Hi Ladies ! I'm new so ...

[alyciababy93]

My names Alycia (: And I am definitely new to this Navy lifestyle.  and I have only been together for half a year, & when we met, I somewhat had an idea of what I was going to be going through. Never would I have thought the distance was going to affect me this much, but dang. I really miss him. He shipped out to Great Lakes July 16, and graduated recently this month on the 13th. He's a Nuke, so he is in South Carolina for the next few months. On the bright side, I will be traveling to South Carolina October 16th-21st :) He invited me to Navy Ball, which I am totally stoked for. I'm looking forward to some good quality time with him, just like the old days. My question is, Is anyone's Boyfriend/Fiance/Husband in A  in Charleston or have passed it already ? Has anyone been to Navy Ball ? 

[Emily-aaronsgirl11]

Welcome! 

My husband is a Nuke, also. He's stationed on a ship now, but we were dating the whole time he lived down in Charleston. It's an amazing place to visit, and I'm hoping he gets stationed there again, so I can live there this time. Enjoy the area and the quality time!

If you have any questions about the school or the area, I'd be happy to answer as much as I can. Sadly, I haven't been to a Navy Ball though, so I can't answer those questions.

[alyciababy93]

Aww, okay. How long did you guys wait till you got married? We talk about it, because we know that is what we want, but I'm just not sure when the right time is. I can't wait till my visit to Charleston! Chicago was great when I went for his PIR. But I finally can have him to myself when I arrive next month. How long is your husband going to be on the ship? 

And it's okay, I haven't heard of a lot of people attending the Navy Ball. I'll be sure to post all about it when I do go..

[Emily-aaronsgirl11]

We dated for 4 years until we got married when I was 19 and he was 22. Now I'm 20 and he's 24. We did the long distance thing for most of those 4 years between him going to college for a year and then enlisting. I graduated high school and did a year at my dream school, but after his first deployment, we decided we were done waiting to live together. It kind of ended up being bad timing, because after livign together for a month, he left for 8, but it was worth it to be where we are now. 

There's no real "right" time to get married. It's something different for everybody, so whatever you feel is best for you is probably right. :) 

He'll be on this ship for the next 2.5 years. Which gives me enough time to finish school in one spot and get my foot in the door career wise. :)

I have so many fond memories of time spent in Charleston. There's so much to do in the area, you'll definitely never be bored. :)

[alyciababy93]

4 years is good timing. Did you guys have a big wedding or something small to just get it done? I want the whole shabang! Lol. I'm on my third year of community college, & am transferring to grad school next fall. I guess being with someone in the Navy really lets you branch out & do what you want to do. :)

Yeah, right now that he is in A school, I don't feel so lonely because we talk & text throughout the day, & I find myself becoming attached again like I was before he even shipped out. While he was away in bootcamp, I had a hard time dealing with the fact that I wasn't gonna see him & I just had to wait for a letter, but I definitely adjusted fast !

I'm scared to see how I'm gonna be when he gets deployed. Or when we get married, and he's deployed, & I'm all alone in a state away from everything I'm so familiar with. It's like your giving up so much, yet gaining a lot, ya know?

Goodness, your making me so excited to go to Charleston! Where did you stay at? He reserved a room for me at the Days Inn which HE SAID is like less than a mile from base. I heard there is a hotel ON the base for the families and spouses, but we couldn't find any information on that. Any advice for that?
:) <3

[Anti M]

The only thing I'm coming up with "on base" is the MWR Foster Creek Villas.   They are not inexpensive.  

http://www.pcs-lodging.com/base/Charleston-Naval-Weapons-Station.aspx

There is not a Navy Lodge or Navy Gateway there.  

I found this on another site:

Single enlisted students beginning classes at the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command will be met at the Charleston International Airport and be taken directly to the Training Center where they will be assigned a room. All others have three additional options: on-base vacation rentals, temporary lodging at Charleston AFB, or staying in a local hotel or motel.

Foster Creek Villas, operated by the Morale, Welfare and Recreation department, offer two, three and four bedroom on-base vacation rental units. Each unit features a furnished living room with phone and television, dining room, fully equipped kitchen, and a front and back yard with covered parking. Prices begin at $45 per night for military members and families, and $50 per night for other eligible categories. Call [phone] for reservations.

[alyciababy93]

I'm definitely gonna talk to my sailor tonight, & look into this. He was gonna pay $300 for 4 nights, but I'm not sure if that is considered a good deal or not. ?????

[Anti M]

Not bad, you can't get too much cheaper or the place just is not nice.

