Inside the Crazy Stores Run by the Navy on US Aircraft Carriers 

Supply folks were our best friends on the carrier. Retired A-Div MM here. Thanks for your service.

Thanks for your service SH2! I got out of active as an SHSN, but retook the ASVAB to do IT in the reserves.

Man look…. as a jarhead I know I damn sure appreciated it. After being in the sand after weeks and weeks with no hot chow or showers and then you come back aboard and hit the ships store…. Best damn feeling in the world. Thanks for everything you did shipmate! 😊

The most important person in any military branch are the food services workers!They can make or break morale easy.

I guess they don't put a beer in one of the soda machines anymore. they did that on a LSD I was on and a DDG.

😂😂

Came here to see if someone made this comment 😂

we can not win without your coffee！so thank you so much！😂

What a stupid comment! The Navy does things to deep moral up! Food is an essential component! This is why they have Starbucks! I want to Thank all the service men and women and veterans out there for defending the USA!

@@shecandance9500 Good lord. Humor is also something that keeps up morale. Pretty sure no service members were offended by this comment. How are you possibly offended by a comment that has nothing to do with you? Lighten up, Francis. I hope you find something that makes you smile today. 🙂

SSN 650 & SSN 674 here. Thanx for your service! 😊

Choose your rate, you choose your fate.

You picked your poison. Way to try to make this about you.

I don't know how long you've been out but submarines now have like the best food in the fleet.

I was initially suppose to be on a Sub. Right before boot camp graduation my orders were changed because I only has 20/30 vision. So I went to avionics A school in Millington Tennessee.

Ship's Serviceman is the actual rate, they are also barbers, and hair stylists, run the laundry, and stock all the vending machines.

There are a hell of a LOT worse jobs ......

Imagine not joining anything and shitting on the people we love the most

Best jobs actually 😅

Cushy little job I..my sons in the merchant navy as a cadet officer 🇬🇧 the only shop they get is a bond shop which is only open on various days when he's at sea.

the ID plate above the door to the aft ship's store on the kitty hawk said "ice cream plant"

​@@kipplebits8619My deceased brother served proudly on the USS Kitty Hawk in the late 70s.

My dad was one 2 different carriers in WW2 and they had soda fountains on them.

Lies again? App Store AVN SaiGon

They have soft serve machines that areup more than McDonald’s We still have issued coffee…. Blacker than night which works for me😊

I remember the New London laundry marts had signs on the window saying “no patrol clothes “

Been there, done that and got the T-shirt.

Thank you for your service while he did his service.

Try white vinegar

Usually JP5

Same on CV-67 John F. Kennedy, added foam, before "Starbucks" !

It made that coffee lip smacking good. Just don't hold an open flame close to it.

Soot? ,,, A Jacksonville Native

JP5 in the bug juice! USS Ranger

"Old Navy" Sound like my dumbass dad. I did 21 years, these Sailors can handle it.

Calling 1992 the old navy is funny.

The tough guy act of being older isn’t cool anymore. Get over it.

My 4 years in NJROTC really helps me understand the Navy as a US Army Soldier haha I love y'all the most because y'all are the ones to bring the heat to battle when we've been pinned down. Ahh the sound of a ship's cannon and the explosion therein after and the smell of Charred enemy makes me go CRAZY ❤ Y'all are awesome and that last part I said was a joke, but I still love the Navy 😊

Cell phones and internet are not available unless the ship is at or near a port because their use gives out the ship's position. The Ukrainian military killed a lot of Russia's top generals and their staff by picking up the signal from the cell phones they were using.

Soooo....... Do they still allow this kinda thing? Might need to do a branch change lmao

@@scotsman242 Yes, I know an Ensign that just got back and bought his dad a Beretta ACS BFAST. The procedure was different though I just bought the shotguns and filled out a form of sale and that was it. They asked me if I wanted to take it with me. I told him I would get back to him. I asked the XO if I could store a few Beretta shotguns in the small arms storage, he looked at me and said, "Sure, but if they go in there, they will be used for skeet shooting for the crew." I didn't want 250 guys shooting them.

The only store on my carrier was what they showed in the video. Like a convenience store. Could order things through the NEX back on base but the pricing wasn't much better than you'd catch with a good sale.

OMG really? My Dad was also on the USS Midway during that time. The ship's store was were my dad bought my mom her wedding set.

