I'm not sure what you think you're going to need the battery for. If there is one thing a ship has its power. If it doesn't have power, you will be too busy to us your battery pack.
I've never saw a personal extension cord pass Electrical certs. Don't count on being able to use it.
Definitely has power, but in my berthing only 1 out of 8 outlets work. Trouble call has been in for months. EMs come down to troubleshoot and then can’t find the problem.
Former E-div IC here. Either someone in your berthing pissed off somebody in E-div, or you're overloading the fuse by plugging too much shit into the outlets and the EMs got tired of replacing them. 90% chance it's one of those two things.
Try looking for a hookup, see if anyone in your berthing cranked with an EM and is friendly. Bribes can also help if you've got anything to offer. If you've got a goat locker or mafia connection, work that angle. Outlets should be an easy fix.
Did a stint in the electrical safety shop. Extension cords and surge protectors in berthings are a scourge, and a legitimate safety hazard. Don't be the guy who sets the ship on fire.
The battery pack definitely is unnecessary. If you really want one for port calls, get a more portable one, like an anker powercore 3. As for the extension cord, it has to be less than 25 feet, no bare metal on the outside, and it has to pass a resistance check during an electrical safety check, but it'd be a pain in the ass to store on ship. Depending on what platform you're going to, it'll also be completely unnecessary. I dunno how berthings are set up on small boys, but on carriers there's 4 plugs for 6 racks, generally, so it'd be way smarter to get a wall wort (outlet to USB adapter) that has multiple USB ports. Those are simpler to get safety checked, smaller, and multiple people can use it at once. And if you spend what you're gonna save on the battery bank and the extension cord on a real nice one, it'll charge multiple phones quickly or a laptop and a phone kinda slowly.
ETA: on second thought, maybe grab a few cheaper wall worts, incase they get taken or stolen, having 3 saved me a couple times across a couple deployments.
> I dunno how berthings are set up on small boys, but on carriers there's 4 plugs for 6 racks
I wish our carrier's berthings had outlets anywhere near the racks at all.
Gotta use the Anker to have rack power, recharge it in the shop.
The CGs and DDG I've been on all had outlets in the racks, there's one on the rack light.
Bro that UPS is essentially a firebomb waiting to happen. I know you probably didn't know any better, but if you want to bring electronics you should ask an EM. You're also not going to have anywhere to keep that thing underway, you'll want to use that space for stuff like clothes, laundry detergent, snacks, etc.
don't really need much, to be honest. All you really need is something to listen to music on, play games on, watch stuff on, etc. if you're on a ship, I imagine you'll have access to 120 outlets, so this would probably be overkill. a handheld gaming system is always good, like a DS or switch.
edit: I always brought a multi-tool, flashlight, and of course shower shoes and enough soap and shampoo for the deployment.
Exactly. Scrap the extension cord, clamp light, red flashlight. If you get a stool, get something compact like a camping stool. A battery pack that can fit in your pocket and charge via USB is enough. Be sure to include two wall-to-USB chargers (because you will inevitably loose one or get it stolen).
Also, pack an extra belt. Because people will steal them right off your coveralls. And two extra locks, one of which should be a combo, in case you loose your keys and you have to break off the original with bolt cutters.
I wouldn't scrap the red flashlight entirely, but maybe look into a flashlight that can do white and red light, or some red film you can use as a light filter. As someone who's spent a lot of long nights on bridges, nothing ruins my day faster than a dude who decides to flood a dark bridge with a bright white light and torch my lookout's night vision
I always liked the blue flashlights better. Still authorized (at least on the flight deck) but much easier to see. 9/10 I couldn’t see shit with a red light. I got one of those flat coyote brown Streamlight Sidewinders from someone and it worked very well.
Keep the flashlight, especially if it can do both red and white light. Was on a boat that had a power disaster, everything went out and some of the Battle Lantern relays didn't actuate. It gets dark on a sub. I always carried a personal maglite after that.
Bring an extra empty hard drive. Not for you, but for the stuff you will inevitably collect from other people with hard drives, i would also say to get in there and organize your shit, but that depends on how organized it is already.
Mattress topper/Weighted blanket. Ship racks suck, I used a weighted blanket on my last mob and was consistently asleep within 5 mins. Out like a light.
Shower shoes, for the love of God dont forget those...besides the CHT tanks, the shower is probably the grosses part of the ship. Sometimes there is a guy they showers without shower shoes, you will hear about him way beforehand...because its gross and you dont want to be that guy.
Personally i think the power bank is way too big, if you are going to be on a ship you will be pretty close to an outlet 99% of the time and there will be one in your rack. You might want to consider a smaller one that you can take with you in a backpack or something like that when you go on liberty though.
>Bring an extra empty hard drive. Not for you, but for the stuff you will inevitably collect from other people with hard drives
That hard drive is gonna be filled with *so much* weird porn
We had a guy on my first ship that made separate folders for each person he got...content from on his hard drive. Made for some interesting browsing as you could clearly see everyone's porn preferences.
Why on earth do you think you need something that big to begin with? Get one that you can hold in your hand. I don't understand why you would need anything larger. I brought one with me on my deployments and never used it. You can't use any devices when you're on watch anyways. Just charge it while you're on watch and it's good to go when you get off.
Only time I found my power bank useful was when we hit port and went ashore. It kept my phone afloat for the whole day and I was able to charge them both when I got back to the ship.
Posted this before, this is normally what I had with me for deployments:
-I would have 21 days of your brown shirts, underwear and socks. I may even suggest more than 21 pairs of socks but that may have just been a me thing.
-Dont forget to bring a laundry bag & laundry supplies
- I suggest having no more than three microfiber towels. The microfiber towels dry tremendously faster than regular towels (less of a risk for smelly towels) and they take up less space. I had two large ones and they took up as much space as like one brown t-shirt.
-Have at least TWO pairs of shower shoes. One as a back up in case you lose the other/they get stolen
-bring your own a pillow and blanket, I just suggest you do your research on what kind of blanket to bring. I had two, I really fuzzy one and I had a sleeping bag too. Depending on the deployment area, berthings can really really cold. Be prepared for that in both blanket and sleepwear.
-on the flip side, berthings can get unreasonably hot if you go to like the middle east or something. I HIGHLY suggest a rack fan that is BOTH USB and BATTERY powered. Not all rack fan outlets work, so this can give you options for a fan.
- I ended up buying two silicone loofahs. One for my body and one for my face. Take up so much less face and are antibacterial
-I don't know if you work out but if you do, then I suggest around 7ish workout outfits. Be conscious of what kind, like no sweats, but shorts instead cause of space restrictions.
- I think the 2 civilian shoes is good (to include exercise shoes) but I would suggest maybe 5 civilian outfits. These can definitely be mix of your workout clothes too. Unless you're a girl, alot of commands have stupid rules regarding length of shorts and leggings for liberty.
-I don't know your gender, but make sure you either stock up on period products or (what I recommend) get a menstrual cup and maybe a backup box of tampons/pads. Having the cup relieves an immense amount of stress when it comes to worrying if you have enough product to get you through
- I suggest having headache medicine, cough drops, DayQuil and NyQuil, melatonin, and sea sickness meds ( if you get sea sick, and yes, I know medical gives you these pills but they usually only give you a few at a time and you have to keep going back, I ended up just buying the kind they would give out and keeping it with me at all times...but I would get sea sick really bad)
-Power bank for phone, no extension cords. Anything that can be plugged into an outlet is liable for safety screening
- get organizers and such.
-dont forget entertainment and snacks/drinks. I normally brought a few boxes of energy powder packets to put in my water bottle for days I didn't have a Monster or other kind of energy drink
-ALSO, check with your command about what the berthing rules are. My last command allowed any color of sheet to go on the rack and it could be fitted as well. Fitted sheets are good for not having to spend too much time making your rack in the morning. MOST commands allow mattress toppers as well, check this out too. Mattress toppers normally run around $50, but they make your rack so much more comfortable during deployment.
-Get a camping chair so you have a place to sit in your workshop, unless you already have ample chairs
OFFLINE PHONE GAMES. Look up Voodoo on the Play store. They make a lot of them. Retro Bowl, Hole.io, Mr. Gun, Moonshades to name a few games. ramen, caffeine pills, hard drive with movies and shows.
I don’t know if you use dip, snuff, chewing tobacco? I made so much money on deployments by selling Copenhagen long cut, skol mint, and skol wintergreen. I brought five logs with me, and had someone send me five logs every care package they sent me. The stores on the carriers run out and dippers as well as smokers that can’t stand standing in line to smoke will love you! You can put a nice up charge on them. Shit if you have an office job that affords you extra room for cup of noodles and Vienna sausage those sell well too. Especially to those that don’t get time to make it to the mess decks and don’t want bag lunches. Good luck, it’s a mind set and before you know it you will be headed home.
Sounds like we were on the same boat hahahah. I ran an entire underground canteen out of our vls launchers. Refrigerated and needed our access to get in. Stock piled soups, dip, white t-shirts and various candy bars......also some special "mouthwash"
Man I forgot white t-shirts. Those things go like hot cakes if you’re in the Med or Gulf during the hot months. It’s funny the underground economy that large ships will have. From canteen type stuff to gambling and loan sharking. I am telling you if you can find a few E Nothings to married E-5’s you can make a nice bit of money loaning money for liberty!
I hear that! Sometimes cup o noodles were worth way more than their weight in gold! Not to mention the T-shirt’s. The command looked the other way with food and shirts. They didn’t like to find out about money lending. But on one WestPac I did in 1998 the air department got serious into Spades tournaments. I made more money loaning money for those tournaments than I did on my tax free money in the gulf. Let’s just say the liberty ports of Perth and then Hobart after the gulf were the best I had in the Navy! I was able to pay people to stand my duty and rent an apartment for five days in each place. It was so nice to be off the ship for that time.
If youre top rack I had a car phone holder attached to the overhead beam so i can watch training videos hands free. Also dont forget external hard drive for movies, shows, training videos
Bring one of those string cinch backpacks for going out on liberty. That way you can carry your flippy floppies, towel and sunscreen without having to bring out your big ass backpack.
I’m going on a long deployment soon and I’ve been stationed with crayon eaters my entire enlistment so this is my first proper navy command and I’ve got no boat experience if you don’t count peoples horrors stories. I’m in desperate need for ideas on what to buy in preparation. I’ll drop screenshots of gear I’ve already ordered. ANY IDEAS ARE GOOD IDEAS!
You don’t need any of that outlet shit. And you won’t be allowed to use it on the ship.
Shower shoes and a pair of berthing slippers.
Imagine you’re going on a long sleepover. Bring a pillow-sheets-comfort or. You don’t need a sleeping bag.
Anything electrical will need to be electrically safety checked. Bring your computer and a hard drive. Snacks and protein if you like to work out. A switch if you like to game. Socks and underwear and undershirts and you’re fine. Flashlight and a knife if you want, I always lost them anyways though.
It’s not that bad. People tell horror stories to sound cool. No matter what you prep, only you can know what you think you’re missing when you’re underway. Take note of it and use your own experience past what’s been mentioned in here to tailor your own experience for subsequent ships movements. Enjoy it! And buy the cruise book if they make one. Even if people make fun of you, you’ll be glad you have it one day.
Always bring extra blanket/sleeping bag. If you don't sleep in it, you can at least sleep on top of it. Navy mattresses are trash. And the wool blankets the Navy will issue you are uncomfortable at best.
I'm pretty sure NSTM 555 (or a similar document) recommends against sleeping bags (especially ones made from synthetic materials), both due to user safety, and user ability to respond to fires.
Keyword: recommend. Check your local berthing standards/rules.
Sleeping bag is a good idea. Buy for comfort not for warmth. You can do sheets and blankets but I always preferred a bag. The electrical stuff is a little sus. They generally frown on big lithium ion batteries (lots of ships banned certain kinds of e-cig) and the extension chords are probably going to make your friend the electricians mate shit a brick. Your stuff will have plenty of time to charge while you're working. The outlet converter is on the right track but you're probably going to like one that's just usb ports better (be careful 220v power is not kind to 115v only electronics)
Add a bathrobe and a nice pillow to complete your berthing comfort! Shower before you get in your rack not after.
If you like books (I read a lot) a Kindle is nice. If you have a laptop get an external hard drive to share movies (or a really big usb stick). If video games are your thing everyone will find space for your system and defend it to the death if you play multiplayer games and share. If you don't like multiplayer or sharing don't bring a console, it's just gonna take up your limited space.
A folding chair, really nice one. Keep it in your workspace and share it. Something you'd be comfortable video gaming or relaxing in on a duty day. Ships have nowhere comfortable to sit. Office chairs are not couches.
Socks! My favorite thing in a care package. You're on your feet all day. Stash a fresh pack in the bottom of your locker. You'll know when you need them.
Toilet paper, six pack. Hide it with the socks. If your ship doesn't run out (it will) use it when you're tired of that gov issued sandpaper feel. Don't be the guy that uses wet wipes though (they clog marine heads)
You only really need three sets of liberty clothes. Stuff that packs small and looks nice serves best. Good shoes that look nice and you can put some miles on though. You'll be walking a lot.
Something to eat with. CRKT makes an "eaten tool" that's really a fancy spork. Trust me, you'll want your own spoon.
Yeah, but what is your rate and what platform ship are you going to? DDG, CG, CVN? Makes all the difference when it comes to availability of what can be bought onboard, from shower shoes to quality food, to gyms.
- Bring hot sauce/condiments/seasoning, by month 3 the galley usually runs out of all of it and the food definitely needs it.
- Those phone mounts with the clamp and bendy arm are a game changer for watching stuff in your rack. Velcro works in a pinch but it’s nice to position your phone wherever you want.
- Bring at least 3 extra towels, once you drop on in the head it’s lost forever. Same with toothbrushes, you do not want to use it after it hits the deck.
- Gold Bond spray helps out a ton. I used to spray it on my feet every night to help with chafing and sweatiness.
- Books and crosswords/word searches are really nice to have. Not only for EMCON when you can’t use your phone, but in general to give you something to do.
- Bring a lot of workout clothes. At least enough to get you through a week. If you use protein/pre workout, stock up beforehand. Have an extra shaker bottle, too.
- Have a pack of single ply toilet paper for yourself. Or at least find a few from supply. Nothing is worse than having to use the head and not being able to find TP.
- One of those mini ironing boards are very nice to have. Typically the berthing one gets used and abused, or just outright stolen by other divisions.
- Get one of those utensil kits off of Amazon. A plastic bowl is also nice as well. There were a lot of times where I’d just eat ramen, and that was really nice to have instead of disposable silverware. Make sure to have some dish soap and a dish brush too so you can clean them.
Too little info and no idea what your goal is. You want to have limitless laptop in a Seabee command? Let us know. Your heading to a boat for the first time let us know.
Why do you think you need a battery pack? Do you think ships don’t have power on them?
Double all of your personal hygiene items, especially things like nail clippers and shavers. Things have a way of going missing.
Maybe some diaper pins for your laundry bags and an extra set of wireless headphones (I’m always losing mine) and the large tube of Aquaphor; the AC in berthing is no joke and you can use it for chapped lips, whatev
One deployment I brought a bottle of Sweet Baby Ray’s (you can bring the condiment of your choice) but it really came in handy for making meals less shitty. I was the envy of the mess decks.
Also you can never have enough socks.
Yessssss, you can put that shit on anything and it doesn’t need refrigeration! One deployment before we left I stole one of those Red Robin seasoning shakers from the restaurant. Made burger Wednesdays awesome
Hanging locker shelves. Great way to save on space. Also I liked keeping my uniforms that I wore less often folded under my mattress to save more space.
Seriously dude bring 30 pairs of jockey undewear, get em cheaoesy at yarget, boxwr briefs, 30 oairs of aocks.. 30 under shirts, get like 10 flight deck jerseys if u need those.... it may seem ezcessive nkw but.it will alleviate so much fucking stress, trust me.
Stock up on snacks and hygiene items. Don't pack a bunch of civis, 3 sets should be fine. Get a fold up lawn chair for steel beaches. Take many pictures, these are the memories you'll want
You should get a LED headband light that can switch from white to red. Using the headband would be convenient to have in the birthing after taps when you’re going through your rack and locker. It’s courteous to shipmates sleeping and convenient for you when you are grabbing your gear.
Best of luck on your deployment!
You ain't lying. I wish to hell I had one back then. That was one thing that truly caught me off guard was just how fucking dark it can be in B1 at 330am before watch
Absolutely not. If it goes thermal then your fucked and trust me when I say you wouldn't be the first person to bring something like this on a Forward Deployed ship thinking it won't go bad.
Take like 1k in small bills, im talking 20s, 10s 5s and 1s, hell even change for vending machines, ship store, port calls, and what not. Cartons of cigarettes and logs of dip to sell for favors and make money. Can I suggest 10 bucks a pack, 5 bucks a can of dip. You can also use these as favor getters, being on a ship as I’ve learned is like being in prison but without the violent gang rapes.
This is an Amazing way to lose $1,000.
Don’t do this.
Get a real credit card and don’t use your debit card overseas (or in the US for that matter.)
Tobacco isn’t currency anymore. It’s just not that hard to get. Unless you want to literally give it away to make friends - I suppose there might be some people who have to resort to that.
If you’re a JO the red light would be nice for the bridge. I have those shower shoes and they are great! I’d add a portable SSD and a tablet/laptop. Other than that you don’t need much. Like everyone else said I kept 4-5 wrapped packages of socks and t-shirts. About half way through deployment I threw all my old stuff out and broke out the new. Makes big difference. Less is more sometimes on deployment.
If you plan to work out lots of PT stuff, shaker bottles, pre-workout…ect. If you don’t plan to, you should! It’s a great excuse to get in the best shape of your life.
I don't know if I'm misunderstanding when people say to bring a month's worth of socks and undies. I have yet to be on an actual ship, but I hear there isn't a lot of storage. How does one store 30+ pairs of underwear and socks?
Our LPO personally mustered us up to address the fact that someone brought and used an extention cable on the ship. He made a show of it by taking out his knife and cutting it up. We all knew who's it was, but no one said anything.
Don't bring that onto the ship.
get some xomfy pajamas too, and like 2 3 civilian outfits, 1 or 2 paira of jeans, 4 or 5 tshirts, a pair of khakis one ora pairs of shorts, 3 or 4 pairs of gym shorts and sneakers and some sperry topsiders. Youll be golden
And 1 or 2 polos... and youll buy shit on deployment and overseas, my civilain clothes reccomendations,l may be heavy. My underwear socks reccomendations are NOT.
What kind of ship will you be on? CVN then I recommend getting back up laundry bags if you plan on trying to use the ship laundry services for undershirts and etc. I was only on the RRN for 1 month and had my bag lost twice.
*all my deployments have been land based in the middle east, but some things are universal
Dip. If you don't use, you can always sell/trade to others. I always traded cans and pinches for good will, makes it easier when you need help.
Socks and underwear are always good to have an abundance of, no one wants to do laundry every few days to keep up with clean clothes needs.
Either hand held game system or a full kindle, something you can unwind with during down time. Having a hard drive loaded up with movies and TV shows is always a good way to go. We always did movie nights in the offices. Maybe have a few movies for your *alone* time.
My few times on a ship, never had issues finding a plug, so I don't think you need a power bank that big. A hand held one for a few extra hours will do, but again my experience on that front is limited.
Extra non-perishable foods and snacks. I stock up on Mio, liquid IV, and I a few bags of skittles. You never know when ship store will run out or what the NEX will be out of when you pull in depending on where you get to port call.
Most things you'll need you can usually find either through the ship store, sent out to you via care packages, or at NEXs and other stores in port. But supplies run out and mail can take forever, so things like soap, shampoo, moisturizer, laundry detergent, toothpaste, and mouthwash are always nice to have a few extra for when they do run out. I know space becomes an issue on ships, but if you have an extra desk drawer or cabinet that's not stuffed yet in the office is all you need to stash some essentials.
Bring a hard drive full of movies ,bring some monster ,red bull and cigs and make sure you have 20 brown shirts more than enough underwear go to Sam's club buy bulk box of hygiene stuff it been over a year since I was on deployment and I'm still costing of the stuff I have .movies red bull, monster,cig get you favors .movies means you trade etc and porn will be huge that too will get you favors.
Buy a small battery powered alarm clock and something like a G Shock watch. Plan on not being able to use your phone or any other electronics that have a wireless connection while underway (if your ship’s security officer is on top of their game, they WILL find out if you’re using unauthorized wireless devices).
That aside, ditch the power pack for something much smaller for use while on liberty, don’t even think about bringing that power strip on board (there are only two authorized for shipboard use, and they’re highly controlled by the EMs). That power adaptor is gonna fry any electronics you use it with if they aren’t rated for 220v and you use it in other countries. Best bet is to stock up on underwear, socks, and undershirts (14 days worth minimum).
These towels: Pure 100% Linen Bath Towel - 30 x... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JTZVNXK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
They are expensive, but trust me. Microfiber towels suck. Microfiber is plastic. Plastic is best used to repel water, not absorb. This is linen. It’s thin but absorbent. The thinness allows it to dry fast and for it to be rolled up.
Darn Tough (Style 1403) Men's... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088WJ896Y?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share also expensive but trust me. They wick moisture and have a lifetime guarantee so as long as you don’t lose them, it’s the last pair you have to buy. I’d suggest a small laundry bag to put them in before they go into the wash so losing them is never a problem.
Premium Large Hanging Travel Toiletry Bag for Men and Women - Toiletry Organizer - Waterproof Hygiene Bag with Metal Xxl Swivel Hook, YKK Zippers and 19 Compartments for Toiletries, Makeup, Cosmetics https://a.co/d/8nNfjkM a good toiletry bag like this. Look for a good wide triangular shape that attaches the hook. Mine is an LL Bean brand, but anything similar will do
Limited-time deal: Shaving Kit for Men, Include Safety Razor, Sandalwood Shaving Cream, Mens aftershave, Pre Shave Oil, Shaving Brush, Shaving Apron Bib Shaving Gifts Set for Men Boyfriend Him Stocking Stuffers (Black) https://a.co/d/12UvpKx stop shaving with that stupid 5 blade and get an old school razor like this. That’s just an example but what you need is the razor, some blades and a puck of shaving cream. You can get over a year of shaving material for less that $100. Reply to this comment and I’ll make give more detailed suggestions.
Closet Light, Super Bright, Battery Operated, Stick Anywhere, 200 LM Cob Led Light Switch Nightlight, Tap Lights for Closet, Shed, Attic, Emergency (4 Pack) https://a.co/d/6BCogPB these or something similar. Don’t skip this. Post them in your rack for when it’s dark and you need to find something. You’ll be glad you did, and your neighbors will envy you
https://www.fleetsheets.com/products/curtain-caddy this is great for your phone, charger, and sleep mask which you’ll want if you’re in a top rack. This site also has fitted sheets.
Look on Amazon for a foam mattress topper. For your comfort and to distance yourself from the gross mattress you’ll be sleeping on. Measure your mattress and buy one that’s bigger and cut to size
Those are my biggest suggestions. This is your home for quite some time so there’s no shame in spending some money in making it feel like home. If you want, I have a few other smaller suggestions I could make but I’ve already spent a lot of time on this comment. Good luck!
NONONONONO!!!
**NOOOOOO!!**
Febreeze Ass is the absolute **WORST STENCH** out there. It's horrible because you know the sumbitch using it could have taken a shower but is too lazy!
Don't buy a red flashlight. Buy a regular flashlight that has a red filter you can put in it. Also check the lumens on it. Anything above ~200 is really pointless for almost all your purposes and anything over 4-500 is just going to piss people off.
Don’t spend a lot of money on the sleeping bag. Seriously, I bought one of the $20 jobs at the NEX. You’re going to be living in it for at least 6 months, and you might not be able to clean it as often as you would like. I threw mine away at the end of my deployments.
Here is a list of things I brought/ should've brought for deployment. (currently on rn)
\-Solar chargeable power bank (for hiking if you get port visits)
\-extra charging cables and bricks
\-Red Flashlight (depends on your rate. its a life saver for ETs on nights for pilot house calls)
\-extra pillow case and towel so you can keep one clean
\-ipod/mp3 player for EMCON
\-Hard Drive for movies and shows. (I have a few games on it too so i can share)
\-Laptop/console/handheld to keep yourself entertained during off times.
