nunn (military ???)
As a proud father of a PFC heading for Iraq can you tell me how the line of communication is. Are the non-nco`s allowed e-mail and will their cell phones work over there or even allowed??? thanks!!!! WISHING ALL OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS GOOD LUCK!!!
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Two of my Sons have been deployed to Iraq as enlisted men and communication is tough.
No personal cell phones, limited access to pay phones - send prepaid phone cards (calls home are expensive). Periodic access to email, but don't count on it being available to them at specific times.
They REALLY appreciate care packages and snail mail letters.
Family photos, little, personal stuff is appreciated. Don't send cakes, but hard cookies are highly prized - send lots 'cause they share them with their buddies.
Thank your Son for me for his service to America, and God Speed him on his safe return.
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First off, Travis Nunn is not heading for Iraq, he's IN Iraq.
Second, all soldiers have email access, most of them have it in their living quarters. All soldiers have access to phones somewhere on every base. All soldiers have oppertunities to purchase cell phones that do work in Iraq/Kuwait.
Some cell phone services from the states, like T-Mobile, for example, do work in the middle east, however, rates skyrocket, and plans are null-and-void. T-Mobile charges somewhere around $1.75 a minute if you're using the same service you have in the states.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Zulu7
First off, Travis Nunn is not heading for Iraq, he's IN Iraq.
Second, all soldiers have email access, most of them have it in their living quarters. All soldiers have access to phones somewhere on every base. All soldiers have oppertunities to purchase cell phones that do work in Iraq/Kuwait.
Some cell phone services from the states, like T-Mobile, for example, do work in the middle east, however, rates skyrocket, and plans are null-and-void. T-Mobile charges somewhere around $1.75 a minute if you're using the same service you have in the states.
...man, things have come a long ways in the last 15+ years...0 -
quote:Originally posted by ECC
quote:Originally posted by Zulu7
First off, Travis Nunn is not heading for Iraq, he's IN Iraq.
Second, all soldiers have email access, most of them have it in their living quarters. All soldiers have access to phones somewhere on every base. All soldiers have oppertunities to purchase cell phones that do work in Iraq/Kuwait.
Some cell phone services from the states, like T-Mobile, for example, do work in the middle east, however, rates skyrocket, and plans are null-and-void. T-Mobile charges somewhere around $1.75 a minute if you're using the same service you have in the states.
...man, things have come a long ways in the last 15+ years...
I guess! We were lucky to have phones to call home, and you usually had to travel quite a ways to get to them, and then there was a time limit on how long you could talk. Expensive to talk on as well. Other than that there was good old fashion snail mail, and if you were lucky you could receive your mail in about 3 weeks after it was mailed.0 -
...Idsman can answer that best/too, he spent a tour (just got back) in Iraq, give him a shout...[;)]
...he he....Nunn had to join "My Space" ([:D]) to get the latest on Trav...or maybe that was "just" and excuse for David to join My Space...[:0][8D]
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My son is in S. Korea. We can call him on his cell phone but,,,it costs $1.75 a minute (just roaming charges, the call is actually free for Verizon family plan).
However he has internet access in his room and we talk to him 3 to 5 times a week on Ventrillo.
We send him care packages once a month. In those packages are microwaveable single serving meals and cookies. Those things are what he cannot get in country.0 -
Depending on where you're at, Internet is the easiest thing to get your hands on. My cell phone was one of those that was nationwide, and I called to let them know I was going, so they didn't charge me roaming charges. You just gotta shop around. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Zulu7
First off, Travis Nunn is not heading for Iraq, he's IN Iraq.
Second, all soldiers have email access, most of them have it in their living quarters. All soldiers have access to phones somewhere on every base. All soldiers have oppertunities to purchase cell phones that do work in Iraq/Kuwait.
Some cell phone services from the states, like T-Mobile, for example, do work in the middle east, however, rates skyrocket, and plans are null-and-void. T-Mobile charges somewhere around $1.75 a minute if you're using the same service you have in the states.
He said "As a proud Father of a PFC headed to Iraq" He meant that a He is the father of the son that is headed to Iraq, He knows Nunn's son is IN Iraq, thats why he is asking.
just thought i would clear that up [;)]
and yes, tell him thanks for serving his country! [:D]0 -
quote:Originally posted by knot-head
As a proud father of a PFC heading for Iraq
When is he leaving?
Tell him Thanks.0 -
I quess this came out after nunn left for work,,
Travis calls about once a week or so he emails and has a myspace account.
He has his own laptop and could have taken his cingular cell phone but the price per minute was high
He enjoys getting mail and packages.
The other night he called and david missed his call by a few seconds come to find out after he couldnt us he called my 10year neece caitlin to talk to her,they email each other sometime she tells us stuff about what travis is doing that we didnt know.
My girls miss him so much and I just love the fact that he cares about them to call just to say hi cant tell you how much that means to me,,,,he is a great guy.0 -
Travis told me:
Don't bother with phone cards. The ones available to him there are CHEAP, 4 cents a minute. He calls about every other week. Depending on where he is when he calls, the phone connection can be very good or very bad.
Don't send any more food. Storage space is limited. He has good access to all kinds of food products.
Send snail mail. Local papers. Magazines. Pictures.
He has limited access to internet, and uses it rarely. He is too cheap to pay for internet in his quarters. In his defense, however, his outfit is mobile, and he is in his quarters rarely.
