Posted on Feb 21, 2017
LTJG Ansi Officer
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Going on your first ship can be scary. Going on your first deployment can be just as nerve racking. What are some items that you'd recommend Sailors bring with them not only to their first ship, but on their first deployment? (Please include small boys as well. RallyPoint doesn't have DDGs and CGs as tags).
Edited 8 y ago
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Responses: 55
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Sgt Charles Welling
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You squids need to belay that small boy term, it sounds rather perverted......................
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SSgt Boyd Herrst
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I had reasons to not go Navy.. and read’g these comments I remember why I didn’t..
I went AF and deployed to some bard bones places .. I brought along a few books, Paperback of some novella that wound up being wipe paper.. at least pages were big enough and not waxed.. toilet was in a outhouse so no prob there..
no need for I pad(wtf was that? .. it’s ‘83)
Had a Walkman and plenty of batteries they almost didn’t let me bring from Germany.. I think I had 2 left(in the Walkman.. they made it all the way back to U.S. soil.. in the U.S. base in Germany was still German soil. Was in Sudan in K-Town there.. some Sudanese tried to sell me a empty shell of a 6 band radio.. nice try.. i’d Like to hear before buying.. oh.. very good radio, cannot let you listen..
Might wake child... only $10 American!
I passed on it... just glad that wasn’t a long deploy... glad to get home ! Did get to the coast... beach wasn’t clean.. lotta dead fish... so no swimming... musta been a red tide.. water oily.. took along kippers n crackers and decent dry stick salami.. that wasn’t greezy... got that in Germany.. had some good Lowenbrau
Wrapped and stored in a ammo can with a top secret tag ... had a bud at base command Post get the tag.. Customs guy wanted to look anyway.. the other Customs guy got me through.. so we enjoyed the Lowenbrau that first night .
It was Lowenbrau export.. I brought one empty bottle with cap back .. wrapped good.. so it didn’t break..
my brother not understand’g the meaning of the memory of it took it with some other bottles and took to work and had a place that took them... what a jerk! So much for them memories..
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SGT Jeremy Boyd
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KY
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SGT Walter Lester
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I had to walk to work, I didn't have a ship to ride. I would tell a sailor he needs to know how to swim and tread water.
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PO1 Barbara Matthews
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Bring the basics, toiletries, toilet paper, spare pair of glasses if you wear them, iPod/MP3 player, tablet or laptop, book,

Rx medications make sure that they are filled before you leave as sometimes the Medical Dept. Don't have them. Also get some motion sickness pills you can get them from Medical. A lot of people get sea sick I know I was a Corpsman.

Also do not bring a lot of food of any kind. You are not supposed to have any in berthing. It's yuck and attracts bugs. You will have the ships sore and geedunk machines aboard. Bring some cash and change, your debit card and a few checks. Sometimes you can cash a check if you need money. At least you could back in 2003 when I was on a ship.
Get a good note pad and some flash cards so you can study to get your qualifications done. Most of your free time will be spent studying until you get them done.
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PO1 Hmfic
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If your shop has room for a small Rubbermaid container and the people in your shop are cool with the arrangement, I recommend Tuna fish in the tearable packets. Peanut butter, and my personal favorite, Fluff. I always had a few dozen Ramen noodle packets as well. and a few small Tupperware bowls to make the ramen in on the mess decks.
I had CSER1 as my shop on both my DDG's so that was my setup. The Toilet paper, extra undies, and the other comments are spot on as well. I also remember watching movies on my iPod 160GB classic. At least now there are iPad pros and the like. I would definitely recommend digital media. Movies, anime, videos of loved ones. Music for working out, relaxing.
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LTC John King
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pack some extra shore line for sea anchors and some extra prop wash for keeping things clean and tidy
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PO2 Robert Comegys
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Edited >1 y ago
Take along a thick paperback or two that you thought you'd never find the time for ashore. Time between watches can become boring and having something to keep your mind on will add some value/enjoyment/escape to your waking hours.
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SR Walter Faherty
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Back when i served both in subs and carriers I always had 2 weeks of underwear,5-6 sets of working clothes (pooper suits in subs and dungarees in carriers) and at least 2 towels in my locker.
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CPO Michael McAllister
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A camera. Don't let those memories escape. I was in 23 years. I've been retired 26 now. Still miss every it every day.
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LT Richard Mondak
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Edited >1 y ago
"B.S Detector" - for defense against the berthing compartment UCMJ / Legal experts.
A sense of self dignity and humility.
A willingness to learn from EVERYONE - whether they are junior or senior to you in rank, time in service or aboard your ship.
And from a practical standpoint - easily identifiable LARGE bath towels and enough socks to last a month.
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PO2 Tom Aarstad
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Until you get your sea legs know where the heads are.
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PO3 Joseph Ford
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Patience
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SCPO William Akin
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My first ship was a Gearing class DD, and Camels were a dollar CARTON...