Absolutely correct. We had a fridge in our shop and kept it full of pop/soda. We used it if someone had emergency leave and needed a few more bucks to go home. Would replenish when liberty came around.

@@jimpowell2296 back in the real Navy

@@prigs750 Roger that!

As a Norwegian I wholeheartly agree, while we do have a small military it is our NATO membership and cooperation with the americans that keep us safe, we know or atleast up to Trump is elected... we have known that if someone attacked us we had the american's help. We where under USA's nuclear umbrella. As a former armyguy who served my army and did my duty, I am also proud of our allied forces who on a daily basis safeguard our peace around the world.

@@arcticblue248I don't think you need to be worried about Trump not backing up Europe and leaving Europe on it's own. He's a smart man who knows what the result would be of leaving Europe and Nato to fend for it'self. I believe (hope?) that he is just talking tough to make the countries who don't pull their weight do their fair share.

@@Ozgrade3 So true pal, President Trump knows that are allies are a huge factor when he's making efforts to make sure the U.S and all our friends are safe from terrorist.

Ported in Fremantle, spent time in Perth on our way to deployment in Iraq. Had a great time there. You Aussie’s are great people. Beautiful women.

@@Cmon-Manthat's mate, it's always nice to get compliments of ones country. We give Americans a lot of stick......but we do deeply care for and respect our American cousins.

Yeah, I served on that ship as well during the 1990's.

My son's first ship was the Sara in 1988, stationed in Mayport 330 miles north of Ft. Lauderdale. He retired after 21 years as a CPO & AO instructor.

In the USN steel beach was a cookout on the flight deck. Lots of activities. Lost a few volleyballs over the side.

I was an airdale, so I was on the flight deck often. Whether during flight ops or after launch or recovery.

That looked like a FOD walkdown in the video. Always jumped at the chance if it was nice weather. Most of us are specifically not allowed on the flight deck.

incredible, both of them

At least they have their names on their shirts so the Barrista's know what to put on their cups.

You still cut ?

They are paying for specialty items. Regular coffee and snacks would be available for free at the mess hall. Same for all branches. Chow is free (while deployed at least) and copious but stuff like this is an add on.

They get VA home loans they're good lol

@@MrTmenzo VA loans aren't that much better than conventional...

The US military seems like it gets a ridiculous amount of funding, but in reality there is barely enough to keep things from completely falling apart. R&D and the manufacturing of ships, vehicles, weapon systems, ammunition etc. eats up a huge amount of that. If the military had to pay for each of the 1.328 million active service people to receive daily one Starbucks coffee (drip coffee and regular snacks are abundant and always free in the mess) and some candy or chips, even if at a discount they were only paying $5 each for that (which is lower than what they are paying) they'd have to pay $2.4 billion a year. That's insane - the entire aircraft carrier costs $13 billion, for comparison. A Starbucks trip a day adds up, as many people discover if they ever sit down and make a budget. "Why am I always broke? Oh wait, I'm spending $250 a month at Starbucks?! No way!"

You’ve never had Navy coffee, been 50 years but I’m sure it hasn’t changed. It taught me to use sugar & cream 😄

You pull in to port every two weeks or so. It isn’t all that bad.

I work at cargo ship for 9 momths contract.

You caught the spelling error as well.

So is 12 hour shifts 7 days a week.

@@gwhiddon1 most likely 8 hours for 7 days a week no holidays plus overtime

Morris we had a cigarette store though, lol. ($1.70) a carton out past the three mile limit. USS Ranger CVA-61 same years as you.

I served in a fighter squadron for two Westpac cruises, 67-68, 68-69. Aboard USS Ranger.

I served in the 7th fleet and was in the Western Pacific for 28 months straight, pf course I did get 2- 30 day leaves and easily flew home both times but yea it was hard being gone that long

​@tallwalls76 danang 1971 smokes a nickel a pack. Did not smoke but were good for trading on patrol

The coms to call home are so much better now. We had one sailor phone on the main deck. Buck a minute for satellite call. One way communication at a time. People making tons of noise in the background. Better than nothing. Now they have email, cell phones, etc. Much better and glad for them.

94 to 98 Stennis had none either.

Because they didn't start putting in Starbucks shops on carriers till around 2008. And to make room for them, they sacrificed where a typical snack shack would be, or part of a First Class mess.

The RCN is the same.

Thanks for hooking the US navy guys up on your ship!