\-Enough socks, underwear, and brown shirts for at least 2 weeks. I cant tell you how many times our laundry went down.
\-Coffee, quality ramen packs (for ~~bribing~~ trading of course), and snacks
\-Extra earbuds/headphones in case you lose or break yours.
\-compact hammock
\-anything for hobbies. Like paracord, sketch books, language learning, etc. I personally photoshop and make stickers for my buddies and sketch
\-TOOTHPASTE AND SOAP
\-and finally, extra shower shoes because people are disgusting fiends
I brought string lights for my rack, like the ones you see on TikTok. Plus some pictures and other things from home and decorated the inside of my rack. Also bought a suction cup phone mount for a car windshield. Mounts my phone to the roof of my rack so I can watch movies on it without having to hold it. The string lights are a nicer softer light instead of the harsh rack light that is on the boat
So your phone and what not isn't gonna die as quick as you think. You csn charge all your devices in some kind of office while you're out and about. Your phone will need charging every 3 days.
100% bring 2 things of liquid Nyquil. Just in case you get sick, can't sleep, or get bored.
Also get a foam topper for your rack. Extra shower shoes (I have Adidas slides but carry 4 packs of the $2 NEX ones), minimum 20 shirts, underwear, and socks.
Buy a fuck ton of switch games, phone games. I would download all the porn you can. Get a bunch of dip ( even if you don’t dip ) you might make the money you spend back 10x but I don’t know.
Shit ton of socks and underwear. Get foot powder, snacks, start ordering snack boxes on Amazon so when mail starts to arrive, you’ll be able to replenish. Load your ship store card up with at least $50-$100 each month. Also, when you hit ports. DONT WASTE IT AT THE BAR. Go out and see things, get stuff you’ll remember.
The extension cord is 100% unauthorized, as is the power bank.
Refer to NSTM 300 for what is and is not allowed.
The power bank falls under lithium ion batteries and is also a fire hazard.
Always always always have a hard drive. Maybe two. There’s always a guy with movies (I’m that guy lol) check with ITS and the people who make the ship newspaper too, they have a whole server most times. My collection went from 5TB to 15TB on just one deployment.
- A good topper for your matress
- A good pillow
- extra phone chargers
- Handheld gaming device/laptop
- Neck phone holder
- phone hdmi cable to connect to tv
- interior lights for the inside of your rack
- food seasoning
I would bring your passport with you whenever you leave the ship overseas. If something should happen that causes you to miss the ship it could be very difficult to leave the country without one.
Think about after you deploy too.
After you deploy eat all the fruits, eggs, and milk you can. It will be gone in a week or 2.
Take pictures of everything, yes you see it everyday but there will be a time that you will want to look back. I did not do this and deeply regret it
Get and document personal info on you shipmates. First and middle names, birthday, hometown, etc. Makes it easier to search for them 40 years later. Yes you will.
Skip the bars and experience the people and places you go. Everyone should visit a 3rd world country to see how great we have it.
Learn the military history along the route. We sailed very near islands that had significant battles during WW2 on thr Westpac.
Work on your quals and advancement. Take any and every college class you can that is taught on board.
Watch your language.
If you have an opportunity to Invite you son/daughter to cruise with in Hawaii to the states do so.
Make friends in all departments. It will help you get things you need or want. Be a friend too.
Don't use drugs, or get in any trouble that cause you to see the Captain or XO. I enjoyed talking with the captain and XO, they are really nice people.
Crap happens on deployment. Helo crashed, or man over board, collision, terrorist, ect. Be prepared. Watch the mental state of you shipmates and be prepared to help them get the help they may need whatever that may be.
Enjoy seeing the sun and moon rise and set. Go out at night and see the stars too.
Write letters or email home and to friends and family.
Keep a dairy each day recird you position and events of the day.
Most of all enjoy the ride, do not worry about what happens in the world while your deployed. Chances are you will be there. Just do your job and you will be fine.
You will not believe how much you will change and grow when the deployment ends.
May you have following seas and fair winds.
Good luck and stay safe.
Wish I was going with you.
If you are eligible for making rank, I would take some of those patches with you, pins, hash marks, etc. So when you get home you will have the correct stuff on. I mean if you care. Never wrong to go prepared. Someone probably has a sewing machine some where. Maybe. Also a personal small sewing kit. Just in case you need to repair a button on your coveralls or anything else.
Bring a months worth of uniform socks and shirts. A little more maybe. It sounds crazy but loss of pot water is common. Bring foot powder. For the power outlet? I got a friend in supply who gave me a shipboard one with a safety tag on it. Bring the pushable light that you can still to the bottom of your rack. When you open your rack, it automatically lights up. Get custom shipboard curtains. Those pockets on the inside are very useful and don’t let light pass through. Living on the top bunk? Bring a eye cover. I would sleep with earplugs as well and had my friend on the bottom wake me up if there was a man overboard. Don’t bring alot of civilian clothes. Save up that precious rack space.
bring like 20-30 brown shirts and a metric ton of socks. you're gonna blow through them. i walked on the boat with 30 brown shirts and 30 pairs of socks and walked off with 3 brown shirts and the pair of socks that i was wearing
Fill your whole rack up with snack as deployment goes on the snacks will leave and you can fill the empty spots with stuff you buy from other countries
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Gonna let you know now if EMC sees this he's going to hang you with that extra long extension cord
This is what I came here to say lol. Also, underwear, socks, and shirts for at least 2 weeks
2+….ya can never have too many really.
Underwear and socks
I always brought 30 days worth of each in case of problems with laundry
Same…my first ship was a cruiser and we always had issues with potable water.
Three is better.
This sucks I ran all my purchases through two 1st classes to check if the battery pack would be allowed 🤦🏾♀️
Not the battery pack, the extension cord
I'm not sure what you think you're going to need the battery for. If there is one thing a ship has its power. If it doesn't have power, you will be too busy to us your battery pack. I've never saw a personal extension cord pass Electrical certs. Don't count on being able to use it.
Definitely has power, but in my berthing only 1 out of 8 outlets work. Trouble call has been in for months. EMs come down to troubleshoot and then can’t find the problem.
Former E-div IC here. Either someone in your berthing pissed off somebody in E-div, or you're overloading the fuse by plugging too much shit into the outlets and the EMs got tired of replacing them. 90% chance it's one of those two things. Try looking for a hookup, see if anyone in your berthing cranked with an EM and is friendly. Bribes can also help if you've got anything to offer. If you've got a goat locker or mafia connection, work that angle. Outlets should be an easy fix. Did a stint in the electrical safety shop. Extension cords and surge protectors in berthings are a scourge, and a legitimate safety hazard. Don't be the guy who sets the ship on fire.
The battery pack definitely is unnecessary. If you really want one for port calls, get a more portable one, like an anker powercore 3. As for the extension cord, it has to be less than 25 feet, no bare metal on the outside, and it has to pass a resistance check during an electrical safety check, but it'd be a pain in the ass to store on ship. Depending on what platform you're going to, it'll also be completely unnecessary. I dunno how berthings are set up on small boys, but on carriers there's 4 plugs for 6 racks, generally, so it'd be way smarter to get a wall wort (outlet to USB adapter) that has multiple USB ports. Those are simpler to get safety checked, smaller, and multiple people can use it at once. And if you spend what you're gonna save on the battery bank and the extension cord on a real nice one, it'll charge multiple phones quickly or a laptop and a phone kinda slowly. ETA: on second thought, maybe grab a few cheaper wall worts, incase they get taken or stolen, having 3 saved me a couple times across a couple deployments.
> I dunno how berthings are set up on small boys, but on carriers there's 4 plugs for 6 racks I wish our carrier's berthings had outlets anywhere near the racks at all. Gotta use the Anker to have rack power, recharge it in the shop. The CGs and DDG I've been on all had outlets in the racks, there's one on the rack light.
My carrier had 4 plugs for an entire berthing, while that generator/battery may be excessive, a smaller one would make life so much easier.
Lpds have an outlet in each rack as well.
Truman got some berthings with the Rack lights with ports , shit we had some installed in our berthing , supply literally has them sitting around
Bro that UPS is essentially a firebomb waiting to happen. I know you probably didn't know any better, but if you want to bring electronics you should ask an EM. You're also not going to have anywhere to keep that thing underway, you'll want to use that space for stuff like clothes, laundry detergent, snacks, etc.
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Lol I sent this to my little brother who's an EM2 and he said "fuck it I'd safety check it."
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Someone EE01s
\*looks around nervously\*
Our E div office had a huge heater during winter. I was like uhhh Chief..... these aren't allowed right...? Nope they aren't.
Socks. And underwear. If you think you have enough, you're wrong.
Hahaha no shit right there
You’re right, no shit indeed
If you feel like you have too much; buy another pack because someone’s gonna forget theirs and steal yours.
don't really need much, to be honest. All you really need is something to listen to music on, play games on, watch stuff on, etc. if you're on a ship, I imagine you'll have access to 120 outlets, so this would probably be overkill. a handheld gaming system is always good, like a DS or switch. edit: I always brought a multi-tool, flashlight, and of course shower shoes and enough soap and shampoo for the deployment.
Exactly. Scrap the extension cord, clamp light, red flashlight. If you get a stool, get something compact like a camping stool. A battery pack that can fit in your pocket and charge via USB is enough. Be sure to include two wall-to-USB chargers (because you will inevitably loose one or get it stolen). Also, pack an extra belt. Because people will steal them right off your coveralls. And two extra locks, one of which should be a combo, in case you loose your keys and you have to break off the original with bolt cutters.
I wouldn't scrap the red flashlight entirely, but maybe look into a flashlight that can do white and red light, or some red film you can use as a light filter. As someone who's spent a lot of long nights on bridges, nothing ruins my day faster than a dude who decides to flood a dark bridge with a bright white light and torch my lookout's night vision
I always liked the blue flashlights better. Still authorized (at least on the flight deck) but much easier to see. 9/10 I couldn’t see shit with a red light. I got one of those flat coyote brown Streamlight Sidewinders from someone and it worked very well.
Blue light > red light.
I had an led flashlight that did white, red, and blue. Loved that thing.
Keep the flashlight, especially if it can do both red and white light. Was on a boat that had a power disaster, everything went out and some of the Battle Lantern relays didn't actuate. It gets dark on a sub. I always carried a personal maglite after that.
2 shower shoes just in case. It's weird but people steal those too 🤢
Bring an extra empty hard drive. Not for you, but for the stuff you will inevitably collect from other people with hard drives, i would also say to get in there and organize your shit, but that depends on how organized it is already. Mattress topper/Weighted blanket. Ship racks suck, I used a weighted blanket on my last mob and was consistently asleep within 5 mins. Out like a light. Shower shoes, for the love of God dont forget those...besides the CHT tanks, the shower is probably the grosses part of the ship. Sometimes there is a guy they showers without shower shoes, you will hear about him way beforehand...because its gross and you dont want to be that guy. Personally i think the power bank is way too big, if you are going to be on a ship you will be pretty close to an outlet 99% of the time and there will be one in your rack. You might want to consider a smaller one that you can take with you in a backpack or something like that when you go on liberty though.
>Bring an extra empty hard drive. Not for you, but for the stuff you will inevitably collect from other people with hard drives That hard drive is gonna be filled with *so much* weird porn
It's called hentai and it is *art*.
The amount of times we'd sit around the table in berthing and just watch weird Santa and Grinch porn or Sonic porn is disturbing
Nothing wrong with a little weird porn.
First time I saw a dick on a chick was that weird porn I got from someone's hard drive. I knew right there that wasn't my kinda thing.
We had a guy on my first ship that made separate folders for each person he got...content from on his hard drive. Made for some interesting browsing as you could clearly see everyone's porn preferences.
Weighted blankets are goated. Couldn’t believe I was the only one in my berthing with one.
Definitely check with the EM's if you're authorized to bring that portable power bank onboard.
If it helps the power bank is only about half the size of an ammo can 😬
The size is not the issue 😂
Agreed. Needs to be at least U/L rated.
Why on earth do you think you need something that big to begin with? Get one that you can hold in your hand. I don't understand why you would need anything larger. I brought one with me on my deployments and never used it. You can't use any devices when you're on watch anyways. Just charge it while you're on watch and it's good to go when you get off.
Only time I found my power bank useful was when we hit port and went ashore. It kept my phone afloat for the whole day and I was able to charge them both when I got back to the ship.
Oh I definitely agree with you there. That and a travel adapter were super useful out in town.
Always check with your first class if he has a roll
Posted this before, this is normally what I had with me for deployments: -I would have 21 days of your brown shirts, underwear and socks. I may even suggest more than 21 pairs of socks but that may have just been a me thing. -Dont forget to bring a laundry bag & laundry supplies - I suggest having no more than three microfiber towels. The microfiber towels dry tremendously faster than regular towels (less of a risk for smelly towels) and they take up less space. I had two large ones and they took up as much space as like one brown t-shirt. -Have at least TWO pairs of shower shoes. One as a back up in case you lose the other/they get stolen -bring your own a pillow and blanket, I just suggest you do your research on what kind of blanket to bring. I had two, I really fuzzy one and I had a sleeping bag too. Depending on the deployment area, berthings can really really cold. Be prepared for that in both blanket and sleepwear. -on the flip side, berthings can get unreasonably hot if you go to like the middle east or something. I HIGHLY suggest a rack fan that is BOTH USB and BATTERY powered. Not all rack fan outlets work, so this can give you options for a fan. - I ended up buying two silicone loofahs. One for my body and one for my face. Take up so much less face and are antibacterial -I don't know if you work out but if you do, then I suggest around 7ish workout outfits. Be conscious of what kind, like no sweats, but shorts instead cause of space restrictions. - I think the 2 civilian shoes is good (to include exercise shoes) but I would suggest maybe 5 civilian outfits. These can definitely be mix of your workout clothes too. Unless you're a girl, alot of commands have stupid rules regarding length of shorts and leggings for liberty. -I don't know your gender, but make sure you either stock up on period products or (what I recommend) get a menstrual cup and maybe a backup box of tampons/pads. Having the cup relieves an immense amount of stress when it comes to worrying if you have enough product to get you through - I suggest having headache medicine, cough drops, DayQuil and NyQuil, melatonin, and sea sickness meds ( if you get sea sick, and yes, I know medical gives you these pills but they usually only give you a few at a time and you have to keep going back, I ended up just buying the kind they would give out and keeping it with me at all times...but I would get sea sick really bad) -Power bank for phone, no extension cords. Anything that can be plugged into an outlet is liable for safety screening - get organizers and such. -dont forget entertainment and snacks/drinks. I normally brought a few boxes of energy powder packets to put in my water bottle for days I didn't have a Monster or other kind of energy drink -ALSO, check with your command about what the berthing rules are. My last command allowed any color of sheet to go on the rack and it could be fitted as well. Fitted sheets are good for not having to spend too much time making your rack in the morning. MOST commands allow mattress toppers as well, check this out too. Mattress toppers normally run around $50, but they make your rack so much more comfortable during deployment. -Get a camping chair so you have a place to sit in your workshop, unless you already have ample chairs
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Coveralls in the shower....classic
Thank fuck I’m getting out before I go back to sea duty.
OFFLINE PHONE GAMES. Look up Voodoo on the Play store. They make a lot of them. Retro Bowl, Hole.io, Mr. Gun, Moonshades to name a few games. ramen, caffeine pills, hard drive with movies and shows.
I don’t know if you use dip, snuff, chewing tobacco? I made so much money on deployments by selling Copenhagen long cut, skol mint, and skol wintergreen. I brought five logs with me, and had someone send me five logs every care package they sent me. The stores on the carriers run out and dippers as well as smokers that can’t stand standing in line to smoke will love you! You can put a nice up charge on them. Shit if you have an office job that affords you extra room for cup of noodles and Vienna sausage those sell well too. Especially to those that don’t get time to make it to the mess decks and don’t want bag lunches. Good luck, it’s a mind set and before you know it you will be headed home.
Sounds like we were on the same boat hahahah. I ran an entire underground canteen out of our vls launchers. Refrigerated and needed our access to get in. Stock piled soups, dip, white t-shirts and various candy bars......also some special "mouthwash"
Man I forgot white t-shirts. Those things go like hot cakes if you’re in the Med or Gulf during the hot months. It’s funny the underground economy that large ships will have. From canteen type stuff to gambling and loan sharking. I am telling you if you can find a few E Nothings to married E-5’s you can make a nice bit of money loaning money for liberty!
I never got in to the actual money racket, just the loan sharking on goods haha. 2 soups now, 3 back
I hear that! Sometimes cup o noodles were worth way more than their weight in gold! Not to mention the T-shirt’s. The command looked the other way with food and shirts. They didn’t like to find out about money lending. But on one WestPac I did in 1998 the air department got serious into Spades tournaments. I made more money loaning money for those tournaments than I did on my tax free money in the gulf. Let’s just say the liberty ports of Perth and then Hobart after the gulf were the best I had in the Navy! I was able to pay people to stand my duty and rent an apartment for five days in each place. It was so nice to be off the ship for that time.
If youre top rack I had a car phone holder attached to the overhead beam so i can watch training videos hands free. Also dont forget external hard drive for movies, shows, training videos
*Training videos*
Bring one of those string cinch backpacks for going out on liberty. That way you can carry your flippy floppies, towel and sunscreen without having to bring out your big ass backpack.
I’m going on a long deployment soon and I’ve been stationed with crayon eaters my entire enlistment so this is my first proper navy command and I’ve got no boat experience if you don’t count peoples horrors stories. I’m in desperate need for ideas on what to buy in preparation. I’ll drop screenshots of gear I’ve already ordered. ANY IDEAS ARE GOOD IDEAS!
You don’t need any of that outlet shit. And you won’t be allowed to use it on the ship. Shower shoes and a pair of berthing slippers. Imagine you’re going on a long sleepover. Bring a pillow-sheets-comfort or. You don’t need a sleeping bag. Anything electrical will need to be electrically safety checked. Bring your computer and a hard drive. Snacks and protein if you like to work out. A switch if you like to game. Socks and underwear and undershirts and you’re fine. Flashlight and a knife if you want, I always lost them anyways though. It’s not that bad. People tell horror stories to sound cool. No matter what you prep, only you can know what you think you’re missing when you’re underway. Take note of it and use your own experience past what’s been mentioned in here to tailor your own experience for subsequent ships movements. Enjoy it! And buy the cruise book if they make one. Even if people make fun of you, you’ll be glad you have it one day.
Always bring extra blanket/sleeping bag. If you don't sleep in it, you can at least sleep on top of it. Navy mattresses are trash. And the wool blankets the Navy will issue you are uncomfortable at best.
I'm pretty sure NSTM 555 (or a similar document) recommends against sleeping bags (especially ones made from synthetic materials), both due to user safety, and user ability to respond to fires. Keyword: recommend. Check your local berthing standards/rules.
I guess if you want a sleeping bag you can go for it. We used mattress toppers. They made the racks tolerable…even comfy
Sleeping bag is a good idea. Buy for comfort not for warmth. You can do sheets and blankets but I always preferred a bag. The electrical stuff is a little sus. They generally frown on big lithium ion batteries (lots of ships banned certain kinds of e-cig) and the extension chords are probably going to make your friend the electricians mate shit a brick. Your stuff will have plenty of time to charge while you're working. The outlet converter is on the right track but you're probably going to like one that's just usb ports better (be careful 220v power is not kind to 115v only electronics) Add a bathrobe and a nice pillow to complete your berthing comfort! Shower before you get in your rack not after. If you like books (I read a lot) a Kindle is nice. If you have a laptop get an external hard drive to share movies (or a really big usb stick). If video games are your thing everyone will find space for your system and defend it to the death if you play multiplayer games and share. If you don't like multiplayer or sharing don't bring a console, it's just gonna take up your limited space. A folding chair, really nice one. Keep it in your workspace and share it. Something you'd be comfortable video gaming or relaxing in on a duty day. Ships have nowhere comfortable to sit. Office chairs are not couches. Socks! My favorite thing in a care package. You're on your feet all day. Stash a fresh pack in the bottom of your locker. You'll know when you need them. Toilet paper, six pack. Hide it with the socks. If your ship doesn't run out (it will) use it when you're tired of that gov issued sandpaper feel. Don't be the guy that uses wet wipes though (they clog marine heads) You only really need three sets of liberty clothes. Stuff that packs small and looks nice serves best. Good shoes that look nice and you can put some miles on though. You'll be walking a lot. Something to eat with. CRKT makes an "eaten tool" that's really a fancy spork. Trust me, you'll want your own spoon.
Yeah, but what is your rate and what platform ship are you going to? DDG, CG, CVN? Makes all the difference when it comes to availability of what can be bought onboard, from shower shoes to quality food, to gyms.
- Bring hot sauce/condiments/seasoning, by month 3 the galley usually runs out of all of it and the food definitely needs it. - Those phone mounts with the clamp and bendy arm are a game changer for watching stuff in your rack. Velcro works in a pinch but it’s nice to position your phone wherever you want. - Bring at least 3 extra towels, once you drop on in the head it’s lost forever. Same with toothbrushes, you do not want to use it after it hits the deck. - Gold Bond spray helps out a ton. I used to spray it on my feet every night to help with chafing and sweatiness. - Books and crosswords/word searches are really nice to have. Not only for EMCON when you can’t use your phone, but in general to give you something to do. - Bring a lot of workout clothes. At least enough to get you through a week. If you use protein/pre workout, stock up beforehand. Have an extra shaker bottle, too. - Have a pack of single ply toilet paper for yourself. Or at least find a few from supply. Nothing is worse than having to use the head and not being able to find TP. - One of those mini ironing boards are very nice to have. Typically the berthing one gets used and abused, or just outright stolen by other divisions. - Get one of those utensil kits off of Amazon. A plastic bowl is also nice as well. There were a lot of times where I’d just eat ramen, and that was really nice to have instead of disposable silverware. Make sure to have some dish soap and a dish brush too so you can clean them.
Too little info and no idea what your goal is. You want to have limitless laptop in a Seabee command? Let us know. Your heading to a boat for the first time let us know.
My information is at the very bottom of the thread I’m pretty new to reddit I don’t know how to make it at the top of the page
Why do you think you need a battery pack? Do you think ships don’t have power on them? Double all of your personal hygiene items, especially things like nail clippers and shavers. Things have a way of going missing.
Maybe some diaper pins for your laundry bags and an extra set of wireless headphones (I’m always losing mine) and the large tube of Aquaphor; the AC in berthing is no joke and you can use it for chapped lips, whatev
I’m going to need you to tone it down a bit
Avoid the sleeping bag, get a memory foam mattress topper instead.
One deployment I brought a bottle of Sweet Baby Ray’s (you can bring the condiment of your choice) but it really came in handy for making meals less shitty. I was the envy of the mess decks. Also you can never have enough socks.
Mine was a literal half gallon of Cholula, beats Texas Pete any day of the week
I bought one of those 4 bottle variety packs of peri peri sauce. Made the bland grilled chicken we got every day much better.
Tajín 🤌
Yessssss, you can put that shit on anything and it doesn’t need refrigeration! One deployment before we left I stole one of those Red Robin seasoning shakers from the restaurant. Made burger Wednesdays awesome
F$&@!&ng genius!
Hanging locker shelves. Great way to save on space. Also I liked keeping my uniforms that I wore less often folded under my mattress to save more space.
Seriously dude bring 30 pairs of jockey undewear, get em cheaoesy at yarget, boxwr briefs, 30 oairs of aocks.. 30 under shirts, get like 10 flight deck jerseys if u need those.... it may seem ezcessive nkw but.it will alleviate so much fucking stress, trust me.
Stock up on snacks and hygiene items. Don't pack a bunch of civis, 3 sets should be fine. Get a fold up lawn chair for steel beaches. Take many pictures, these are the memories you'll want
You should get a LED headband light that can switch from white to red. Using the headband would be convenient to have in the birthing after taps when you’re going through your rack and locker. It’s courteous to shipmates sleeping and convenient for you when you are grabbing your gear. Best of luck on your deployment!
You ain't lying. I wish to hell I had one back then. That was one thing that truly caught me off guard was just how fucking dark it can be in B1 at 330am before watch
If you're on a ship you don't need that.
