Hello, Norfolk

My husband and I arrived in Norfolk very late Monday night (the 18th). Checked into our hotel and stayed up even later, getting my dress whites ready for the morning and worrying about when I needed to check in, since nobody told me. I figured it probably didn't matter as long as it was in the morning... and I was right. Got a little turned around my first time on base. Google had given me poor advice about where TPU (Transient Personnel Unit) was actually located; correct street, just wrong side of the base. :)

At first I thought I wouldn't need my cell... reinforced thinking from San Diego... and started out on foot in search of TPU. I used the TSC building to ask directions, since I know about them, and a senior chief directed me the right way, mentioning I needed to drive a little further down the road. So I returned to the car, and just when I did, my ship called me, giving direction about checking into TPU. It was easy from there on. Nimitz Hall (for TPU) had an adjacent parking lot. Had to stop for colors on the way, but that was fitting for my first day back. First thing to do in the office, fill out forms, then report one floor upstairs to the FFT (Further Fleet Transfers) office. A couple more forms, then since I was the only one checking in at the time, the staff petty officer, AM2, talked about housing with me, mentioning that the place I wanted was extremely inconvenient. He had lived there for 3 years... and between the hour commute in the morning, the constant noise from the F-18's, and the mosquitoes from the nearby swamps, he was very excited to be moving somewhere else next week. So that was very timely information...

On the way back to the hotel I stopped by the military housing support center and talked with an agent in person for the first time. My application (faxed in on the 12th) had been approved on the 18th... and it was still alright to change the location preference. Whew! My husband and I spent the rest of the day looking at our four options... one across the street, one up north, one by the Amphibious base, and lastly, one by the Naval Air Station, which I already knew I didn't want; just wanted to see it. The second one won out... the community manager was there and offered to show us a unit later in the day. The pool was being used by kids, and there seemed to be a good atmosphere around the place.

Talk about a busy first day! The next day -Wednesday- (after a morning filled up with urinalysis) I got the contract at the office to go over with my husband, then we looked at the exterior of our specific unit (that happened to be the same design as the one we were shown) and then returned to the office to sign the contract. Not bad work for the first two days!

Thursday morning, about 25 of us had command Indoc. The XO, CMC and another Master Chief, along with a staff petty officer went over the usual Indoc concepts. Welcome, here's where everything is, be good Sailors, come to work, don't abuse alcohol, know about suicide, and bear with us as we try to get you to your next command ASAP. :) On the way home I unpacked my very tightly packed car into a local self-storage unit so I would feel safer and less awkward driving around. It happened to be 92 degrees that morning, so it was hot in my NWUs as I emptied the car.

Friday, we had training in the partition next to the one we had for Indoc. I overheard the CMC give his talk very much the same way he had given it to us yesterday... "On your feet"... "attention to the Sailor's Creed"... "stand at attention for inspection"...and he was a very down-to-earth type of guy too. Our training was GM2 answering questions about fleet life. It was a good session and I learned a few things.