Graduation presents - Have you thought of what to buy? Want some ideas?

[Craig]

Hey ladies...

Have you thought of a graduation present for you freshly minted sailor?  Having been doing this stuff so long, I wanted to give you a couple of idea.  They are the CAC card reader, and a rating coin.  Both are really good (and cheap) gifts. 

 

The CAC card reader:

Let me explain it, so you'll understand it.... 

The Navy limits what civilians can see when they use the internet on the Navy website. They don't want everyone to know everything. So when active duty sailors want to look at future duty stations that are available, or a wide range of other things (ie their medical reconds, dental records, their personnel file, their PFA test scores, dream sheets, evaluations...etc) they can. All they do is hook up the CAC card reader to their personnel computer, insert their CAC (Common Access Card) which civilains call the ID card,  Once the sailor inserts the CAC card, and their own password, then the server knows beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they are talking to the active duty sailor.

Personnally, I believe a sailor without a CAC card reader is a fool. There is so much info they can find using it. A carpenter is useless without a hammer. A sailor is useless without a CAC card reader. It is an extremely powerful tool that most sailors fail to use.  My nephew is already looking at possible duty stations, and he isn't even in "A" school yet.  They cost ~$20.  Very cheap.  Make sure you don't but the ones at the NEX because they don't work because they don't have the software included.  I bought one at the Microcenter and it worked perfectly.  Personally, I like the one at the Micro Center since it can do 63 different things besides being a "Smart Card Reader", and because it's cheap. Unlike the NEX model, the Microcenter comes with the software and is totally "Plug-n-Play".  It's a no brainer.  I say this everytime, but I will say it again, your sailor will think it's a stupid gift.  However, once they play with it, and see's how powerful it actually is and how he can search for things from the comfort of his own room, he will think it's the best thing since slided bread.  Again, the power it has is awesome..

.http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=...

 

Some of your sailors will have really short "A" schools.  One item in "A"  school is your sailors fill out a dream sheet to put down places that they would like to go.    These dream sheets stay in your record forever and when a new one is submitted, the old one just moves one sheet back in the main computer database.  One thing is you don't want is to look like a fool and put in for some duty station that your rating will never go.  Say you put in for Liberia Africa, the only rating that can go there is the Intelligence Specialist (IS) rating.  So everytime your orders comes up, the detailer will get a laugh and wonder why a Machist Mate (MM) ever put in for something that couldn't have ever been possible.  It doesn't look good, even if the sailor is fresh out of boot camp.  It shows they didn't take the time to see what billets (places) that they could actually go.  Yes, they can use the CAC card readers at their career counselors office  but they have 50 others sailors waiting for the same computer.  So just pay the measly $20 for the reader and do it from the comfort of your own barracks room. 

Some will tell you, when they finally get to their final duty station their command might issue them one, but by then it's too late.  To me, paying $20 for the possiblity of getting an awesome duty station is worth it.  Heck my kid got 3 years of shore duty in Hawaii, but he knew how to play the game (and he has an awesome father ~ha)  

 

If your sailors have problems loading them up (which they shouldn't).   Here is an article that was in the Navy-Times. I guess this guy runs a help desk for those having trouble with their CAC card readers. My nephew said it was so easy to connect up, but what is easy for some, may be hard for others. It's funny, because the guys an Army guy, but I guess the Navy thought it was so good that they wrote about it....

Here's the article, and the website listed is www.militarycac.com

The second thing is a rating coin....

To me, this is an awesome thing too. 

The coin is just a cool thing. My son actually gave me mine.  And I totally love it.  Sadly, but happily, I will be passing this coin along now to my nephew who just graduated bootcamp Sept 2nd, and will be attending CTT "A" school. Just to start a family tradition, I will be passing the coin onto him. He will be the "Keeper of the Coin" for the family now. I'm hoping he will pass it to the next CT in the family.

Most of you won't understand the joy it is seeing this coin being passed along, but as a sailor, I do....

It's cheap, and I think this one will mean the most personally. It will show that you took the time to learn about their rating, and that you totally back them. Have it engraved if possible.
Just a thought....
https://store.nwtmint.com/Navy/Rate/ALL

 

[MaggieMay]

Thanks for the info - what a help!

[Angie]

Craigs not going to like this...I don't think you should get them the rating coin until AFTER they finish the "A" School and are rated.

 

As for the cac card reader..in Craig's eyes I must have been a bad Chief as I never had one.  I also worked 15+ hours a day on a computer at work...so I really didn't want to see work stuff when I got home.

[Craig]

Angie - How did you get your medical records and stuff?  How did you review your record prior to the Chief's exam?

 

These sailors haven't a clue about dream sheets or any of the official Navy stuff.  Every official Navy website REQUIRES a CAC card AND reader to verify who you are.  Now you either used the one at work, or you had one at home.  Remember, these guys are new in the Navy, they are scared to use any official Navy computer because it singles them out.  Let them search and review everything at the comfort of their own barracks room.  

