Destroyer Moms (DDG)

Gigi, like you - I've seen alot of cool Navy things but not a commissioning so bring those photos back to us!!

Marcia...we hear ya. Hope knowing that our sailors are really the very best trained in the world - helps some.

Roosevelt Strike Group
heading home
Updated: Wednesday, 15 Apr 2009, 8:51 AM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 15 Apr 2009, 8:51 AM EDT

NORFOLK, Va. - Six thousand sailors are heading back to Hampton Roads this weekend after a seven-month deployment.

The Navy said Tuesday the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group is returning to Norfolk after supporting maritime security in the Navy’s 5th, 6th and 7th Fleet areas of operation.

Due to arrive Friday are the guided missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) and the guided missile destroyers USS Mason (DDG 87) and USS Nitze (DDG 94).

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) is scheduled to arrive on Saturday.

Melissa - I think we should be there to welcome them home! Happy families on their way to Norfolk!!!

Mary, I'm looking for a ticket to Seattle for this Saturday or Sunday.....you'd have a nice place to stay - no charge....whata come with me????

So happy for all of the Sailors and their families that are arriving home over the next few days. Happy days for all!!!

Melissa - I have lots going on this week and a Navy Mom lunch on Saturday...not sure I can make it work----

That's great Mabel!! I hope my son has a similar experience when he is deployed.

Anita: This is what I found out about the USS Mustin:

During the 2008 Myanmar Cyclone Nargis crisis and the subsequent Operation Caring Response aid mission, the Essex and her carrier group (made up of the USS Juneau, the USS Harpers Ferry, and the USS Mustin) stood by off Burma from May 13 to June 5, waiting for the Myanmar junta government to permit US aid to its citizens. However, in early June, with permission still not forthcoming, it was decided to put the group back on its scheduled operations.

Gig, that is awesome!! I hope someday I will get to attend one of those ceremonies.

Karyn, I'm sure they will come in soon. We will all think positive thoughts for him!!

Gigi - thank you for sharing the commission story with us...it must of been a tear jerker to see those POWs board the ship. What a great experience for your family to witness.

I love hearing/reading about the new ships and I love the history of the old ships so I'm always soaking up new info. Glad that it is appreciated.

Donna - that is an awesome video!!! It's 10 minutes long...and I cried thru nine of them. Such a wonderful, historic moments for the crew. I added the link to the Stockdale commissioning article in the thread above so they are in one place for everyone to enjoy as new members join the group. Thanks for sharing!

Karen - I do not have a particular site that I use...I just kinda dig a round thru out the web and when I find something that I think we might enjoy I copy it. Have you joined the Navy history group on this site - you have so much to share!
You certainly have a great military family Karen. I was at a Navy exchange recently and looked at some of their books, they were pricey but I've been looking on Amazon for some - I'll keep you posted if I come across any good ones.

Swine Flu
FYI My sailors ship's doctor sent this to his crew today...

Team Benfold,

Please open the website from the CDC regarding swine flu. The big take
away is personal hygiene i.e. washing hands, covering your mouth when
coughing and being aware of the signs and symptoms of this virus. As
always questions or concerns please come by medical.

Shortcut to: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/swineflu_you.htm

Just thought I'd share with you all!

Just:
Welcome! If your Sailor is on a destroyer, you're on the right track...lol, lol
What destroyer is your Sailor on?

I hope your hubby has a good sense of humor!!! John could have a lot of fun with this sinking......or at least I would!! Enjoy your Sailor today, Jackie.

Jackie - what am I doing wrong? I keep getting a message that the Tension doesn't exist?? I want to see the photos!

Well Mary, the linked worked fine for me. Operator error? Steve's home today, you better let him find it for you....lol, lol

Welcome BJ :)

Diane: My son just returned to Norfolk from his first deployment. I think I can answer your questions. You will either be given a pass to get on base or your son's name will be on a list at the gate and you are let on base when they check his name.

No, he does not have to make your Navy Lodge reservation. You can do that yourself. They will ask for your son's name, rank, etc when you make the reservation. Your son has 24 hours after you check in to go to the Navy Lodge and show his I.D. So if you wanted to go to his homecoming and wanted to stay at the Navy Lodge a few DAYS before his ship comes in, you wouldn't be able to do that.

