USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77)

Hello GHWB family. I pray you have all had a good Christmas and visit with your sailor, if you were able to have them with you. Mine is home and it's been a great week. He got to see the RED Friday shirts and thinks they are pretty cool. He always says it's a great moral booster to know that while they are gone, families back home support them that way. I hope everyone has their shirts by now. I tried my best to get them to everyone by Christmas, but Mother Nature didn't cooperate when she dropped all the ice on us, so some may still be on their way. I had someone forget to order and really wants one, so I am going to do a quick turn order and have them shipped out before deployment. If anyone didn't get a chance to order one, and would like to, please get ahold of me at ignitespiritbows@yahoo.com ASAP.

I wish you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Last chance to order the RED Friday shirts, if anyone wants to, or knows someone else who does. I will be finalizing the order tomorrow evening, so I can get them shipped out in time for deployment. (And stop bugging everyone) :) I hope those who have received their shirts from the first batch enjoy them. I know I can't wait to start wearing it.

I have the best job! I recently asked my boss for permission to wear my RED Friday shirt to the office on Friday's during deployment. He had never heard of RED Friday, so after I explained it to him, he said he was perfectly fine with it. The nest day, he told me that after he thought more about it, he decided to buy shirts for all the office staff and the Dr's to wear on Fridays. I was completely overwhelmed! However, the day after I distributed the shirts, we got a new employee. Sooo, if I can get enough interest, I will be taking one last and final order....again. If anyone is interested, please let me know within the next few days. Contact me at ignitespiritbows@yahoo.com, or on here.  I look forward to reading everyone's posts again over the next several months. Here we go....

I am looking forward to hearing about their deployment.  My daughter was on the last one in 2014.  She is now on shore duty.  Fair winds and following seas.

All Hands Magazine on FB has been showing short 'live' clips this am, from the flight deck, getting ready to leave the pier, etc.

It is live as they go underway right now.

I am not  the savvy, but this might work to get you to the page

then scroll down to the live feed

https://www.facebook.com/AllHandsMagazine/?fref=ts

May God bless and keep safe the crew of the USS George H.W. Bush as they begin their deployment today. I'm thinking about all of you that have loved ones deploying.

it was a great comfort to see the comments from this group today and know that we will all be supporting one another through the next several months -- wearing our shirts on Fridays. I have forgotten who handled the shirts, but was thinking that the same design on a flag for us to fly outside our homes would be nice. Anyone remember who was in charge of that?

This is my son's second deployment with the Bush. It is not any easier this time then last. For me the good news is he will discharge in 147 days.... but who is counting. Prayers for all on ship

Since my son is no longer on the Bush I am still looking for a mom that wants to take over admin duties for this group. Duties include being a positive and supportive voice for the other members of the group and keeping things updated and tidy in here. Need someone that is on regularly and participate to keep the group active. That's it! :)

Let me know if you're interested. Thanks.

Tomorrow I will be wearing my USS George H W Bush Red Shirt. I continue to keep you all in my daily thoughts and prayers and look forward to updates on your journey. I will also be sending care packages for sailors that don't get them from home. Does anyone know if there is a adopt a Sailor program while they are on deployment? My sailor received a package on the last deployment and many items were given to other sailor's as they didn't fit his gender.I thank you in advance for any information. Safe Sea's!

Are there restrictions, or should I say, what are the restrictions as far as what we can send in a care package?  I haven't been able to find any information on that.

Thank you Capstar, I know that there is some way to send packages as my Sailor did receive one last deployment from a family. I will continue to research this. 

Capstar,

Don't send any alcohol, pornography, girlie magazines, or weapons.

Of course don't send anything that will spoil because the mail can take weeks to make its way to them. Anything that will break or can spill/leak should be avoided unless you take precautions to protect it.

Last deployment my had two of his care packages that we sent ruined by others who sent liquids that broke and leaked all over everyone elses mail. The mail travels by air so you need to remember things will expand and contract as the pressure changes on the flight over.

I have a question I am hoping maybe you can help me out. My son is deployed and I wanted to know what needs to be done for them to be able to call home when they port?

Do I need to do something with the cell provider or should I get him a trac phone and send it to him?

Thank you in advance for your help.

They get to make free phone calls from the ship's phones. The ship has phones for that very purpose--Sailors can call home.  My son just called me the other night.

That's different than what my son told me. He said the ship's phones only take AT&T ship-to-shore phone cards (sold in the ship's stores & NEX) and that they are very expensive, like $.75 per minute. He had to purchase one to call us when his grandmother passed away while they were on an underway a few months ago.
Unless there are other phones that he's not aware of.

I will have to ask him about that. He didn't say anything about phone cards.  He has just always told me that that his how he plans on calling me along the way. 

There are phones on the ship and they do take the AT&T ship-to-shore cards that are sold on the ship and at the NEX. Depending on where you son works, some offices have phones that are capable of dialing off the ship. They need to have permission to use ships phones as they are technically for office use only. My son had access to a phone that he could call from once in awhile but he also called using the phone cards.

Dad of Sailor, this sounds like what my son did.  He was told he could make a short phone call if he wanted, so we talked for less than ten minutes. 

I was surprised to hear from him so soon, but it was great! 

Blow the cobwebs off my seat. Been a LONG LONG LONG time. Need to know who's the admin to this page?

Anita

Newbies - be sure to wrap your "care packages" in a garbage bag. Be sure it can take being submerged in water. Leaks from other packages, accidentally falling into the ocean. Prepare for the worse conditions...

Top items:

Dr. Scholl's massage gel insoles.
Vitemin Supplements (add to bottle of water).
Sleeping mask & ear plugs
(many do not have darkness to sleep let alone silence).
Favorite snacks in small ziploc bags.
Goofy letters from friends, pets, etc.
News from back home.
Small pictures they can hang in sleeping area.
TAPE!!!! Just the roll, not the whole dispenser.

When packing, break items down to their smallest size. Remember - they do not have a lot of space for big bulky items. NO GLASS!!!!!

Biggest request from mine was protein items. Beef jerky esp. Vitamins to keep their strength up. I'm talking men AND women!!!

Be prepared to fill out a multi-page form for Custom's!! Heavily take all corners of package for safety! Strongly suggest not sending liquids. If it busts, you ruined the package and can possibly ruin others pack around your box.

Hello Anita, long time.

How are you and your daughter doing? I hope she is doing well in her time after the Navy.

I'm still the admin.