Expert: Cynthia Bedell - 2/27/2006

Question
I HAVE A FRIEND IN THE NAVY, AND HE HAD SENT ME SOME PICTURES OF HIM FROM HIS MILITARY EMAIL. AND IM TRYING TO SEND HIM SOMETHING BACK USING THAT SAME EMAIL ADDRESS. ISNT IT SOMETHING LIKE HIS FIRST INITIAL AND FULL LAST NAME AT NAVY.MIL AND IS THIS EMAIL SPECIFICALLY FOR HIS JOB OR CAN HE GET PERSONAL EMAIL THROUGH THIS NAVY.MIL. HIS NAME IS RONALD ANTWANE GRAVELY SO IT WOULD BE WWW.RGRAVELY@NAVY.MIL

Answer
Dear Angela --

You should be able to email your friend, just by replying to his email.  If he used a picture emailer site, then the email you received should show the address used to confirm his site access, and you should reply to that email.

There is no standard email address for service members.  We choose one, and if it is not already taken, it is ours.  Usually people use first.last@us.navy.mil, but that is not always true.  Some use their initials and last name.  Some use a nickname, some have common names and must add numbers to make them unique.  It is very unlikely they would use www in their email address, that is usually reserved for website addresses.

Your friend can accept personal email in his business email while deployed.  Most service members have set up a personal account with a free service such as Yahoo or Excite.  If your friend referenced his work email as the return address in the picture email he sent you, reply to him and request his personal address, if he has one.

Best of luck to you.