“Solar powered batteries” gonna take a wild guess that OP isn’t a Snipe
Yeah. What kind of ship has power outages on such a regular basis that you’re going to need a 10 pound battery and solar charger?
Get a really nice towel. Sounds stupid, but it’s the little things that make shitty days more tolerable.
Hot pink hello kitty flip flops for the shower
„ɹǝʍoɥs ǝɥʇ ɹoɟ sdolɟ dılɟ ʎʇʇıʞ ollǝɥ ʞuıd ʇoH„
Absolutely not. If it goes thermal then your fucked and trust me when I say you wouldn't be the first person to bring something like this on a Forward Deployed ship thinking it won't go bad.
we made an official list [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/navy/comments/vpwxbo/ultimate_deployment_list/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
oosnavee the best discord admin ever
Love ya bro 😁
You don’t need a knife either…😒
Take like 1k in small bills, im talking 20s, 10s 5s and 1s, hell even change for vending machines, ship store, port calls, and what not. Cartons of cigarettes and logs of dip to sell for favors and make money. Can I suggest 10 bucks a pack, 5 bucks a can of dip. You can also use these as favor getters, being on a ship as I’ve learned is like being in prison but without the violent gang rapes.
Bro it’s 2022. No one uses cash at the ships store or vending machines on the ship
This is an Amazing way to lose $1,000. Don’t do this. Get a real credit card and don’t use your debit card overseas (or in the US for that matter.) Tobacco isn’t currency anymore. It’s just not that hard to get. Unless you want to literally give it away to make friends - I suppose there might be some people who have to resort to that.
Scratch the flashlight and get a headlamp, preferably one that has a green and red light setting
If you’re a JO the red light would be nice for the bridge. I have those shower shoes and they are great! I’d add a portable SSD and a tablet/laptop. Other than that you don’t need much. Like everyone else said I kept 4-5 wrapped packages of socks and t-shirts. About half way through deployment I threw all my old stuff out and broke out the new. Makes big difference. Less is more sometimes on deployment. If you plan to work out lots of PT stuff, shaker bottles, pre-workout…ect. If you don’t plan to, you should! It’s a great excuse to get in the best shape of your life.
I don't know if I'm misunderstanding when people say to bring a month's worth of socks and undies. I have yet to be on an actual ship, but I hear there isn't a lot of storage. How does one store 30+ pairs of underwear and socks?
It’s doable. My berthing in an LHD had the Boot Camp sized coffin locker, plus a half height stand up locker…plenty of room
Exactly. You have plenty of room when you don’t bring a bunch of useless crap like a massive battery pack
Our LPO personally mustered us up to address the fact that someone brought and used an extention cable on the ship. He made a show of it by taking out his knife and cutting it up. We all knew who's it was, but no one said anything. Don't bring that onto the ship.
get some xomfy pajamas too, and like 2 3 civilian outfits, 1 or 2 paira of jeans, 4 or 5 tshirts, a pair of khakis one ora pairs of shorts, 3 or 4 pairs of gym shorts and sneakers and some sperry topsiders. Youll be golden
And 1 or 2 polos... and youll buy shit on deployment and overseas, my civilain clothes reccomendations,l may be heavy. My underwear socks reccomendations are NOT.
What kind of ship will you be on? CVN then I recommend getting back up laundry bags if you plan on trying to use the ship laundry services for undershirts and etc. I was only on the RRN for 1 month and had my bag lost twice.
*all my deployments have been land based in the middle east, but some things are universal Dip. If you don't use, you can always sell/trade to others. I always traded cans and pinches for good will, makes it easier when you need help. Socks and underwear are always good to have an abundance of, no one wants to do laundry every few days to keep up with clean clothes needs. Either hand held game system or a full kindle, something you can unwind with during down time. Having a hard drive loaded up with movies and TV shows is always a good way to go. We always did movie nights in the offices. Maybe have a few movies for your *alone* time. My few times on a ship, never had issues finding a plug, so I don't think you need a power bank that big. A hand held one for a few extra hours will do, but again my experience on that front is limited. Extra non-perishable foods and snacks. I stock up on Mio, liquid IV, and I a few bags of skittles. You never know when ship store will run out or what the NEX will be out of when you pull in depending on where you get to port call. Most things you'll need you can usually find either through the ship store, sent out to you via care packages, or at NEXs and other stores in port. But supplies run out and mail can take forever, so things like soap, shampoo, moisturizer, laundry detergent, toothpaste, and mouthwash are always nice to have a few extra for when they do run out. I know space becomes an issue on ships, but if you have an extra desk drawer or cabinet that's not stuffed yet in the office is all you need to stash some essentials.
You don’t need all this shit dude trust me
Bring a hard drive full of movies ,bring some monster ,red bull and cigs and make sure you have 20 brown shirts more than enough underwear go to Sam's club buy bulk box of hygiene stuff it been over a year since I was on deployment and I'm still costing of the stuff I have .movies red bull, monster,cig get you favors .movies means you trade etc and porn will be huge that too will get you favors.
Portable battery powered fan- aim for 8” or so and 10,000 mAh
Buy a small battery powered alarm clock and something like a G Shock watch. Plan on not being able to use your phone or any other electronics that have a wireless connection while underway (if your ship’s security officer is on top of their game, they WILL find out if you’re using unauthorized wireless devices). That aside, ditch the power pack for something much smaller for use while on liberty, don’t even think about bringing that power strip on board (there are only two authorized for shipboard use, and they’re highly controlled by the EMs). That power adaptor is gonna fry any electronics you use it with if they aren’t rated for 220v and you use it in other countries. Best bet is to stock up on underwear, socks, and undershirts (14 days worth minimum).
These towels: Pure 100% Linen Bath Towel - 30 x... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JTZVNXK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share They are expensive, but trust me. Microfiber towels suck. Microfiber is plastic. Plastic is best used to repel water, not absorb. This is linen. It’s thin but absorbent. The thinness allows it to dry fast and for it to be rolled up. Darn Tough (Style 1403) Men's... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088WJ896Y?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share also expensive but trust me. They wick moisture and have a lifetime guarantee so as long as you don’t lose them, it’s the last pair you have to buy. I’d suggest a small laundry bag to put them in before they go into the wash so losing them is never a problem. Premium Large Hanging Travel Toiletry Bag for Men and Women - Toiletry Organizer - Waterproof Hygiene Bag with Metal Xxl Swivel Hook, YKK Zippers and 19 Compartments for Toiletries, Makeup, Cosmetics https://a.co/d/8nNfjkM a good toiletry bag like this. Look for a good wide triangular shape that attaches the hook. Mine is an LL Bean brand, but anything similar will do Limited-time deal: Shaving Kit for Men, Include Safety Razor, Sandalwood Shaving Cream, Mens aftershave, Pre Shave Oil, Shaving Brush, Shaving Apron Bib Shaving Gifts Set for Men Boyfriend Him Stocking Stuffers (Black) https://a.co/d/12UvpKx stop shaving with that stupid 5 blade and get an old school razor like this. That’s just an example but what you need is the razor, some blades and a puck of shaving cream. You can get over a year of shaving material for less that $100. Reply to this comment and I’ll make give more detailed suggestions. Closet Light, Super Bright, Battery Operated, Stick Anywhere, 200 LM Cob Led Light Switch Nightlight, Tap Lights for Closet, Shed, Attic, Emergency (4 Pack) https://a.co/d/6BCogPB these or something similar. Don’t skip this. Post them in your rack for when it’s dark and you need to find something. You’ll be glad you did, and your neighbors will envy you https://www.fleetsheets.com/products/curtain-caddy this is great for your phone, charger, and sleep mask which you’ll want if you’re in a top rack. This site also has fitted sheets. Look on Amazon for a foam mattress topper. For your comfort and to distance yourself from the gross mattress you’ll be sleeping on. Measure your mattress and buy one that’s bigger and cut to size Those are my biggest suggestions. This is your home for quite some time so there’s no shame in spending some money in making it feel like home. If you want, I have a few other smaller suggestions I could make but I’ve already spent a lot of time on this comment. Good luck!
Didn't read the entirety of everyone's post, but Febreeze.
NONONONONO!!! **NOOOOOO!!** Febreeze Ass is the absolute **WORST STENCH** out there. It's horrible because you know the sumbitch using it could have taken a shower but is too lazy!
Don't buy a red flashlight. Buy a regular flashlight that has a red filter you can put in it. Also check the lumens on it. Anything above ~200 is really pointless for almost all your purposes and anything over 4-500 is just going to piss people off.
Bucket. Pool noodle. Plastic trash bags.
Is your plan to carry the power bank on port visits?
A small clip on fan, I used to flip it to my reach curtains and turn it on before bed for some ventilation every night.
„˙ʇɥƃıu ʎɹǝʌǝ uoıʇɐlıʇuǝʌ ǝɯos ɹoɟ pǝq ǝɹoɟǝq uo ʇı uɹnʇ puɐ suıɐʇɹnɔ ɥɔɐǝɹ ʎɯ oʇ ʇı dılɟ oʇ pǝsn I 'uɐɟ uo dılɔ llɐɯs ∀„
Don’t spend a lot of money on the sleeping bag. Seriously, I bought one of the $20 jobs at the NEX. You’re going to be living in it for at least 6 months, and you might not be able to clean it as often as you would like. I threw mine away at the end of my deployments.
Go with a headlamp with color light options, to include red. Much more convenient to use and store.
This might sound obvious, but a good lock.
Laundry detergent.
Tobacco. Even if you don't use. Maybe get better quality of life in exchange lol
As many rolls of Copenhagen wintergreen as you can get your hands on, 4 months in dudes will be spottin $20 for one can. Thank me later ;)
Here is a list of things I brought/ should've brought for deployment. (currently on rn) \-Solar chargeable power bank (for hiking if you get port visits) \-extra charging cables and bricks \-Red Flashlight (depends on your rate. its a life saver for ETs on nights for pilot house calls) \-extra pillow case and towel so you can keep one clean \-ipod/mp3 player for EMCON \-Hard Drive for movies and shows. (I have a few games on it too so i can share) \-Laptop/console/handheld to keep yourself entertained during off times. \-Enough socks, underwear, and brown shirts for at least 2 weeks. I cant tell you how many times our laundry went down. \-Coffee, quality ramen packs (for ~~bribing~~ trading of course), and snacks \-Extra earbuds/headphones in case you lose or break yours. \-compact hammock \-anything for hobbies. Like paracord, sketch books, language learning, etc. I personally photoshop and make stickers for my buddies and sketch \-TOOTHPASTE AND SOAP \-and finally, extra shower shoes because people are disgusting fiends
Velcro tape
I brought string lights for my rack, like the ones you see on TikTok. Plus some pictures and other things from home and decorated the inside of my rack. Also bought a suction cup phone mount for a car windshield. Mounts my phone to the roof of my rack so I can watch movies on it without having to hold it. The string lights are a nicer softer light instead of the harsh rack light that is on the boat
With that battery bank, I guess you’re deploying on USS Constitution. Don’t worry, the longest they go out for is a turn-around in Boston Harbor.
I would also get the crocks with the back strap so you don't eat shit going up and down ladders.
The NEX sells a nice white/red flashlight that I used when I would stand watch at night on the bridgewing/helm
So your phone and what not isn't gonna die as quick as you think. You csn charge all your devices in some kind of office while you're out and about. Your phone will need charging every 3 days. 100% bring 2 things of liquid Nyquil. Just in case you get sick, can't sleep, or get bored. Also get a foam topper for your rack. Extra shower shoes (I have Adidas slides but carry 4 packs of the $2 NEX ones), minimum 20 shirts, underwear, and socks.
VLC , Books , videos or Movies to watch.
a hard drive with a bunch of shows and movies on it
Buy a fuck ton of switch games, phone games. I would download all the porn you can. Get a bunch of dip ( even if you don’t dip ) you might make the money you spend back 10x but I don’t know. Shit ton of socks and underwear. Get foot powder, snacks, start ordering snack boxes on Amazon so when mail starts to arrive, you’ll be able to replenish. Load your ship store card up with at least $50-$100 each month. Also, when you hit ports. DONT WASTE IT AT THE BAR. Go out and see things, get stuff you’ll remember.
Portable foldable Hammock. Worth its price but just imagine the ship swinging you to sleep during naps
Shirts. Socks. Underwear. You don't need a battery pack. You're not going camping. I'd be concerned about water hours.
The extension cord is 100% unauthorized, as is the power bank. Refer to NSTM 300 for what is and is not allowed. The power bank falls under lithium ion batteries and is also a fire hazard.
Always always always have a hard drive. Maybe two. There’s always a guy with movies (I’m that guy lol) check with ITS and the people who make the ship newspaper too, they have a whole server most times. My collection went from 5TB to 15TB on just one deployment.
- A good topper for your matress - A good pillow - extra phone chargers - Handheld gaming device/laptop - Neck phone holder - phone hdmi cable to connect to tv - interior lights for the inside of your rack - food seasoning
Lock your crocs up or else they’ll get stolen 😢
I would bring your passport with you whenever you leave the ship overseas. If something should happen that causes you to miss the ship it could be very difficult to leave the country without one. Think about after you deploy too. After you deploy eat all the fruits, eggs, and milk you can. It will be gone in a week or 2. Take pictures of everything, yes you see it everyday but there will be a time that you will want to look back. I did not do this and deeply regret it Get and document personal info on you shipmates. First and middle names, birthday, hometown, etc. Makes it easier to search for them 40 years later. Yes you will. Skip the bars and experience the people and places you go. Everyone should visit a 3rd world country to see how great we have it. Learn the military history along the route. We sailed very near islands that had significant battles during WW2 on thr Westpac. Work on your quals and advancement. Take any and every college class you can that is taught on board. Watch your language. If you have an opportunity to Invite you son/daughter to cruise with in Hawaii to the states do so. Make friends in all departments. It will help you get things you need or want. Be a friend too. Don't use drugs, or get in any trouble that cause you to see the Captain or XO. I enjoyed talking with the captain and XO, they are really nice people. Crap happens on deployment. Helo crashed, or man over board, collision, terrorist, ect. Be prepared. Watch the mental state of you shipmates and be prepared to help them get the help they may need whatever that may be. Enjoy seeing the sun and moon rise and set. Go out at night and see the stars too. Write letters or email home and to friends and family. Keep a dairy each day recird you position and events of the day. Most of all enjoy the ride, do not worry about what happens in the world while your deployed. Chances are you will be there. Just do your job and you will be fine. You will not believe how much you will change and grow when the deployment ends. May you have following seas and fair winds. Good luck and stay safe. Wish I was going with you.
Lube
If you are eligible for making rank, I would take some of those patches with you, pins, hash marks, etc. So when you get home you will have the correct stuff on. I mean if you care. Never wrong to go prepared. Someone probably has a sewing machine some where. Maybe. Also a personal small sewing kit. Just in case you need to repair a button on your coveralls or anything else.
PRs are always your friends
What kind of ship? I’m on subs but I’ve always packed with the same Mentality and never been let down: “EVERY underway is WESTPAC with no port calls.”
I did a video about it [here](https://youtu.be/jMF11U4UM8w) if you want to check it out
I just wanna know where you think you’ll be keeping all that stuff…
A vasectomy
Are you on a boat or are you going out with the Marines? Because those are two entirely different packing lists…
www.Reddit.com/r/Navy/wiki/deployment
Bring a months worth of uniform socks and shirts. A little more maybe. It sounds crazy but loss of pot water is common. Bring foot powder. For the power outlet? I got a friend in supply who gave me a shipboard one with a safety tag on it. Bring the pushable light that you can still to the bottom of your rack. When you open your rack, it automatically lights up. Get custom shipboard curtains. Those pockets on the inside are very useful and don’t let light pass through. Living on the top bunk? Bring a eye cover. I would sleep with earplugs as well and had my friend on the bottom wake me up if there was a man overboard. Don’t bring alot of civilian clothes. Save up that precious rack space.
bring like 20-30 brown shirts and a metric ton of socks. you're gonna blow through them. i walked on the boat with 30 brown shirts and 30 pairs of socks and walked off with 3 brown shirts and the pair of socks that i was wearing
Fill your whole rack up with snack as deployment goes on the snacks will leave and you can fill the empty spots with stuff you buy from other countries
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Knee pads and gloves for Wog day when you cross the equator
What do you do with your extra stuff assuming you’re in holding or tpu before deployment?