Same as the RAN too

@@bluedog1052 not anymore they don't. only on special occasions eg Anzac day

We do not get alcohol rations in the US Navy. Unless we go more than two months at sea with no port calls, then we get two cans of beer each. A cruise in which you never get a port of call is called a "six pack cruise". The US drinking age is 21 so I think a lot of our young sailors would handle alcohol rations poorly. There is alcohol in the Admiral's mess, though.

It’s computer generated.

yea i can see the pilot rushing to his plane handing his ROI a mocha putting his own in the cup holder before strapping in and asking the crew where am i going again?

@@philiprice7875They don’t call it “turn and burn” for nothing

I wonder if it is used to find illegal drugs on board.

Ha. I was ship's company on Big E. Got used to the slight diesel taste in the water. The smell of diesel engines still reminds me of the liberty boats, meaning it smells like freedom.

I'd take the $40 cash, then buy maybe 20 fresh draft beers with it somewhere at the next port!

Air Force here. I recall my first deployment to Iraq (Nasiriyah) in 2005. It had a Green bean Coffee Shop, Burger King, Pizza Hut and many others. It was an odd experience as we lived in tents at the time. Trash for us wasn't an issue. It got sent to the burn pit...along with chemicals, paints, and other dangerous items. Little did we know at the time that those burn pits were killing us...literally.

A closed mess is the best mess.⚓️🇺🇸✌🏻🍻

This is hilarious! I don’t think too many modern sailors could put up with what we didn’t have in the Royal Australian Navy back in the 80s! We had a tiny ship’s canteen to buy the basics and a few sweets through a hole in the wall(ok, a counter in the bulkhead with a roller shutter) from the main passageway, but that opened once a day only when the one Chief(he was a great bloke, BTW!) who ran it was available at seemingly random times and only stayed open for 15 minutes each time! You’re on watch and hear the pipe that it’s open? Too bad! 🤣 Instant coffee, tea bags and sugar were always available however, right near the water boiler in the junior sailors cafeteria, which seated way less than half the ship’s 170 or so junior sailors. There was a fridge near there with milk(full cream only, and most likely to have been frozen prior). The fridge was near the one vending machine(goffa machine) which had Coke, Fanta, etc. Those drinks were collectively known as goffas. This is just my experience of life aboard an RAN DE, or River class Destroyer Escort, as these were the best years of my life! I must say I envy the amenities on USN CVNs, but I loved my time. We could usually have 2 beers each night at sea! Or unofficially more if one was the “beer bosun” who took the beer issue orders from those who wanted it each night… yep, that was me taking those orders for my mess(which is our berthing spaces in American speak and we had 15 bunks in my mess). 🇦🇺🤣 I should stop rambling…

@@NoName-ds5uqMet an Aussie DEstroyer in Guam and we played softball in the rain. My ship brought steaks for the Barbie and the Aussies brought the beer-wow. The beer was reg. Australian and I was used to the US 3.2 beer. After a while I quit going in from the outfield and played right field the rest of the game. Great time with a great bunch of guys👍👍👍👍👍

@@steventrostle1825 I remember a game of cricket similar to that(no rain nor steaks though) against another Australian ship in Hong Kong… the standard of play degraded as the game went on, but we all had a great time! I also have great memories of having a few(a lot) frothies with you Yanks. Great times! Yes I know not all Americans are Yankees, but to us ignorant Aussies you’re all Yanks, and in rhyming slang, “Septic Tanks”, or “Septics” for short… Don’t be offended, we’re like that with everyone we like. You should hear what we call our Kiwi cousins! 🤣

We had days old burnt coffee. When we had power.

@@lawrenceleverton7426 that too 😂

Hello carrier navy guy.was in 69-73 cva 43 the coral sea.welcome home

@@thomaskiely-oz4bp Back atcha. Welcome home. I like you, was not welcomed home by anyone other than my family for 20 years. Then one day a fellow said those words. Welcome home and thank you. It really had an impact on me, even 20 years after the fact.

The 2 most emotional days like of my life was when my dad retired after hitting his 20. Close behind on the emotional scale was attending USS Ranger's decommissioning.... And yeah when I found out she was going to the breakers a few more tears. She didn't deserve that fate. My dad was with RVAH-7 when the Ranger met "mis"-Fortune in the Straits of Malacca in 1979. And both of you.... Despite my not being born until 7 years after the Fall of Saigon..... Welcome Home. Fair Winds and Following Seas sailors.

