Arriving in San Diego - What to bring to a carrier?

[Pirate Bob]

I have looked through and found some good tips regarding what to bring, but I'm trying to cut back on some things.

Here's the list so far:
Dress blues for checking in w/dress cover
6 Poopy-suits and NAVY cover
1 Service uniform (the new black and tan ones) w/cover
1 Working uniform (the digital camo)
10 Pairs black socks
10 Pairs white t-shirts
1 LED flashlight with red light and belt clip
2 Padlocks with keys
1 Seam ripper
3 Sewing kits
1 Diggit tool and belt clip
1 Nail brush
1 Laundry bag (knit)
2-3 Sharpies
Many pens (Zebras clickies if possible)
1 Very nice pillow case
Laundry detergent
1 Bottle Febreeze
Laptop
Ipod
Cellphone
Camera
1 week's worth of civilian clothes
1 Set PT gear
1 PT swimsuit
Towels for shower
1 bikini for the beach
Toiletries
Seabag and hanger bag to carry all this shyte

Should I bring several pairs of utilities, or should I just stick to the black and tans?  If I do bring utilities (or just one set), should I bring a long- and a short-sleeved pair?  Should I bother buying the digital camo? Am I missing anything?

[PapaBear765]

I was on a sub, so my advice is of little help.  If you were asking about what to bring on a sub, I'd say that it depends on the person.  For me socks were more important to be changed every watch compared to shirts and boxers, which could go a few rounds.  You have A LOT more personal space on a carrier than a sub, so maybe you won't have to make such sacrifices.

[93-383]

You will rarely ever wear the Utility uniform and with it being phaesd out I would recomend only brining the Digital camo uniform (if you have one or can find it) if you cannot find the new working uniform you should bring at least one set of utilites just to make the seabag correct.

[gsmagnum]

It is very possible to have a seabag inspection on a Carrier.
Most of your uniform is foreign to me so I couldn't help you much there.
Supplying your own pens? That is a new one to me. What happened to the old Lighthouse for the blind Skillcraft pens?
Laundry detergent, pillow case, and Febreeze? Are you an ET?
A laundry pen is a good idea.
I never had too much of a problem with the laundry on the ship or getting sheets.

[HydroDave63]

I never had too much of a problem with the laundry on the ship or getting sheets.

The laundry on my ship was consistent: put your used clothes in, sweaty and grungy. The clothes come back 3 or 4 days later damp, yellowed and smelling of someone else.

Yarrrrrrghh !

[93-383]

It is very possible to have a seabag inspection on a Carrier.
Most of your uniform is foreign to me so I couldn't help you much there.
Supplying your own pens? That is a new one to me. What happened to the old Lighthouse for the blind Skillcraft pens?
Laundry detergent, pillow case, and Febreeze? Are you an ET?
A laundry pen is a good idea.
I never had too much of a problem with the laundry on the ship or getting sheets.

The skillcraft pens are fine if you can find one (varies form ship to ship)
Laundry detergent maybe
but a your own pillow case and Febreeze a must further more I recommend your own sheets unless you liked the navy linen you where provided in boot camp.
As for never having a problem with getting command supplied sheets I guess it varies from ship to ship. When I showed up, the division had no command sheets available for berthing the first night on the ship I spent with a yellow stained sheet and no pillow case wondering how I was going to survive five years on board with conditions like that. Needless to say when I became the BPO prior to transferring I made sure we had all the necessary materials for new personnel and I made them as welcome as possible. Assignment to a sea command is tough enough without having to deal with substandard living conditions. I don't care if they are a "nub"

[deltarho]

Laundry detergent, pillow case, and Febreeze? Are you an ET?

Maybe Pirate Bob is an ELT.  It fits...can do laundry in the radcon washer like all the others.  Another clue that Pirate Bob is an ELT is the tell-tale bikini .

[Pirate Bob]

You guessed it.  I'm an ET.

Thank you all for the information so far.  Does anyone know about how many pairs of utilities, or any utilities, I should bring?  Is the Reagan completely changed to the new service and working uniforms?

[PapaBear765]

You guessed it.  I'm an ET.

Thank you all for the information so far.  Does anyone know about how many pairs of utilities, or any utilities, I should bring?  Is the Reagan completely changed to the new service and working uniforms?

See below:

You will rarely ever wear the Utility uniform and with it being phaesd out I would recomend only brining the Digital camo uniform (if you have one or can find it) if you cannot find the new working uniform you should bring at least one set of utilites just to make the seabag correct.

[gsmagnum]

I guess we had a great berthing Petty Officer for M-Div.
The biggest thing about the laundry is to make sure your socks aren't in the bag all balled up. Those are what would come back wet with the occasional damp t-shirt.
I am not sure how an ET is going to find a place to wash clothes unless you do them in the head sink. Can't see you having much time to do laundry on your own.

[Samabby]

3 sewing kits? Expecting a lot of new stripes? Take a rack pack.