The ships can be delayed but you are usually given a month's notice UNLESS something urgent happens.

Have you signed up with the ship's Ombudsman to receive the latest news from your son's ship? I would highly recommend that you do that. Also sign up for email from the FRG (Family Readiness Group). Between the Ombudman and the FRG, they handle all the homecoming planning. The closer you get to homecoming, the more info you'll start receiving. Hope this helps!

Melissa, I think my son gave my email, because I'm receiving emails from his ombudsman and I didn't sign up. I enjoy those emails. How do we sign up for the FRG?

okay, ladies.....give me your son's ship names and I'll start looking for the FRG & Ombudsman's email addresses.

Here's the link for the USS McFaul:

http://www.family.surfor.navy.mil/reg/(gccvspeijuxusgqqo1rrajbj)/Registration.aspx?ID=97

You will need to submit your name and e-mail address and your relationship to service member. You should receive an e-mail with your logon and password. Once you receive your logon and password, send an email requesting to be added to the FRG e-mail list. If you have problems, let me know.

Here's the e-mail address for webmaster of the USS Mitscher:

webmaster@ddg57.navy.mil

Send the webmaster an e-mail and request a logon and password for the "USS Mitscher" website and ask for the e-mail address of the ombudsman and FRG PresidentLet me know if you have any problems.

BJ: Here's the e-mail address for the USS Lassen's Ombudsman:

lassen.ombudsman@gmail.com

Ask for instructions on how to register with the ship's website and ask to be added to the FRG e-mail list. Let me know how it works.

Ann - Melissa is on the west coast time zone so she will be sleeping for hours!!! Here's the info for your ombudsman:

ombudsmanddg93@yahoo.com

If you go to your ship's website and click on ombudsman, she has written a really nice letter about herself and her role as an ombudsman.

I suspect you are right Carla. I do know a couple of moms that reached out to their ships ombudsman and they were told...only the sailor could register them.

Perhaps if you can provide the ombudsman's email to your sailor...

I suspect each and every ship may have different procedures depending on the command. I have made an effort to check out as many ship websites as possible and most of them have the link to register as a FAMILY MEMBER for the ship's website. Here is the wording I used to when registering:

Dear USS _______ Webmaster:

I am the parent of a Sailor currently serving on the USS _____. His name is FC2 William F. Smith. His date of birth is: January 1, 1887. He reported to the USS ______ on _______.
At this time I am requesting a log on and password for the ship's official Navy website. My name and e-mail address are: __________________. If you require further information, please feel free to contact me.
I would also request the name and e-mail addresses for the ship's Ombudsman and the President of the FRG group.
Your anticipated courtesy and cooperation are appreciated.
MAM
Home address: ___________
Home phone number: _______________


I did not ask my son if he was contacted by the webmaster to confirm my e-mail request. It took about a week before I heard back from the webmaster and at the time the ship was deployed. I believe the crew may work a lot harder during a deployment then when assigned to shore. If you were to ask my son who his ship's ombudsman is and what the FRG is, he would NOT have a clue.

If I had contacted the webmaster and not heard back for 2 weeks, I would try again.

As I learned at my son's homecoming in April, wife's are given priority over moms. My advice is to provide as much information as possible to the webmaster, in a professional yet courteous manner.

Mary, thanks for covering this morning! I hope you all know that at some point in time during the day, we do connect with each other and that's whats important.

Jackie, since you have the experience of an ombudsman, I'd like for us to start a discussion on the topic for all the new members that will eventually find their way to our neat little group. It's a topic that comes up often and I'd love to have all of us just refer those questions to a discussion topic....what do you think?

Someone in my surfing I ran across a site for ombudsman e-mail addresses and I desperately need to find that! lol, lol

Re: Up above in the discussions, I started one called "How do I contact the Ombudsman and FRG?" In that discussion is the link to the Ombudsman group. It's such a popular topic I figured we need to start organizing this group (well, you know who I'm referring to) lol

Hi Justme, Yes, this is a site for mothers. You can search for other mom's with sailors on the Nitze up in the right hand corner of this and every page. I would say that most of us who leave messages on this page are mom's. I do believe we have a wife/girlfriend or two also.

