First Mail Call

tsband

5-Year Member
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Feb 1, 2013
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15
Just wondering how long before the Basics get their first mail call? I've sent a couple of letters to make sure DS' box is not empty the first day but I don't want to bombard him with too many letters that may end up piling up (and draw unnecessary attention that way).
Thanks in advance for your insight.
 
Replying as a parent of a 2016 cadet, he got to the mail box on the third day. I cannot say that was true for all squadrons, however. I do know that he said he did not get to go every day. Hope that helps. JUST KEEP WRITING, EVEN IF THEY PILE UP. Yours will cross with theirs; that's OK.
 
Just wondering how long before the Basics get their first mail call? I've sent a couple of letters to make sure DS' box is not empty the first day but I don't want to bombard him with too many letters that may end up piling up (and draw unnecessary attention that way).
Thanks in advance for your insight.

Alot of mail does NOT draw attention in a negative way...trust me. My daughter loved it and was able to save letters for the days when there was no mail call. One time in Jacks, when mail can be infrequent, daughter received 42 letters in one mail call, and cadre found it amusing. There is never too much mail.
 
I suggest you number you letters - perhaps on the back, or upper left corner by your return address.
That way when they get multiple letters on one day they know what order to open them in, and don't have to try to read the postmark date.

Another suggestion is to type your letters and save them so you know what you asked/mentioned in the letter a day or two ago so you don't bug them with the same question or tell them the same story 3 times.

I would type a letter and often include in the text the recap from his favorite baseball team's last game. Newspaper clippings were confiscated but sports text within a typed letter got to him.
 
I agree with everyone saying send as many letters as you like/possible. I had a girlfriend do through BCT last summer. She confessed later that letters was what got her through.

Also the idea of numbering the letters and keeping an electronic file of what you have already told your DS/DD is a fantastic idea!
 
My daughter just graduated from USAFA and is a newly commissioned 2nd Lt. Four years ago yesterday was her In Processing -- hard to believe. Yesterday, as many of your sons and daughters were In Processing, mine got out the album that I made of her letters and our letters from Basic. It was quite a nostalgic trip -- and interesting for her to see her growth over the past four years. The point is -- keep every post card, letter, photo from WebGuy, etc. Ask your Basic to do the same (they can buy an allowed small plastic storage box at the Cadet Store). Many Basics don't think about this and throw everything away; so write in one of your first cards or letters to ask them to keep your letters, notes, etc. Have them send their collection home after Basic, or pick them up at Acceptance Day or Parents' Weekend or whenever. Save them in a scrap book, a shoe box or whatever works for you. While it may seem unlikely to them that they will ever want to read those letters again -- they are a wonderful record of their experiences and of their accomplishment. They are a true keepsake!
 
One word of caution. We received few letters from our son during BCT. The first was upbeat. The second was dreadful. I obsessed about it for weeks. The final letter? Much better. So, remember, it's a roller coaster ride. Try not to get too caught up in the down times.
 
Thanks for the responses and great tips. We will keep writing then. At his grad party, we had a letter writing "station" with pre-addressed envelopes. About forty of his friends wrote him letters so I have plenty to go already. I plan to space those out, send a couple each day, plus the ones that we (his family) will continue to write--that's why I wanted to know if too many would cause him trouble. I'm glad that your experience is that it won't attract negative attention. Great tip on numbering the envelopes (and asking him to save the letters and point well-taken on the "down" times. I'll try my best.
 
Every few days

I've heard that they intentionally hold back folks from going to the mail boxes too often to better insure that everyone will have a letter waiting for them. So mail call may only be once, twice or three times per week depending on the cadre.
 
To add variety to the letter writing, I would search online for inspirational quotes, everything from Douglas McArthur to Yoda. I also sent jokes, because apparently you can tell jokes at meals to earn a little bit of eating time! I stayed away from photos and pics, because you never know how cadre will treat them, but my daughter said the quotes and jokes were lots of fun. At Jacks, she would share them with her tentmates and enjoy a good laugh at the end of the day.
And I too reiterate to not read too much into the letters you may get, and don't fuss at your cadet if you don't get many. Remember, you need to support them, not the other way around!
 
Funny, clean jokes = MONEY during basic. My mom saved me so many times since I am terrible at coming up with jokes and often at meals the cadre will ask for them (I know I did :))
 
We had found a website that had hundreds of Air Force cartoons. Every day I copied and pasted one of them right into the middle of my daily letter. Son said that his whole BCT squadron started looking forward to the jokes each day. There are lots of things you can do to make it fun.

Also, I agree that I have never heard of anyone getting beat for having too much mail.

Stealth_81
 
I have a quick question hoping others can help - my niece is six years old and is very excited to write my DD at BCT, however in a letter my daughter said she got in trouble because my niece drew some pictures in the letter just like most six year old do because their writing skills are limited. Can someone explain why Basics are not allowed this and what can I suggest my niece send since greeting cards are out too! Thanks in advance. I also have a three year old nephew who wants to color her a picture since he can't write, but I am telling him to wait for now.
 
I have a quick question hoping others can help - my niece is six years old and is very excited to write my DD at BCT, however in a letter my daughter said she got in trouble because my niece drew some pictures in the letter just like most six year old do because their writing skills are limited. Can someone explain why Basics are not allowed this and what can I suggest my niece send since greeting cards are out too! Thanks in advance. I also have a three year old nephew who wants to color her a picture since he can't write, but I am telling him to wait for now.

I have the same problem. My granddaughter is 3 and will only be able to "color" her letters to DD. Will the letters be taken away from DD if it has a hand colored picture from her niece?
 
Support! Support! Support! Keep them cheerful and upbeat! Be positive! It's going to suck at times and they don't want to hear about YOUR problems at home on top of it. Write everyday! Number them so they know which ones to read first!
 
Wonder how we can sequence them inside the Write2Them service? Not sure if they are in Envelopes, or just paper folded over with his name labeled on it.
 
I have the same problem. My granddaughter is 3 and will only be able to "color" her letters to DD. Will the letters be taken away from DD if it has a hand colored picture from her niece?

A crayon drawing from a 3 year old relative will not get a basic in trouble.
 
Wonder how we can sequence them inside the Write2Them service? Not sure if they are in Envelopes, or just paper folded over with his name labeled on it.

You could simply write the date in your corespondence (if Write2Them doesn't do that automatically) and let you basic figure it out. They will be pretty tired and will just happy to have something from you.
 
As for the drawings, they might not be able to keep them but they will get them back after basic. For us, we were allowed to look them over before we had to turn them in and honestly it was still nice to have for those few minutes in basic.


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You could simply write the date in your corespondence (if Write2Them doesn't do that automatically) and let you basic figure it out. They will be pretty tired and will just happy to have something from you.

I got that, I was looking for anyone who might know actually how Write2Them did it. More looking for outside markings that indicate order, once inside who would care. But, if looking to facilitate order, an outside marking would be most important and what I was thinking would be nice to know. I'll email them for insight and proceed.
 
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