How does this bluey thing work

[NOmeansNO]

so,

i asked if he wanted a bluey/email thing and he says i need to go onto a website and it send them to him.

how does this work? i asked him if i needed any special id number or just his name and i got sent back his "details"

total goobledeegook.

pile of number with his surname in middle. and bfpo number at the end.

which do i need for what

what exactly is a bluey.

and he wants parcel? how big and which part of "details do i need"

and how often should i bluey and how often send parcel.

and how big is parcel usually? shoe box size?

I just googled it and got this

www.bfpo.mod.uk/ebluey_home.htm

i seen that on google. lots of reading to suss it out there. and find out where i out these details he has gave me

i will need to sit down and work it out. just super busy the now with 2 papers due in and moving house all between now and middle of may.

was hoping someone would know and could tell me easily.

not sure if this is private. or like a forces naval system i used before where it goes into a comms department who all get a read first . need to suss out what kind of things to write?

haha yeah prob best to suss that bit out first I didnt know that exsisted tbh, I have always emailed exh via a bfpo email address, which is usually screened first. So maybe this is more private?

For the parcel it will be

Admiral X (+ service number)
Op whatever
BFPO 666

and it will get there. Worked for me last year.

Same address for actual paper blueys, and free postage I think.

If you read the FAQs for the ebluey, it is private and not like the familygrams.

You need to go here for the 'ebluey' site, it is reasonably easy to work through to set up your details and his. Once that is done it's just a click or two and hey presto you have a letter to write!

I found that the page that you enter his details is a bit odd (I think it may be set up for army, and DH is RAF, as the field titles were a bit strange) but at the end of that page you need to have entered all his details.

I suspect he has sent you his details as being something like:

Service number
Rank Name
Unit Name
Operation
BFPO number

If you are unsure have you a HIVE you can call into or a friend who has done it already? If you get stuck it is much easier to have someone to call on. You obviously don't want to share the details on here as you haven't a clue who we really are !

Traditionally we used to write 'blueys' while the DH's are away, they are a sheet of airmail paper which you wrote on and then fold up and stick closed. They were/are free. The new 'ebluey' system is an updated version. You fill it in on a computer and it gets sent via the internet to where he is and then it gets printed out onto a sealed paper, like a payslip, which is then delivered to him. No-one sees the text. It takes a few hours from you sending it to him receiving it. He can do the same for you but ours get printed in London I think and the Royal Mail sends them on so there is a delay of a day or two. You can add photos too which apparently print out better than they looked on my computer .

More info about the parcels are here. I have used shoeboxes to send to DH. Just make sure that they weigh less than 2kg or PO won't send it. Again you should address using the details you have in the form

Service number
Rank Name
Unit Name
Operation
BFPO number

He may also have a Paradigm card to make phone calls with. You can top them up from UK for extra minutes by calling the number on this page which also gives details of how you can leave a message for him. You will need his paradigm card number for this though.

Hope that helps

OOps cross posted - I was a bit slow!

ah i think i will need to spend a day researching their website. i take it the service number is the 8 digit number at start of his detaisl with his surname and rank followed?

it doesn't say anything about op.

there is the nickname for his regiment(is that what you call it) and then something that looks foreign. but is probably just a hsortened version of something i dont understand

Can confirm the eblueys are absolutely private and must created like a pay slip in that it is all printed out and sealed at once.

oh thank you DHisaway

thats what i wanted. so technically it shouldn't be read. and i think i understand what he has sent me now from your list.

what do you send in parcels? any advice on something he might be quite grateful for ?

gotta go to bed. will check back at your suggestions tomorrow. thanks in advance.

We (me, my mum and MIL) have sent DH newspapers (so he can just chuck them when he's done - he missed reading things and bought a kindle in the end), chilli pickle (!) bombay mix + other savoury nibbles (as they pack a punch flavourwise, the food gets boring), yoghurt coated raisins etc from James Greaves (where DH is they had loads of sweets left from christmas), homemade cake, toiletries as requested. I know some other wives sent batteries but DH didn't ask....

Just what ever takes you fancy on his behalf really. Have a quick read of the parcels website as there are some things you can't send. i obviously don't know where or wht your DP is so his needs may be different to my DH's. I am sure he will mention what he is missing and give you some ideas.

BTW you can get 'blueys' from the PO. They are slower but there is something nice about having a handwritten letter in your hand, both to receive and to give. So think about getting a few from your local PO and send one every now and again. They are free too.

Not James Greaves thats an apple, I meant Julian Graves!!!

thank you. i like the idea of paper ones too. we often send paper ones between here and where he posted as there is a flight between. just mail i mean. as a wee someonething to receive and include bits and pieces we have bought/seen for other. so i would like to do that too i think

oh and he's going afghan. anything specific to there you think?

I have sent my DH loads of these and they are fab and when I was in Afghan I recieved loads and they do really brighten up your day and nicer than an email. I have sent many photo's in them as you can upload them onto it and this has meant he has been able to see our DS grow from just starting to crawl to rampaging around the garden. The photo's do come out really well and he has appreciated them so much. They have also been handy when 'Op Minimise' has been on but I have wanted him tell him something important as he gets them the next day.

I have sent him out hot choc..although may be too hot for that now lol. It will now being getting too hot for chocs and sweets as they can spend a fair amount of time on flight lines and they just melt. I sent stupid joke things and puzzles plus biscuits, waffles, pancakes. I am not sure where your husband is working but we had a freezer in A and E and I was sent ice-poles and jubblies...used to force them on the lads that came in from out on the ground once they were seen and able to eat and drink.

photo's are a good idea. he really likes receiving these even when he is on base to see what i've been up to. I will need to take pics of things i get up to for him.

dont think he will have access to a freezer. probably too hot for hot chocolate as he will be there in summer apr-sept. he's a huge pie fan. but not sure if you get any prepacked pies that would keep for long enough. how long does it take between sending parcel and them receiving?

It varies depending on lots of things. When DH was there, we sent gummy sweets, magazines, those little tins of tuna mixed up with swetcorn and mayo you can get, biscuits (no chocolate!), toiletries, cooling spray, books, teabags.... Loads of things. It's handy to know that Amazon also deliver to BFPO addresses direct, including the ones in Afghanistan!

scooter, thats a good idea those tuna lunch thingies. i suppose have plenty of time to source an interesting variety for his box

One of people in my team was getting sent cherry toms and cheese LOL Another person got sent a choc cake as well....very impressed it got there in one piece!!
Generally I think it takes a week. Boots also deliver to Afghan as well.

oh a week. i could defo get ones with date for 1-2 weeks easy.

i will need to come up with something thats an excellent suprise

amazon is good because you can send stupid books and fancy dress costumes. Oh and you get the tax back on stuff so if you need anything electrical get your bloke to order it. Quite a few did this with laptops and camera etc.

lol . fancy dress. that is a good idea. maybe some fake moustaches and wacky hats:)

not sure if it's been said chick but don't send anything of a rude nature - whilst XH thought it was funny DP says as it's a muslim country they can be charged so nothing remotely with semi clad women on it!

davidtennant - yeah, I was advised of that when I asked what kinds of things. he said anything "a suprise, just nothing indecent, explosive or alcoholic". then told me to go check the list of things banned on bfpo website. I had a wee look.

I got some bluey paper from post office to stick to front as my address label. to save me adding weight by having to put a letter inside. they were kinda grovey. never expected the letter IS the envelope.