Yeah get rid of those funky looking black and tan uniforms too. Working whites or blues no more of those funky blue berries too. I came across a Navy recruiter with the black and tans on and I thought they were part of a JROTC unit...

A true warrior doesn't need sleep or food.

I think it is alcohol free beer.

@@danielebrparish4271 when I was in, it didn’t matter

AKA Rope Chokers

Me too. I was an airdale attached to a fighter squadron in CAW 2 aboard the USS Ranger (top gun fame). Two Westpac deployments, 67-68 and 68-69, Vietnam war. Every time I see carrier flight ops on RU-vid I reach back in the old memory bank. One more ride on the flight deck during night ops. I did time on the flight deck while operations were underway. There is nothing like seeing an F4 phantom being launched off the angle deck during night ops. We had no luxury, that is for sure.

@@jimpowell2296 Roger all that Jim , F-18 ordie here and yes nothing like it on earth , Take care and thanks for your service , I loved the F-4 but she was before my time !

@@kellywilson8440 Thank you for your service also. Most airdales did like serving in a squadron and deployment on a carrier. Being in a war was ideal as you saw how well folks truly worked together. Having a jet leave the cats and return is a great feeling. You never wanted a plane shot down, but it happened. I wish war on no one. But if it happens you do your job. I was an AQ, which back then meant I worked on the radar systems in the F4 Phantom. 12 hours a day 7 days a week plus a few unreps. One unrep was 18 hours. So I was up a straight 30 hours then finished my shift and hit the rack. We were young. Now we have great memories.

@@jimpowell2296 Thanks for the reply and info Jim i enjoyed reading it , Thank you and take good care sir !

My first deployment was with Carrier Group TWO on the Coral Sea, back in 1989.

Tobacco companies target military members because they are a captive market of people most likely to start smoking. They are younger than the general population and have a larger number of members with no college degrees. They lobbied Congress to not implement a program recommended by the DOD to discourage tobacco use and to stop tobacco ads in military news publications. They also help spread tobacco use in the general population when they get out of the service. The Silent Service does not allow tobacco or vape use.

Thats how the whale on Sienfield got a golf ball stuck him

Ever been on a cruise line ?? They probably get through more golf balls a week then the USN in a year .....

No I've never been on a cruise ship. And the more I look into it, seems hitting golf balls into the ocean was banned back in 1990. So, I'm assuming the golf balls being hit into the ocean nowadays are biodegradable.

There is almost no sea life in the middle of the ocean. The vast majority is very close to the coasts. The ocean is impossibly large. If you had any idea just how much the Navy has reduced the amount and type of trash it dumps from ships you'd never mention this.

I'm sure the Navy has reduced the amount of trash it dumps in the sea. Why do you think that is? Because it's bad for the environment. Not too hard to figure that out. Ever heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? It all started out with one bottle, one trash bag, one straw, one golf ball...........now look at it. I get the ocean is quite vast but over time the actions of thoughtless people add up.

I mean… you still get to travel the world

These are the additional things sailors want beyond basics. We have stores so they can lunches those items. It can be toiletries/sundries, snacks, memorabilia etc.

Nope. All military personell pay for their uniforms and toiletries. So does their Commander in Chief who has to foot the bill for the groceries, toilet paper, garbage bags and other household items that they consume while in office.

On the other hand, Swedish coffee tastes better than Starbucks. ;-)

Oh my lord, the Samuel Gompers! What an ancient support ship!-John in Texas

Better than cleaning shitters kid.😊

All of it, after costs of the product are paid, go back to the crew in recreation and other perks. Meanwhile, having to pay makes it feel like a normal transaction. It emphasizes that the individual is entitled to make choices like any other adult, rather than having things given to them. It’s part of what makes this feel “normal.”

How?

Except one his honourable the other isnt

For real, this looks like commissary in the Fed. Only difference is service members get items at a reduced rate, and inmates get charged at least 500% markup

​@@zezeamazon *is *honorable *isn't Please learn how to use the English language properly, ok?

@@nickberchem9836 also Australian/Anglo English uses the word honourable. America dropped “u” to save on newspaper typesetting. Ignoramus.

Black Rifle is not much better

Stfu you’re corny

It's veteran owned

Leave politics out of it.. they like Starbucks so what

They woke any way 🥱