Man, this is just like you ladies using the bathroom.  Either you can wait in line at a public bathroom, or you can use the one in your own home.  Which do you prefer?  Heck, I still wonder why you women ALWAYS have broken bathroom door locks at the public restrooms.  What's up with women and public bathroom door locks...

Just saying....  (man I love this saying since you can say anything and get away with it....)

 

Per the coin:

Geez Angie, it's called vision.  You strive to earn that rating.  Yea, there are some that won't make it.  But give them the hope.  Geez, it's like guys, we carry a condom in are wallets HOPING we will get lucky.  It doesn't mean we will.  It's just the vision of hope.  The coin is no different.  Have it engraved with "Hope you earn your dream" (the coin, not the condom).

Just saying....

[eleesmom]

You just make me laugh!!

 

Thanks for all the info.  I had read about the CAC cards before my daughter left for BC with the intention of getting her one.  Thanks for clarifying that it is something they can use immediately after BC.

 

I also purchased an engraved coin for my daughter before BC.  She loved it.  Although she couldn't have it with her at RTC, she mentioned she wished she could have.  They are neat gifts and I just might purchase a few to commemorate some of her milestones along the way!

[Mulegal]

I ordered coin just now for graduation gift but after i hit enter i thought that will be a better gift after school is completed.  So i will just hold on to it.

[FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW]

Craig...so glad to hear you say that about "coining"...I know they are now called challenge coins as well as commander coins, unit coins. The "challenge" is, when challenged with belonging to a unit etc...you should be able to present it. (Nowadays it can cost you a round of drinks if you don't have it!)

It can be a great morale booster. You "belong" to this unit, endeavor etc. and want to strive to be the best for it. Commanders and Senior NCO's have personal ones made up and give them out individually.  I have a couple as my husband "coined" me with them after his two deployments. Have the most recent right here in front of me.

They are made for rates, ranks, wars units etc. Civilian law enforcement and such have also adopted the practice.

I know that in the beginning they were very protected. Anyone can collect them now but that's all they better do...!

When my hubby was deployed he used these pog-like coins for morale boosters. They look something like the pogs (cardboard oversized playing coins) and have a small (10 and twenty five cents) monetary value for the BX. They have all different kinds of military pictures on them. His troops could earn the chance to pick their work detail or some extra time off by getting a certain amount of his coins! One day they coined him and told him to take some time off as he was working too much!

[FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW]

They also make some nice rack holders to display them in. That's wonderful about you "passing the coin" Craig.

How do you know the bathroom door locks are broken, Craig?  

And @#$%...I was SOOOO thankful when I finally got hubby's CAC card reader to work at home! Now, if the portal would stop being "down"!LOL

[Craig]

Craig knows all....  

To prove it....

1.  Chose any number....

2.  Double the number.

3.  Add 8 to the result.

4.  Divide the result by 2.

5.  Subtract the original number...

• Convert this into a letter of the alphabet. (1=A, 2=B, 3=C, 4=D,. etc....26=Z)
• Think of the name of any country which starts with this letter.
• Think of an animal whose name starts with the country's second letter.
• Think of the color of that animal...

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Craig is thinking..............................

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You ladies are wrong..... since there are no grey elephants in Denmark!!!!!!...

[FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW]

Silly man.....

[Craig]

Frankly, if I was a wife or GF (probably not a good idea for a mom) I'd buy a set of these on ebay.  Since an Master Chief (E9) outranks the normal Seaman (E1-E3), then the guy would have to salute the gal.  Beleive me, after 8 weeks in boot camp, the guy will be standing at attention and saluting! (if you know what I mean). 

 

 

[Missing my son Shp11 div 268i]

Great ideas sir. I was also thinking about getting my son a Navy ring, is that something he will be able to wear?

[Craig]

missing my son - He is authorized to wear a ring.  Here is the rule:

"a.  Rings.  While in uniform, only one ring per hand is authorized, plus a wedding/engagement ring set.  Rings are not authorized for wear on thumbs."

Per para 6.a

http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/support/uniforms/uniformregul...

With that said, I don't recommend it.  Having been in the Navy so long, I have seen the damage that rings have caused.  Perfect example:  When you go down the ladders (stairs) on ships, the ring sometimes catches and will break you finger.  I have seen that countless times.  

Now to come to my life long experience.  When I was on a ship, a good friend of mine was working in the transmitter room.  In that room it's normal to work around 20,000 volts.  Everyone is suppose to remove all jewelry, however, this guy forgot.  He was accidently shocked and killed because of that dang ring.  Even though he didn't touch anything, the voltage arc'd through the air.  Had he gotten use to not wearing one, he would still be here. 

A lot of people wonder why I don't ever wear a wedding ring, which I haven't for 34 years. My friend getting killed is the reason.  Even today, I still work electronics, and I refuse to wear one.  I can't see someone getting killed for piece of jewelry.  My wife totally understands, and would rather me have me here, rather than showing my love through a piece of jewelry.  

Again, it's just my thoughts....