[mclumber1]

You guessed it.  I'm an ET.

Thank you all for the information so far.  Does anyone know about how many pairs of utilities, or any utilities, I should bring?  Is the Reagan completely changed to the new service and working uniforms?

You'll need just one set of utilities.  Make sure they are long sleeved, as short sleeves are not allowed down in the plant when we are steaming.  As far as I know, the digi camos have not been issued on the West Coast yet.  Last time I was in the NEX I didn't see any for sale.  The service uniform is available, and a lot of people are buying it and tossing their johnny cash and working whites in the trash or closet at home.

As for what you should bring to the ship:
All of your poopy suits
1 set of utilities
Dress blues
dress whites (but it's winter now, so N/A)
workout clothes
a set (or two) of civvies
Hygiene kit (DON'T FORGET YOUR FLIP FLOPS!)
underwear, socks, t-shirts
What ever keeps you from being bored (ipod, books, DS, etc)

Edited for OPSEC.

[Pirate Bob]

Thank you all very much for the help.  I was going to take a few sets of sewing kits since I tend to lose things and they are small, BTW.   

Do they actually do a seabag inspection once you arrive at the ship?  If so, I'm SOL since I have my whites in storage right now.  When does Cali go back to whites, anyway?

[crazy4honda]

1 bikini for the beach
Toiletries

Since your name is "Pirate Bob", i'm going to go out on a limb and assume you're a guy.  Therefore, i'm questioning why you would want to wear a bikini?  I believe swimming trunks would be more appropriate on a shipboard/work setting.  What you do on weekends is your business.

[HydroDave63]

i'm going to go out on a limb and assume

We know what happens when you assume...... 

[crazy4honda]

We know what happens when you assume...... 

....yeah...just checked out the profile....looks like Bob is a girl.

[Pirate Bob]

We know what happens when you assume...... 

Hehehe.  Yeah, the name is an old joke from the Renaissance Festival I used to perform in.

Just remember, assuming makes an a$$ out of you and Ming, and Ming is a very large Sumo wrestler that could squish you dead.  Don't get squished!

[Cycoticpenguin]

a lot of you are forgetting to mention that the carriers have two, usually, well stocked stores of everything you need (minus actual uniforms).

[93-383]

a lot of you are forgetting to mention that the carriers have two, usually, well stocked stores of everything you need (minus actual uniforms).

Both of the stores on the TR where stocked with more junk food than useful items. Hell one of them was only junk food.

[Cycoticpenguin]

Both of the stores on the TR where stocked with more junk food than useful items. Hell one of them was only junk food.

our SK's grace us with locks, uniform items, laundary items, food (real and junk), and toilettries, among other things .

I am somewhat impressed with how we are stocked up routinely, but then again, I havent gone 8 months straight out to sea either, so Im sure my views will change again .

[JustinHEMI05]

Are these malls next to McDonalds and the bowling alley? 

Justin

[Cycoticpenguin]

Are these malls next to McDonalds and the bowling alley? 

Justin

next to the bowling alley LITERALLY...     haha, im being honest about our stores though, may not be the case for all of them obviously.

[Pirate Bob]

Well, as an update, all the items I mentioned seem to be working out.  I'm glad I have a week's worth of civvies, since I've been out in town quite a bit.  I still haven't found the bowling alley on the ship yet.   

[HydroDave63]

Well, as an update, all the items I mentioned seem to be working out.  I'm glad I have a week's worth of civvies, since I've been out in town quite a bit.  I still haven't found the bowling alley on the ship yet.   

The good bowling is in shaft alley, since it is long and room for the pins...

[Preciousblue1965]

our SK's grace us with locks, uniform items, laundary items, food (real and junk), and toilettries, among other things .

I am somewhat impressed with how we are stocked up routinely, but then again, I havent gone 8 months straight out to sea either, so Im sure my views will change again .

Yea our ships store had a wide variety of items.  One of those food items was ramen noodles.  I will NEVER get over the visual images of guys eating those things still in brick form while sprinkling the powder seasoning on before each bite.

Pirate bob, in order to get into the bowling alley you first have to get an India Delta 10 Tango form from a locker located behind the shaft seals, at least that is where we kept it on my old ship.  Now in order to get to that locker you are going to have to distract those seals.  I highly recommend fish.  The M-Div guys have a bucket full of fish from the mess decks for just that purpose.  Just ask them for the fish to feed the shaft seals.  Now after you fill out that form, take it to the Electricians to review. They will point you in the right direction.  Now the door to the bowling alley usually is hard to open so you may have to use some grease on it.  I think the PM card calls for relative bearing grease, which means you may have to go to the HAZMAT hold to get some.  Once you get the door greased, you should be good to go.  Just remember to account for the list and trim of the ship when throwing the ball.  People who throw more than 2 gutter balls have to stand mail buoy watch for an entire week on the port side RHIB sponson.  It really stinks becuase you have to be in full survival gear incase you get pulled into the drink.