So I'm just reading these remarks (for the most part) for shits and giggles...
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MCPO Roger Collins
MCPO Roger Collins
8 y
Remember the $1 a carton cigs, didn't do much for me, I didn't smoke then.
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SFC A.M. Drake
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Should have joined the Army!
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PO1 Rick Serviss
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Iron, shoe polish, maybe thread, pen, paper, envelopes, hygiene things and a full sea bag is about it.
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MCPO Roger Collins
MCPO Roger Collins
8 y
My extra large Lazyboy rocker recliner, my flat screen TV 40" or larger, my well stocked refrigerator and my extra comfortable bed. And all the rest of those things mentioned. Now, where is that USS Gerald R. ford and my Command Master Chief stateroom to put these things in?
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SSG Healthcare Specialist (Combat Medic)
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Edited 8 y ago
The one thing I have seen over my years that is often forgotten but essential are fingernail and toenail clippers. Troops forget their nails grow and when they get that aggravating hang nail they often try to bite it off and cant seem to do it. I also always traveled with a couple of rolls of toilet paper, zip lock bags and Shaving and Shower Kit, with at least two bars of soap. Also considering the environment the fewer the cans the better shaving soap over shaving cream in a can, stick deodorant over spray can. and of course a good quality razor. seen to many guys think disposable razors would last in harsh environment. Females should also consider their special needs as well.
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PO1 Mike Dean
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Sailors need enough civvies to have a change of clothes each day of liberty in port and enough cash on hand to take care of those primal "needs" that you don't get at sea. Need I go farther? BTW.... condoms are available from the corpsman free of charge so you take home any souveniers that are not intended.
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PO1 Robert Kay
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One essential I had to have was two decks of cards (for pinochle) and a cribbage boad with at least three lanes on it. Other than that the rest has been covered I believe. A lot of good advice here. I have been on three ships and 5 deployments... one to Gitmo, one to the Med, and two WestPacs.
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PO2 Steven Hardy
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Cigars! There's nothing like a stogie early in the evening, after the work day is over (if you're not on watch).
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MCPO Roger Collins
MCPO Roger Collins
8 y
Especially if a willing intern is in the immediate area. Ask Bill Clinton.
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PO1 Personnel Specialist
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Each Sailor should ask what are the essentials? What can make his/her life more pleasant while on deployment? On my last deployment, I brought a tiny stone statue and a family photo as essentials. Things making my life less miserable were supplements, favorite food seasoning and hot sauce, teas, and Emergen-C.
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Cpl Ryan Berry
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For sailors? KY Jelly and Village People CD...don't they get that issued to them?
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COL John Hudson
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Wipes.
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MCPO Roger Collins
MCPO Roger Collins
8 y
If you had ever served on a Naval vessel, especially a submarine, you would know the damage this could cause. Ask any Machinists Mate from the "M" Division.
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PO2 Steven Hardy
PO2 Steven Hardy
8 y
You can bath with the wipes, then throw them away, if the rain locker is OOC. Whatever you do, DON'T flush them!
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MCPO Mark Burns
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UP dated wills and personal affairs.
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AN Robert Freeman
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What I'm going to recommend bringing on deployment is Not an essential, but it could help you make a few bucks off Your Shipmates.
I don't smoke, or chew tobacco, but before going on deployment, I would find out what kind of cigarettes & chewing tobacco that people liked.
I would buy a couple cartons of smokes, and a few logs of dip. (The popular brands everyone liked).
The ship store carries these items, but on a 6 month cruise, they run out of these items quickly, and you never know when the ship will replenish their stock, or when you're going to hit a port. People that like tobacco, Need their nicotine.
Anyway, this is when you make a lil $$. You sell these items, charge double for the service you're providing for your Shipmates. Sometimes it's difficult to find a certain brand of tobacco, in other parts of the world, this is when your customers will pay the price you're asking.
*I apologize if this post seemed inappropriate..
We don't make a lot of money serving our country. When you have a kid, and an unemployed woman back at home, She has to spend your deposited check from PSD. So you'll be broke when you finally get to port, & you can't even buy yourself a beer!
It's tough financially. And every Shipmate knows, when we're at sea, we Are working 12 on, 12 off, 7 days a week Until we get to a port.
So this might help you buy your 1st cold beer in over a month! Enjoy Shipmates!
Be safe out there.
Thank You for your Service! ⚓️
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AN Robert Freeman
AN Robert Freeman
8 y
I put an American Flag, right next to my Anchor above, and it didn't allow me to post it. I cannot Post an American Flag here? Of all my Places? I guess our Flag offends Americans now too.
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TSgt Kenneth Ellis
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They are not used to people standing up ti them.
