Nelson Chafetz's Page

Welcome to NavyDads.com Nelson ! When my daughter enlisted in 2005 and left for RTC, I had virtually no knowledge of Navy life or how the Navy did things. By the time her PIR rolled around, I was starting to get the hang of things and understand some of the language and abbreviations, but still felt like a fish out of water when dealing with most topics concerning the US Navy. When my son enlisted and left for Great Lakes in 2007, I got serious about trying to learn as much as possible about the Navy. Now, several years into my journey, I’m blessed to say I have two sailors in the family - my son Eric (AM2) was on the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), was attached to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 37 (HSM-37) in Hawaii, was attached to VAW-125, and just transfered to VRC-40 ("Rawhides"). My daughter Kat is now a Navy veteran and was stationed on the carrier Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) as a Mass Communications Specialist(MC3). If NavyDads.com were around in those early days, it would have made my first days as a Navy parent much easier!

I'm sure you'll find NavyDads.com as useful, educational and informative as I have over the past few years. Click How To Get Started for a guide on getting going in your NavyDads.com experience! I hope you take the time to explore the site and make some new friends. Read the discussions and add your comments. Browse through the postings in the various groups or start a new one. If you have any comments, questions or concerns about your sailor and what he is going through...be sure to post them! In my experience someone here can answer your questions or concerns or can point you in the direction to find out. And Nelson this is a great place to brag as well! So join in, get active, and be sure to let us know how your son Joseph is doing! Please remember that we talk about the Navy here and we must keep the security and safety of our sailors and the fleet in mind. On the right or starboard side of every NavyDads page is an area we call Key Information. Please take a minute and read through the Operations Security (OPSEC) link for some guidelines as to what we should not talk about in a public forum like NavyDads.com.

Play the following video for a brief introduction to NavyDads.com. We've made some cosmetic changes to the site since this video was made, but navigation remains the same.

Best Regards- Paul

Nelson, I noticed your comment about a Tiger Cruise. Here are some things you should know:

Q.   What is a Tiger Cruise?

A.   Tiger cruise is the chance for family and friends to see up close what the US Navy does on a day to day basis. In our case, guests will observe at sea operations and an air power demonstration.

Q.   What is a Tiger?

A.   "Tiger" is any relative or friend(but not girlfriend/boyfriend, fiancée or spouse) of a crew member or embarked personnel joining us for the transit.  It was established for family and friends to experience all facets of the shipboard life of their sponsor.

Q.   Who can participate in Tiger Cruise?

A.   Relatives and friends of crew members or embarked personal are eligible.  By Navy regulations, spouses, significant others, fiancés, fiancées, girlfriends and/or boyfriends are not eligible. 

Q.   Are there any age restrictions?

A.  Tigers must be a minimum of 12 years old on the day of embarkation and no older than 75. 

Q.   What medical restrictions apply to Tigers?

A.   Family members and friends with the following medical conditions are excluded from Tiger Cruise participation.

      • Major surgery within the past 6 months.

      • Recent myocardial infraction or other severe cardiovascular disease.

      • Bone Fracture or other disability requiring cast, cane or crutches during embarkation.

      • Embarkation of pregnant females is prohibited.

      • History of severe motion sickness or claustrophobia.

      • Severe emphysema, COPD, asthma, or reactive airway disease.

      • Active communicable disease (tuberculosis/hepatitis).

      • Severe visual impairment.

      • Dependent on anti-coagulant medications.

      • Epilepsy.

      • Hemophilia.

***ALL tigers must bring their own medications - the ship cannot provide subscription medications***

Note: Individuals with the following conditions - angina pectoris, insulin-dependent diabetes, HIV-positive, chronic lung disease, or any prosthetic surgery must have a written clearance from their doctor AND must be approved by the ship's Senior Medical Officer for participation. Please update any changes you have already submitted.