I have encouraged members to box up their old magazines and send them. They will be read and passed along and re-read.
Travis left his cell phone here. Cingular will work over there, but the airtime is $2.49 a minute. OUCH!
I have sent him lots of the pocket size packages of disposable wipes, but have no feedback as to their desirability.
I also sent a bottle of Tabasco. Tabasco can make a lot of foods palatable.
The Christmas lights I sent were a bust. They don't work on the generated electricity, and they blew up.
Travis has a big Texas flag on his barrack wall, and a Confederate battle flag design on his bedspread. Little personal touches like that are nice and good for morale.
His Gerber Multi-tool comes in handy, as does his Gerber Applegate Covert knife, both gifts from me.
Travis thinks duct tape will fix anything, so I sent him several rolls.
I have sent a lot of personal grooming items, again with no feedback.
He asked for some Rogaine, to repair a bald spot created by an ill-fitting helmet. I sent him some, but I told him to fix his helmet and his hair will probably grow back without it.
He has a digital camera, but has yet to send me any pictures. He broke the display on it, and I have told him to send me the camera so I can get it replaced under the warranty, but he hasn't yet.
Honestly, what he said he treasures most are cards, letters, and pictures from friends and family.0 -
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR RESPONCES!! Pickenup, last word was for 0600 feb 6, but you know the military, could change any time!!! there shipping out ceremony date was changed 5 times to differant locations and times!!! 0 -
quote:Originally posted by sarge_3ad
quote:Originally posted by ECC
quote:Originally posted by Zulu7
First off, Travis Nunn is not heading for Iraq, he's IN Iraq.
Second, all soldiers have email access, most of them have it in their living quarters. All soldiers have access to phones somewhere on every base. All soldiers have oppertunities to purchase cell phones that do work in Iraq/Kuwait.
Some cell phone services from the states, like T-Mobile, for example, do work in the middle east, however, rates skyrocket, and plans are null-and-void. T-Mobile charges somewhere around $1.75 a minute if you're using the same service you have in the states.
...man, things have come a long ways in the last 15+ years...
I guess! We were lucky to have phones to call home, and you usually had to travel quite a ways to get to them, and then there was a time limit on how long you could talk. Expensive to talk on as well. Other than that there was good old fashion snail mail, and if you were lucky you could receive your mail in about 3 weeks after it was mailed.
How right you are Sarge! Heck when I was there I was glad to just see a shower! Phones were maybe a 2 time a month thing, and mail we got about 1 time a week and it was all a month old when we got it.
We at log base Echo didn't see alot of luxeries at all and since I was usually out in the truck running fuel they came even fewer to me. Once we moved into Iraq and Kuwait they got even fewer. At one point I had not even had a shower in over a month! And that was while wearing a chemical suit 24/7!
And YES I did smell pretty rank![xx(][xx(]0 -
Knot-head - My son is career Army (NCO). That ship out day is a hard day - always is. Of course the days following are also hard... Not knowing what your son does, i can tell you from what i have read from others that have posted on this thread - all things are not the same. When he was on post, he said the food was great - prepared by KBR contractors.
My son has a high level security clearance MOS and was stationed at Camp Victory in Baghdad (one of those if he told me, they would arrest us both things). He couldn't tell us much about what he did, but he was not allowed to have a cell phone. He could not carry a camera when on duty or at the unit building complex. He could use internet service in the Comm Center and the phone, when he was there. He bought some kind of phone card over there that was dirt cheap (i think through AT&T). We got an email about once a week and a short phone call every few weeks. I told him if he got the chance to call, he should call his wife and daughter.
He liked the care packages, especially the jerky and potato chips, and snail mail with pictures from home and buddies. I tried to write him an email every day, just telling him mundane things like what was going on around home and what we were doing. He never talked about what he was doing or where he was going. He is one of those gung-ho Airborne types that thinks he is bullet proof (i just wish he were).
I sent him off with a Microtech LUDT pocket knife and a Randall made Airman. He also carries a leatherman. he said all were very useful, as is a really good small flashlight and a small hand-held GPS. Everyone in his unit carried a small GPS, with certain coordinates plugged in.
Keep us posted with updates on him. I will include him in my thoughts and prayers.0 -
I made sure my guys had a chance to call home at least once a week. I was a Squad Leader in Iraq. We didn't live on the FOB. We lived in an Iraqi Police station. Opportunities were slim but I made sure it worked out at least once/week. Theater policy is that no personal cell phones are allowed.
Some of us purchased some local cell phones (all prepaid AsiaCell) on the local economy. We made pit stops once/week for the prepaid phone cards pulling security in front of a cell phone shop to make the purchases. It was in a "safer" part of the city. It was in violation of theater policy but I looked the other way. Some folks called home NIGHTLY that way. Letters could find their way back to the FOB daily one way or another. Email was an opportunity about once/week. I got ahold of a phone line and a pre-paid internet card and was (on very RARE occasion) able to connect to the internet on the local economy from inside the police station. It only worked from 1am - 2am. Long enough to get my programs registered on my new computer and get some updates online.
Zulu--Who has internet in their living quarters? I knew it was a massively expensive option which required the purchase and installation of a dish and an expensive startup fee (around $1500 I think) but I didn't know anyone that had it in their quarters. Hell, my Commander had to go to the TOC to use the net for official purposes.0
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