[Emily-aaronsgirl11]

No big wedding, yet. We did it at the courthouse with my best friend and my sister in law as witnesses. I don't regret that at all, and once I finish school, we're planning a big "shabang" with our families :) 

Don't worry about deployment at this point. Enjoy the time you have while he's on land. When teh time comes, you'll adjust to the communication, and I promise you'll survive even if you're in another state. It's an adventure of a lifetime for sure. :) 

I'll give you a heads up that the Days Inn right off base, isn't in the nicest part of town, but if you stay in the room while you're alone, you'll be fine. I've had plenty of friends stay there before. 300 for 4 nights sounds about right, if you would want, you might be able to find something in North Charleston near the mall that's comparable to that, but I'm not sure if you want to stay closer to the base or the entertainment in the area. I stayed over at a hotel next to the mall once and felt extremely comfortable there when I was by myself... I can't remember which one it was though, that was about 2 years ago.

I have stayed in the Foster Creek Villas that Anti M is talking about. They're super cheap, and it's nice because they come with a kitchen and dining and living room area in addition to the bedroom(s) and bathroom(s). The kitchen has a small number of pots and pans and plates and such so I've cooked many meals in there after dragging Aaron to the commissary for groceries. They do tend to fill up fast though, so if you're interested, have him call/stop in (at the ITT office which is right across the street from The Dive) and ask if there's any available ASAP. 

Base there is kind of different than others because it's not all protected by a gate. The housing area and Nex and Commissary are all outside of a gate, and you don't have to show any ID until you get to the area where the school actually is. 

Definitely go check out the Cypress Gardens. It's where the filmed the canoe scene in the notebook, plus many other movies. It's a great little place to bring lunch and hang out at for the afternoon. You can even take a canoe out with just the two of you on the swamp area. Probably one of the coolest things we did while I was there :)

[Fur&FeathersDVM]

As far as Navy Ball goes- this year will be the first year my husband and I are able to go to Navy Ball together (he's been deployed or underway for the last four!).  But I have gone with a group of other spouses before. Navy Ball is a lot of fun and a wonderful tradition. Relax and enjoy the night! At the one I went to (and every other military ball I have been to so far, we have gotten to go to a few surface warrior balls), the evening started off with a cocktail hour and then speeches and toasts before dinner, and then there was a night of dancing. Be sure to ask your sailor what the appropriate dress code for the ball in Charleston is. The one in Norfolk calls for evening gowns for women. Be sure that whatever you wear is tasteful and covers yourself appropriately. What you wear and how you behave reflects on your sailor.  There is always that one girl at the ball who wears the inappropriate dress, or who drinks too much, or who is caught drinking underage- don't let yourself be that girl and you will have a blast! This is a great article (it's about the Marine Corps ball, but it applies to Navy Ball also) on basic tips for picking a good dress http://www.militaryspouse.com/articles/top-10-tips-for-choosing-a-c...

Enjoy the chance to show off your sailor in a dress uniform and to get to know some of his buddies! You will have a lot of fun, I promise! :)

[alyciababy93]

Thanks for the great tips everyone! I just talked to my sailor, & he said there would be no way for me to stay at the lodging, so we are going to stick with our original plans & have me stay at the Days Inn. He just told me he has to get a request form for him & I to attend the Navy ball. He still needs to look into the dress code for my attire, but other than that I Think we have everything handled!

I really wish I Could stay at the Foster Creek Villas :(
I'm not sure why, but he said that there is no way for me to stay there.

Anyways, I'm DEFINITELY now much more excited for the Ball, I'm looking forward to an elegant night to celebrate him & his success. Maybe I'll get to see a show & be entertained by a sloppy drunk girl making a fool out of herself :) lol. I'm hoping I don't have to spend TOO Much money on a ballgown. I think I'm just gonna end up going towards something like that. I'll definitely post pictures for everyone to see :) I just hope my wallet isn't too mad at me for how much money I'm spending -__-

Yeah, getting married just isn't in our picture right now. Him & I definitely need some time. Although the waiting for it, and not having any rights to him is going to suck in the meantime, but I'm sure once we decide to tie the knot, the wait will definitely be worth it :)

You ladies have been a great help! It's nice to know other people out there understand my situation with my Sailor. It's so comforting to know that us ladies are all in this together to keep each other strong! Thank you gals once again. I'll keep everyone posted with pictures & more questions if I have any :) !

[Missemily]

Hi Alycia! 

I am also new to this whole Navy lifestyle! My sailor and I have been totally inseparable for almost two years. He is currently in BC but already half way done!  It is really nice to know I'm not alone in this :) 

[alyciababy93]

It's a good thing they have a website like this ! Because I think all of us women would go crazy. Lol, not a lot of people understand what we go through. But we are STRONG !

Nice to meet you Emily (: