USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) Family Deployment Information Guide This page intentionally left blank. Dear Abraham Lincoln Families, The keys to a successful deployment are advance preparation and communication. Planning ahead and being proactive now can prevent you from worrying about things left undone. Whether you are married or single, whether or not you have children, and whether this is your first deployment or last of many, there are personal things which must be taken care of to ensure all goes smoothly during the deployment.(cid:160) For those who are married, planning ahead can prevent spouses at home from feeling they have to handle it all alone. Sharing information on family finances and ensuring all ID cards are current are just a couple of the many preparations, which need to be completed BEFORE the service member departs.(cid:160) For our single parents the planning is no less extensive. Let those who are caring for your children know how to get a hold of you, where to get help and how to handle any financial situation that may arise in your absence. Keep your children(cid:146)s records up to date to assure their continued care while you are away. Communication is vital. Discuss the deployment, how you and your loved ones feel, what you worry about, and how to handle emergencies. Use this booklet and the checklists provided to better prepare for this upcoming separation. The more you can learn and accomplish before the deployment, the more confi- dent you will be when the time to leave comes.(cid:160) Deployments are not easy on anyone. The long separation brings unique stresses before, during, and after the deployment. One key is acknowledging that those stresses will happen, and working through those phases together. Keep in mind that there are many resources available to assist you, including those who have experienced this before. Call the ombudsmen, get involved in the Family Support Group, and visit the Family Service Center. Sincerely, K. L. CARD Captain, U.S. Navy i. This page intentionally left blank. 1 Table of Contents Chapter 1: Communications to and from the Ship Email 4 Letters 4 Internet Website 6 Amcross Messages 6 Sailor Phone 6 Care Packages 7 Ship(cid:146)s Mailing Address 7 Chapter 2: Administrative and Legal Issues 8 DEERS Enrollment 9 ID Cards 9 Dependency Application/Record of Emergency Data (Service Record, Page 2) 10 Servicemans Group Life Insurance 10 Dependency Care Program Certification 10 The Media and the Family 10 Legal Considerations 12 Chapter 3: Resources 12 The Command Ombudsman 12 Fleet and Family Service Center 12 The American Red Cross 13 Navy/Marine Corps Relief Society 13 Tricare 14 Tricare Dental Care 16 Navy Legal Assistance 17 Chaplain 18 Lincoln Family Support Group 19 Lincoln Beach Detachment 19 Lincoln Careline 20 Chapter 4: Financial Issues 21 Monthly Living Expenses 21 Wise Credit Management 22 2 Chapter 5: Loving and Leaving 25 The Stages of Deployment 25 Suggestions to help you get through 26 Suggestions to help you reunite 26 A Navy Wife(cid:146)s View 27 A Husband(cid:146)s View 30 Chapter 6: Dealing with Separation 32 Chapter 7: Children and Deployment 36 Appendix A: Record of Personal Affairs 45 Appendix B: Automotive Checklist 52 Appendix C: House Care 53 Appendix D: Budget 56 Appendix E: Pre-Deployment Checklist 58 Appendix F: Points of Contact 60 3 Chapter 1 Communications to and from the ship E-Mail While on deployment, almost every Sailor will have an email ac- count. Most will have individual accounts, but in some cases very junior Sailors may have to use a group account to send and receive email. We do not post the comprehensive email directory for LINCOLN and CVW- Sailors. You will have to contact your Sailor(cid:160)to obtain their email address. Please remember that email isn(cid:146)t (cid:147)instant(cid:148) communication. Trans- mission of your email may be delayed by higher priority electronic transmissions. These delays could be as short as a few minutes or as long a day or more. Also keep in mind that the larger the files you send, the slower the transmission. Try to limit the number of attachments (particularly large photo files) you send. The bandwidth we have available to transmit email is relatively small when compared to your commercial Internet/Email Service Provider. If you do not have your own e-mail access, you may find local libraries, USO or Family Service Centers that provide access. Letters The importance of correspondence between a deployed American Sailor and his/her loved ones cannot be overemphasized. It may be the single most important morale factor during the time of separation. No news is bad news, so write often and regularly. Below are some issues to deal with during deployment: Frequency: (cid:147)I(cid:146)ll write often(cid:148) may mean daily to one person but monthly to another. Discuss this ahead of time so expectations are reasonable. Remember, just because you haven(cid:146)t received a letter doesn(cid:146)t mean it hasn(cid:146)t been sent. Mail can take several weeks, so wait before sending that letter complaining that he/she never writes. You could get five letters the next day. Problems: Discuss how to handle bad news. Problems will occur during deployment. Writing to your deployed spouse about a problem that he or she is helpless to solve can create feelings of frustra- tion and guilt, yet reuniting with your spouse with a whole 4 deployment(cid:146)s worth of problems is not much better. Many couples have found that (when possible), the most effective approach is to present the problem and the solution in the same letter. Pace: Mail service on and off ships is irregular at best. Mail service between the States and various deployment locations may vary from fast to agonizingly slow. At its best, a letter can take 5 to 7 days. Parcel Post and Second Class Mail may take up to a month to be delivered. Remember that it may also be impossible to forward mail at times due to the ship(cid:146)s position or activities. Keep in mind that when sending bill payments from the ship, delays can result in late payment and the service member is responsible. Recommend using electronic transfer methods to preclude this prob- lem. Experience has taught that you should number your letters. Put the number on the outside of the envelope. Remember to keep track of your numbering! It(cid:146)s also important to explain things completely in each letter, because letters may not arrive in the order in which they were written. There are times in every deployment when the pressures and disap- pointments build to a point that you must express your feelings or explode. This is normal and can be managed if channeled properly. When you haven(cid:146)t received a letter, and everyone you know has received mail, it is easy to become hurt, angry, frustrated or disappointed. And it is natural to want to vent those feelings. An excellent way to handle this situation is to go ahead and write that letter, but DON(cid:146)T mail it for at least 3 days. Think about what you have written. After 3 days, re-read what you have written. Do you feel the same way? Now sit down with your letter and start over. The following are a few recommendations to enhance communicating back and forth by letter or E-mail: • Answer all questions. Write with his/her letter and picture in front of you as though talking directly to him/her. • Explain problems clearly. If vague and unresolved, your spouse will worry. Ask for advice when needed. • Express appreciation for letters, care packages, etc. • Tell of daily activities in an interesting way. • Remember the importance of the amount and frequency of expres- sions of affection. • Share your feelings as openly and freely as you can without indulging in self-pity. • Try to express yourself clearly and unequivocally; so he/she won(cid:146)t have to say, (cid:147)I wonder what was meant by that!(cid:148) Be aware 5 that others may interpret things different than you do. • If you have children, have them enclose notes and/or pictures with your letter. Internet Website The ship(cid:146)s web page is updated frequently to provide information about the ship. The address is: www.cvn72.navy.mil The ship(cid:146)s website is not designed to replace Familygrams and Ombudsman newsletters. The command is dedicated to providing as much information as security concerns allow, but there is some information the ship cannot post on-line. Additionally, there will be times when the website managers cannot access the website server to upload new information, particularly during periods of heightened security. Don(cid:146)t forget to use the Careline and Ombudsman to keep up on the ship(cid:146)s activities. AMCROSS Messages Used only for family emergencies. Done through the nearest Ameri- can Red Cross Center. The local number for Everett is provided as well as the national toll free number 1-877-272-7337. To ensure delivery to service member, the family member must provide the service member(cid:146)s Social Security Number. Sailor Phone There is a commercial telephone system installed onboard for the Morale and Welfare of the crew. The system can only be used to call out, but is usable worldwide. To use The Sailor Phone, the service member purchases an AT&T Global Prepaid Card in the ship(cid:146)s store at a cost of $20 for 20 minutes, and uses this card from one of the fourteen special phones installed throughout the ship. The phone system is part of a commercial satellite system and thus far has proven to be very reliable, but if this system should fail, the phone access would not be available until the satellite system is repaired. 6 Care Packages What can you send to brighten the deployed member(cid:146)s day? Cookies, magazines, VCR home movies? A care package is as fun to make, as it is to receive. Here are a few helpful tips: • Don(cid:146)t send anything perishable. There(cid:146)s no refrigeration available to store the items. • Delivery usually takes 2 to 3 weeks but can take as long as 6 to 8 weeks so send early if you want it to arrive in time for a special occasion. • Pack everything snugly and cushion when needed. Distribute weight evenly so it doesn(cid:146)t shift. Consider using packing materials such as popcorn or newspaper. • Wrap package carefully, using reinforced tape, not string. • Put an extra address card inside before you seal it in case the package is damaged and the address can(cid:146)t be read. • Don(cid:146)t send aerosols, fireworks, or liquor. • Mark the outside of packages containing audio or video tapes with (cid:147)Magnetic recorded tape enclosed.(cid:148) • Be ready to fill out customs paperwork when sending packages since the ship(cid:146)s address is an FPO address. Ship(cid:146)s Mailing Address The ship(cid:146)s address has officially changed to reflect the new homeport. The ship(cid:146)s address is: Rate Full Name (for example - SN Jane Doe) USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) Dept/Div FPO AP 96612-2872 When addressing packages or letters, print clearly, using block letters. Sorting machines have problems reading script letters, forcing the post office to hand sort. That delays your mail. Squadrons & embarked units should use their unit(cid:146)s mailing address instead of the ship(cid:146)s address. Special Delivery does not work for ships at sea. Don(cid:146)t waste money on Special Delivery or Air Mail. Once mail is delivered to the Fleet Post Office, they get it to its destination as fast as they can. Paying extra won(cid:146)t speed it up.(cid:160) 7