BCT mail

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supergirl

5-Year Member
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Sep 14, 2010
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Does the cadre read the Basic cadet mail? several parents on another forum have posed this question and no one seems to know the answer. kids are asking parents not to put certain things on their letters like smiley faces; :eek: just wondering if anyone here can clarify. thanks.
 
nope, cadre aren't allowed to read the mail. something along the lines of being a federal crime?

haha, but we do have to take contraband. ie pictures, packages, etc. we cannot read letters that are sent to our basics.
 
The cadre do not open Basics' letters -- but they may confiscate obvious items other than letters that they can feel through the envelope (like gum, candy, stack of photographs) after the Basic has opened the envelope. As with so many other things -- don't draw unwanted attention to your Basic. Use regular envelopes -- don't write stuff all over the outside -- don't stuff it with gum and candy -- put your hugs and kisses on the inside.

Two years ago we wrote our daughter almost every day -- using plain envelopes. Her mail was never read by cadre that I know of. She sent us postcards and letters -- as far as I know her outgoing mail was never read by cadre. This summer my daughter is a cadre for BCT 1 -- I don't think she would hassle any Basic over their mail -- so long as it is not obviously stuffed with contraband. (I have heard of Basics receiving a stick or two of gum and sharing it with cadre -- of course, some things will get through and some Basics will receive gum, candy, etc. without anyone knowing).

These first few weeks (BCT 1) the cadre are stricter about some of these things; Basics have a lot of ground to cover and a lot to learn. Trips to the mail room have to be fit into the daily schedule -- they don't necessarily happen as often as you or your Basic would like. Once the Basics are in Jack's Valley, mail delivery is actually better -- the mail is brought to Jack's Valley on (I think) a daily basis -- your Basic will receive your mail on a much more regular basis and by then cadre may (I emphasize may) be willing to let a letter pass that has a picture inside, etc.

It all depends on the cadre and on your Basic --but there is no reason to push the rules -- write often, use plain envelopes, put your hugs and kisses on the inside -- the most important thing is your Basic knows you are thinking about them and rooting for them. This will all end and in just a few weeks you will be able to send your Cadet regular mail.
 
To re-emphasize, cadre cannot open basics mail and read it. However, if there i writing visible on the outside (like a postcard), there is nothing keeping anyone from reading it. Some cadre have basics open their mail and show it to them, but that is to ensure no contraband is inside. Some cadre are okay with pictures printed on the paper, others are not. Some cadre (like when I worked), it depended on the day and how I was feeling. Some times I'd feel the envelopes and let it be, other times I was more strict. Other days I just wouldn't take them to get mail.

But another thing to stress, WRITE YOUR BASIC EVERY DAY!!! It may seem old and that you don't have much to say, and no they don't have a lot of time to read novels, but getting a quick "hello, hang in there, we're thinking of you" means so much. If you haven't, address envelopes to your basic and give them to his/her friends so they will be more likely to send it
 
Yes, please continue to write! Alot of the basics, in my flight atleast, are always asking if there is time to check mail today hehe.
 
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