JustMe:
Here's some Moms from the Nitze:

Click Here

Hi Gayle and welcome to our little group! What ship is your son on and what's his rate?

Welcome Gayle!!!

Gayle is your son stationed in Pearl Harbor?? You must be soooo proud of him. Making chief is such an accomplishment! What does he do on his ship?
How did you find NavyForMoms.com??

Wow Gayle, your son has really had a chance to "see the world"!! Sounds like you may be visiting HI soon. Two trips to Japan, what a thoughtful Sailor you raised.

Happy Mother's Day....hope you all have a terrific day, you deserve it!!

Thats really great Josie.

Karen:
Since the ombudsman is usually a Sailors wife, some of our Sailors are not even aware of who they are b/c they really don't have any need for them. They get their news about what the ship is up to right from the CO. It's just a matter of your son finding the right shipmate to ask... :)

Re: The Ombudsman can give you the email address for the President of FRG. :)

The Ramage Careline number is (757) 445-1416. The name and email for the FRG President is Ashleigh Thrasher (ramage_cfa@yahoo.com). I think FRG is in the process of voting in a new president but I'm sure your email would be passed on to the new president.

See, if it weren't for this site we'd all be in the dark!!

Welcome, Susan.

LuAnn: Under the "Destroyer Moms (DDG)" heading, is a list of all the Navy destroyers and their home ports.... :)

Just: the internet is full of info on ships. What ship and what kind of info? Recent info? I can help you with some websites if you narrow it down.....

Here's a Lassen Mom:

Comment on: Topic 'Camp Foster'
Hi Debbie, My daughter is stationed at Yokosuka, Japan on the USS Lassen. She has been there since November. Her ship just got back into port after a month deployment. Eli
Added by Eli (Carissa's mom) to Japan Mom's at 5:31am on February 16, 2009

Keel Laid for future USS Spruance

Release Date: 5/20/2009 10:29:00 PM


By Program Executive Office Ships Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW) laid the keel for the future USS Spruance (DDG 111) during a brief ceremony May 14 at the BIW shipyard in Bath, Maine.

The 900-ton keel unit represents the first "ultra" module to be fabricated in BIW's Ultra Hall facility that opened last year. Ultra Hall stretches 1.5 acres and allows workers to complete construction, pre-outfitting and testing more efficiently and in a controlled climate. Ultra Hall has enabled BIW workers to complete installation of thousands of feet of cable, compartment air tests, water-tight door testing and pipe segment testing which are all normally completed in later stages of construction.

The keel module is the most pre-outfitted and tested at this stage in construction to date. These advancements will be used in future Arleigh Burke- (DDG 51) and Zumwalt- (DDG 1000) class ship construction, which will ultimately lower production costs.

USS Spruance will be the 61st Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer and the 30th built by BIW. The ship will be able to conduct a variety of operations from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection. USS Spruance will be capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously and contains myriad offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime warfare. The ship can operate independently or as part of carrier strike groups, surface action groups or amphibious ready groups. The ship's combat system centers around the Aegis combat system and the SPY-lD(V), multi-function phased array radar.

Bath Iron Works expects to deliver USS Spruance to the United States Navy in the fall of 2010.

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 7 will depart San Diego May 27 to begin a regularly scheduled Western Pacific deployment.

CSG 7 includes Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 14, guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), and the ships of Commander, Destroyer Squadron (COMDESRON) 7, which include destroyers USS Decatur (DDG 73), USS Howard (DDG 83), USS Gridley (DDG 101) and frigate USS Thach (FFG 43). A detachment from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 11 will also be embarked aboard the carrier.

Karyn: What a terrific surprise! Doesn't get any better than that. Enjoy your Sailor and I am envious of his SD duty station. I wish my son was there.... Have a great Memorial Day celebration.

Congratulations to your new Petty Officer Candice!! Isn't it a great feeling? You must be SO proud. I don't know what I'd do if my son got orders for Japan, it must cost a small fortune to fly over there.

Looks as though it was an awsome Memorial Day for many in our group!!

Anita: Thanks for noticing the Mustin was in the wrong port...lol Have you done a search on this site for other Mustin families?

I copied the original list of destroyer's from a Navy website. I only update it when one of you bring it to my attention. Any ship's home port is public info.