking care of most aspects of their babies. I believe that each squadron consists of only one specific type of aircraft.
Feb 16, 2022
CanukaVet
On my son's recently completed deployment, there were nine squadrons from F35s, F18s, early warning and helicopters. They came from several different bases where certain types seem to be centralized.
So where he will be based certainly depends on what aircraft he is assigned to. They will deploy on the carriers but the squadrons is responsible for pretty much everything involving the aircraft, both inside the hangar deck and during flight operations. Between deployments the will go back to their home base, likely an NAS- Naval Air Station, which may or may not be near the coastal ports.
I am most familiar with Miramar. It used to be an NAS, as in Top Gun, but was moved
Feb 16, 2022
CanukaVet
Hope the helps. Good luck.
Feb 16, 2022
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Canuka - great info! Thanks for sharing ;-D
Feb 16, 2022
Northwoodsmom
Canuka, wow, tons of information, thank you. My husband is a industrial electrician and my son worked with him for a summer so he did have a little knowledge about electrical but electronics is very different.
I have alot of respect for you Moms with Sailors below. I spent 2 years trying to psych myself up for it, such a tough deployment with limited communication. Takes a very strong woman to partake in it, I've meant quite a few on here.
Thank you so much for all the information, very appreciated!
Feb 16, 2022
CanukaVet
Norhwoodsmom -- to clarify... the term "squadron" is not exclusive to aircraft...the carrier was accompanied by a Destroyer Squadron of several ships. There are probably other uses for the word in other areas of the military.
Also, several squadrons (from different NAS) make up a Carrier Air Wing (CVW).
To see who is with the now deployed carriers check out the weekly fleet tracker on news.usni.org
OK, enough lesson for today.
Feb 16, 2022
Pizanche
Northwoodsmom. Congrats to your son!!! Exciting new adventure for him and for you!!!
Feb 16, 2022
CanukaVet
Northwoodsmom -- funny you mentioned the difference between electrical & electronics...I just overheard a discussion between my husband, an auto partsman by trade, and my ETN on the proper way to connect jumper cables.
My poor boy came home to a very dead battery, probably because Dad left the headlights on the last time he started the car. So we are at the auto parts store getting a replacement before he has to muster early tomorrow.
FYI: the whole ship got special liberty from Monday through today with muster tomorrow. Then they start staggered two week leave.
Feb 16, 2022
3B'smom
Chipmunk - I only sent packages. I sent them out about once a month. It seems like the first part of the deployment it took quite awhile for packages to get there (3 or 4 weeks). After that, he received them within 2 weeks. I emailed diary type letters about every 2 weeks. My son rarely emailed back. It was easier to read his email than send out. Also there were multiple times when there were communications black outs so no phone calls or WiFi available. We did have quite a few phone calls whenever he was “in” a port (I use that term loosely because both deployments were during covid). They were usually in the middle of the night with jets launching in the background.
Feb 16, 2022
CanukaVet
Chipmunk -- I too sent monthly packages. Early on, he got them in 3 weeks, then it was more like 5 weeks. But he got them all. I didn't mail any letters and he didn't seem to mind, it was old news because we had usually spoken in the interim.
Mail is not a priority when it comes to deliveries. It seemed like there was alot of inconsistency. There were a couple of huge drops (several thousand packages at once). The first was because mail is sent to the nearest base to where they are going. Our ship was headed to the middle east then turned around mid-way so the mail was a mess, both systems and physically.
Make sure you get the correct mailing address directly from the ship via you sailor. I think that made some of the difference between timely and lost or very delayed packages.
Feb 16, 2022
CanukaVet
Since BC, I have gotten used to phone calls every 2-3 weeks; sometimes I have to nudge him for a check-in. I always let him make the calla unless I had something reasonably important to pass along. .then I sent both an email and a text.
Like Anti M says, the email can be difficult...finding one of the few capable computers that is open. Back & forth conversations are almost impossible because there is always someone waiting behind you.
As ProudofK said, our ship had WiFi which enabled the sailors to use their personal phones to text and call from the ship. The coverage was spotty and sometimes disabled for operational or technical reasons. The spouses I knew were thrilled because it allowed for frequent contacts. I believe that the WiFi was turned off for a few days on the return as a ship wide punishment for the leaked plane video. Having WiFi was month to month pending approval of the DOD spending bill. I don't know if and when it is being rolled out to other ships.
Big advice...make sure to let your sailor know that you will welcome and answer phone calls at any time of day. With 24/7 work and time zone differences, they don't always realize what time it is where you are.
Feb 17, 2022
CanukaVet
The standard line is "ask your sailor" for specific details.
I also joined the two official FB pages for our ship...the ombudsman and the Family Readiness group. I made some contacts and got a lot of useful information along with a lot of cool ship swag.
The ombudsman is primarily a liasion to the ship's command when other lines of communication fail (see standard line above). Ours put out a monthly newsletter -- I had to submit a request that my sailor had to approve-to get on the distribution list. The FRG is mostly a support group for spouses...I joined because I am local; I participated in some activities and monthly on-line meetings which gave me heads up when talking with my son. On the other hand, my Momma concerns were very different than most of the FRG. That is why I appreciate these N4M friendships.
The FRG was especially useful with homecoming preparation so I recommend checking it out. Each of the 3 top officers (CO, XO, CMC) did live Q&As through the FRG.
Best of luck as you prepare.
It is interesting that I am now the experienced one when you have always been the go-to mom. Such is the Navy.
Feb 17, 2022
CanukaVet
Chipmunk-- just noticed your musings about being there for homecoming. That is a family choice. Remember he should get leave soon after returning so it's up to you and him to decide whether to go homecoming or wait for him to come home to you.
Seeing the ship come in is always inspiring but it goes quickly. I sort of regret not being on the pier, mostly for the socialization but I opted for the view over a long, long wait.
As ProudofK said, some sailors return a week to a month ahead for various reasons. They go back on board when the ship returns to hold down the fort while the others are on special liberty and leave.
Several crew members flew back last week, the FRG and airport USO did a great job greeting them. After seeing the photos, I feel like I should have gone down to welcome the singles. Next time.
Feb 17, 2022
Chipmunk
3B'sMom, ProudofK & Canuka, Thanks! This has been helpful for me, and I hope any others that are following along will reap from your knowledge as well.
Canuka - my sailor has actually been out to sea for longer than a month, due to COVID keeping them at sea, but not for months at a time. Some things I am familiar with but going through an extended time at sea is a different story. I appreciate everyone's insights and your thoughts on homecomings.
I am glad to glean from your knowledge, just as I have enjoyed sharing my knowledge with everyone else.
Feb 17, 2022
Chipmunk
Northwoodsmom - I am so happy to hear that your sailor has finally received a new rating!! We appreciate you sharing here. You have been an integral part of this Navy family here, especially with your experience of going through your journey during the height of Covid shut down.
Your encouraging posts are helpful, so please stick around.
Feb 17, 2022
4kidsforfun
Northwoodsmom - good to hear from you and that your son got his first choice to continue his Navy journey. Must be a relief to you to have something to focus on and figure out. I know that always keeps me busy! Sounds like a fun choice too and maybe he will end up seeing some of he old Nuke buddies along the way if he ends up on a carrier.
Feb 17, 2022
ProudOfK
Canuka - my son also came home to a dead battery. I suspect that is quite common for the sailors when coming back from deployment to find a dead battery if there car has not been driven for months. Especially if the battery is a bit older to begin with. I’m not sure if that is something that they warn them about or not but probably a good heads up to have.
Feb 17, 2022
CanukaVet
But good lesson learned.
Feb 17, 2022
Chipmunk
Talking about the dead car batteries, is another thing to be thinking about and sharing with our sailors. Thanks!!
Feb 17, 2022
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Feb 17, 2022
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Feb 18, 2022
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Feb 21, 2022
Chipmunk
Snoopy and Woodstock are off to the races!!
Feb 21, 2022
DOREMI
Are there any restrictions on the weight and size of the package to send to Abraham Lincoln ship? Please let me know if anyone knows about the rule. Are we allowed to send a package bigger than USPS large white box?
Feb 21, 2022
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Feb 22, 2022
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
DOREMI - There aren't really any restrictions except for the fact that they don't have a lot of storage room so keep that in mind. Is his ship deployed? And you can send boxes other than the USPS boxes.
Feb 22, 2022
DOREMI
Thank you. B'snukeMoM.
Yes, the ship deployed on Jan.3, 2022.
Feb 22, 2022
Chipmunk
DOREMI - I wasn't able to reply earlier and I would have told you to check with your sailor's ombudsman. So, I am glad that B'sNukeMom could give you better information about mailing a package.
I will say that my son's ship did an organized drop when they were out on an underway during the height of COVID. Due to the logistics of that specific drop, there were size restrictions on the boxes. Unfortunately, most of us who lived at a distance were not able to participate since it was a local drop off and we did not have enough time to mail anything. Some of the local moms did offer to make up boxes and deliver for us, if we wished.
In another group we have also talked about the length of time that packages can get to the ships and that once they are turned over to the military from the USPS, you are no longer able to track them.
Feb 22, 2022
DOREMI
Thank you Chipmunk!
I already sent a package early this afternoon.. I bought a medium size box(19L,14W,17H) at Walmart. I packed all different kinds of snacks, ramen, etc. It weighed 27 pounds and was $37 to ship. All the snacks and eats, he'll share with his friends.
Feb 22, 2022
Chipmunk
DOREMI - I am glad you were able to get your box shipped.
FYI for future reference, here is the link to the USPS large flat rate box - Priority Mail Flat Rate® APO/FPO Box - MILIFRB | USPS.com - if you scroll down there is information about mailing to the military. It might have been a little smaller but with the flat rate shipping weight it may have been cheaper.
Did you still have to fill out a customs form? That was the daunting part for me when I did send a box to my sailor before. I needed to refresh my memory on all of this for upcoming sea time. - If you are not close to a PO you may order these boxes and they deliver them for free to you, I believe. Otherwise, I pick up just a couple at a time when I go into the PO.
Feb 22, 2022
DOREMI
Yes. I filled out the customer form and itemized contents.
Feb 22, 2022
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Feb 23, 2022
Chipmunk
DOREMI - I think the most daunting thing for me with the customs form was having to assign a weight amount to everything. Our postmaster weighed the box for me and gave me a total and then I had to itemize and assign a weight to everything for it to add up. I don't know if others do it that way, but that was what caused me angst.
I am glad that you were able to get the box mailed to your sailor.
Feb 23, 2022
CanukaVet
From then on I used USPS Click & Send. I paid on line, the app printed a form that was both label and for Customs. Yes, still had to itemize and weigh everything...I already had a household postal scale. When done it is bar coded so you can just give it to your local carrier or p.o. Our closest is a carrier annex that doesn't handle $$$$ but took the package.
Also, I used USPS priority mail boxes. Seemed to be cheaper for heavy stuff as long as you don't exceed the max weight.
I used individually wrapped hard candy as filler to help with contents movement. My son wanted low sugar Red Bull so I wrapped each can separately in a sealed plastic bag then in bubble wrap. These fit nicely in and around the other items.
My son said he and shipmates were able to get what they needed directly through Amazon. He was on a carrier so might not work on smaller ships.
Feb 23, 2022
Chipmunk
Canuka - Thank you!! I am not sure I would be as bold as you to ship canned drinks like that but using the hard candy as filler is a great idea!! I know my son asks for hard candy a lot, because it gets dry down where they are at.
Feb 24, 2022
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Feb 24, 2022
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
It's also a good idea to line the inside of the box with a trash bag. Put everything in and then seal up the bag before you close the box. That way if another box around yours has something break open (liquid) it won't ruin what's in your box!
Feb 24, 2022
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
From Navy Dads (as shared by another mom on here)
⚓️STAY ANCHORED IN THE TRUTH⚓️
NERVES WILL BE RATTLED OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS!
Recommend to limit your time watching news reports as they will hype things and will cause most to fret and worry more than normal.
Do not listen to others' speculation. Speculations turn into rumors. Rumors feed fear. This just makes people worry more.
Do not call your sailor and let them know how scared you are over the issues going on in the world. They need to be focused on their school, their ship command, or wherever they are currently at. Your fears could be a distraction they do not need.
The U.S. Navy will not rush anyone through training. An untrained sailor would be more of a danger and hindrance to the fleet.
The U.S. Navy will not recall all sailors and put all ships to sea. We have had forces in place for a few weeks, but they are just there as a show of force. The U.S. Navy will not put all their eggs in one basket so to speak.
DO NOT POST what you think is OPSEC. All the admin are aware of what is and is not OPSEC and we have post control for a reason. We will control the narrative on this topic.
Finally, say your prayers as in reality, this will be all you can do as the family of any service member. Remember they took an oath and now are adults having to do adult things.
STAY ANCHORED DURING THIS STORM AND SUPPORT YOUR SAILORS
Feb 24, 2022
Chipmunk
B'sNukeMom - that is a good idea about the trash bag to protect your own box from another's possible mishaps.
I appreciate the post as well. Thank you!!
Feb 24, 2022
momc
B’sNukemom
thank you for posting the piece from the Navy Dads group. Great information and so helpful at this time. As always praying for our leaders and our troops.
Feb 24, 2022
Northwoodsmom
MomofJoseph, just wondering how things have been going with you, does your son like Goose Creek?
Feb 25, 2022
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Feb 25, 2022
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Feb 28, 2022
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Mar 1, 2022
Nautical Mom
Happy Tuesday y'all :)
Mar 1, 2022
MomofJoseph
Northwoodsmom, thank you so much for asking. I'm so sorry, but I haven't been reading things from this page because life had gotten so crazy in the last couple of months. I logged in today to ask a question and I saw that you had asked how my son likes it at GC. Thank you for asking - he loves it there! He got rolled back because we all got Covid over Christmas and he was delayed returning to GC for 3 days. At first, he was disappointed that he didn't get to be in the same group as his friends from BC, but he is doing well with his new group.
Sadly, both my MIL and my father passed away on the same day last week (Tuesday). He was able to come home for my MIL's funeral on Saturday, but couldn't go to my dad's funeral yesterday because he didn't want to get rolled back again. (And we were fine with that.)
Mar 1, 2022
Chipmunk
Nautical Mom - I hope you had a great day!! Sorry, I did not say hi earlier.
MomofJoseph - I am so sorry to hear of the passing of your loved ones. My sister's FIL passed away the same day as our mother did, so I understand how much you have been going through, not only physically but also emotionally. I am glad that your son is doing well with his new group.
Northwoodsmom - Thank you for checking on MomofJoseph, I have to admit, I have a hard time keeping up with everyone.
Mar 1, 2022
Northwoodsmom
MomofJoseph, I am so sorry for the loss of your MIL and FIL. I know you were happy to have your son home even under those circumstances. Having to make new friends after being rolled back is tough but it is so good your son is handling it well and likes his new group. Just wanted to let you know I am keeping him in my prayers along with you and that you were in my thoughts. God Bless.
Mar 2, 2022
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Mar 2, 2022