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FN Charlie Spivey
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Found these posts interresting. I remember when I got my orders for my first ship. I was in the Transit Barracks and there was a rumor going around that she had gotten orders to deploy to Vietnam. I had a friend Aboard and made a mental note to get over there to see him. Well, I got my orders, so got to see him. We were in the same division and same engineroom. It was a relatively small ship by most standards. 311' and 41' at the beam. It was an Old Navy Hand me down form WWII and an AVP in her previous life. We had a ship's laundry and the guy made some extra money. You did need a laundry bag. Personal Items could be bought at the ship's store ( such as it was ). We didn't need cash. You ran an account and paid it off when you got paid. We NEVER got paid when we were underway at sea, only just before entering port. I know a lot of things have changed since my time. I was looking at stuff About CG Basic Training and what you had to have. You needed a Debit card in order to get paid as the money was deposited directly into your Account. In my time, we only got a partial payment and the rest held back and we got that when we graduated. I have seen videos aboard Naval vessels and people lounging around in Jeans, tee shirts and sometimes a sweat shirt, but all the time NON Reg ( at least in my time ). My thought was hey, you are on a US Navy Vessel, NOT a cruise ship ( they are cruise ships compared to what I was on ). [chuckle]. Yep, things have changed. NO civvies aboard ship in my time. that was verboten ( except for Officers, who could come and go in civvies ). Body wipes??? Don't know what that is about. We did have showers [chuckle] although when you were underway, it was Sea Showers. For the uninitiated a sea shower consists of stepping into the shower, turn on the water and get wet, turn the water off, lather up and scrub real good, then turn the water on and rinse off, then turn the water off. When underway, you had to conserve water as the evap, could only make so much water and if everybody was taking a hotel shower, no way could it keep up with the demand and you would run out of fresh water. Get caught taking a hotel shower while underway and you will be doing extra duty bilge diving. Getting tools that have been dropped in there. Off duty, you wore dungarees and chambray shirts ( or a Gov't. issue T-Shirt ). I know that they have long gone by the wayside as a working uniform in both the Navy and the CG. ( in my time the CG Uniform was Identicle to the Navy uniform, except for a shield on the right sleeve, then they went to the Flat Hats in '66 from the dixie cups ). We were told that if the Government didn't issue it to you, it was verboten. Energy drinks were unheard of. We lived on coffee.
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PO3 Christoph Hintze
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Edited 8 y ago
I have one question to many of these folks. Where in the dickens do you put all that stuff? When I was in I had one 24x24x24 locker and one 12x36x24 locker. Bunk pan? My rack was canvas stretched on an aluminum frame with a stuffed pad for a mattress. And, this was on a destroyer tender. I would have bet that there was even less personal storage on destroyers and frigates.
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MCPO Roger Collins
MCPO Roger Collins
8 y
With the exception of the expansive locker space, that's what I had on my first diesel submarine.
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PO2 Arnold Kaminski
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Athlete's Foot/Jock Itch medication. Lots!
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SFC S3 Tasking Cbrn Nco
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Some cash iPhone toiletries items and make sure some of your items dual voltage
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CPO Mike Castro
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Bring enough consumables to last 6 months. Soap, razors, shaving cream, cigarettes, lighter fluid, etc. use the ships store when you can, expect to be stationed outside the Unrep ship circle which means the ships store runs out of supplies. Have at least 7 underway uniforms including socks ( it still fascinates me that it can take up to 4 months to get something back from laundry.) 5 towels and always keep a spare set of undergarments. If your a Boatswain Mate have a Dress Uniform dry cleaned and ready to go at all times. Not the one you normally wear on watch.
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PO1 Edward Pate
PO1 Edward Pate
8 y
I always started out with a few extra toiletries but to be honest even on my DDG never had any issue with things like soap, razors or shaving cream. Of course being on water hours half the time underway minimized the use of those! We did a 104 day straight stint in the North Arabian Sea in 1984 as part of a 7 month deployment and looked like the crew of the Black Pearl towards the end! LOL
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SSgt Security Forces
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Ability to swim...
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Cpl Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Defense Specialist
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If your a smoker or a dipper then you might want to stock up on smokes and dip. They do well on keeping a good supply on ship, but the prices in the store fluctuate depending on how much they have left. The ship may run out as well, and then you can make your money back from your less prepared ship mates.

Make sure you don't leave anything out without someone you trust in your aisle. Even the most redundant things get stolen, I lost my towel that way.
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CPT Larry Hudson
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A good attitude VC and life preserver
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SCPO Jason McLaughlin
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I would emphasize those things that will make you the most comfortable. If there is a particular soap/body wash/shampoo that you like, bring a supply. Invest in some nice soft towels and a comfortable robe. A nice, warm blanket and high thread count sheets/pillow case. I brought a stainless steel (not glass! learned that the hard way) BODUM french press to make my own coffee. My aunt was able to set up a supply of Starbucks ground coffee that arrived every 2 months.

Ship life is hard. Anything that you can bring that makes it a little more bearable (and is withing regulation) and brings some creature comfort is recommended.
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