Mail

the tone

5-Year Member
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May 27, 2012
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141
Do the basic cadets get to keep their mail after reading it? Mine needed some addresses, but if they're going to trash the mail after reading it, to send the addresses would be a moot point. I don't have a problem with the policy; I just don't want to send something they won't be able to keep.
 
Yes, they keep their mail, provided it does not have any contraband.
 
Packing list.

They were instructed to bring an address book...I reckon they can utilize it.
 
Thanks for the replies! He didn't take the address book so I was hoping to send the addresses thru the snail mail. Just wanted to make sure he would be allowed to keep something that came thru the snail mail.
 
Thanks for the replies! Just wanted to make sure he would be allowed to keep something that came thru the snail mail.

When our son graduated last year he brought home two shoe boxes filled with every letter and card that he had received during BCT. He said that they were one thing that he would always keep because of how much they meant to him during that time. Write often, even if you don't have much to say. :biggrin:

Stealth_81
 
Our daughter, now a C1C, also kept every letter she received during Basic and we kept every card, letter she sent us. She brought that box home at the end of 4th Class year and periodically rereads those letters to remind her of how far she has come. I made a scrap book of all the photos printed off of Webguy and of various blogs and notes -- she appreciated having the scrapbook at the end of 4th Class year. Some Basics do throw the letters away -- so you might drop a hint to your Basic that he/she might want to keep the letters -- but you don't know if they will.
 
My recent graduate - who I would definately NOT classify as overly sentimental in most casts - also kept all the letters and cards that were sent to him during basic... At graduation this year we had a great time re- reading everything. We made a large picture /memento collage with important pictures, papers and documents, and some of the letters made it on to that...
 
We also received a big bag of letters from DD when she first came home. We wrote every day, sometimes more than once a day. Mail to the Academy/Jacks Valley can sometimes be sporadic. There were some days she received no mail and some days she received several letters. We numbered each letter so that she could read them in order. Write often. It is no fun watching others get letters from home when you are empty-handed. We copied and pasted news articles, jokes, current events as well as news from home to keep the flow going. DD said that the cadre appreciated many of the jokes. Every little bit helps keep the cadre happy!
 
You can copy and paste those things into letters and they won't get taken away or in trouble for them?? I was going to paste a comic in there but wasn't sure if it would cause trouble!?!



We also received a big bag of letters from DD when she first came home. We wrote every day, sometimes more than once a day. Mail to the Academy/Jacks Valley can sometimes be sporadic. There were some days she received no mail and some days she received several letters. We numbered each letter so that she could read them in order. Write often. It is no fun watching others get letters from home when you are empty-handed. We copied and pasted news articles, jokes, current events as well as news from home to keep the flow going. DD said that the cadre appreciated many of the jokes. Every little bit helps keep the cadre happy!
 
We never sent pictures with the articles. DD was worried about that. Her younger sister would place a flat piece of gum in the letters but they were always confiscated so we picked flavors the cadre seemed to like...
 
As for pictures, like so many other things, whether there will be a consequence (push ups, etc.) or whether the cadre will laugh or whether they will just ignore it -- depends on the cadre, how the squadron is doing, how your cadet is doing, etc. If your Basic is trying really hard the cadre may not do anything -- but with another Basic who is slacking off they may give them push ups, flutter kicks, etc. We sent our daughter pictures 3 summers ago printed onto our letters -- and I don't think it ever mattered in her particular squadron. But in other squadrons it did. You can't predict. Your Basic may eventually write you (as ours did) and ask that you send jokes or funny pictures -- because the Basics in her squadron at one point had to take turns telling a funny joke or sharing a funny picture with the cadre. You might wait and see if your Basic says their cadre doesn't care or you might send one and see what happens or you may decide not to send photos (or you may send a photo and never hear from your Basic whether it mattered). It may depend on the day the letter arrives -- if the group has worked really hard the cadre (even ones who would normally do something) may not say anything. If you send a picture and your Basic has to do some extra push ups -- maybe it was still worth it to have that extra little something from home that day. You just can't predict. You know your Basic -- do what you think will help them. In 6 weeks none of this will matter (hopefully) and they will be Accepted and starting classes.
 
My basic squadron was strict, to I had to cut out the comics that my parents sent. I got them back after basic, and they provided some needed entertainment. I recommend including humor in letters!
 
My DS was a basic 2 years ago (he is now cadre). He wanted lots of jokes. I would google joke websites and cut and paste the jokes into the letters. He really liked the military humour ones.
 
I've been writing letters to my son since we returned home from dropping him at the airport:redface: We have not received any mail yet. I'm dying to hear from him.... Has anyone received a letter from your BC??
 
Please don't panic. My son (C2C) sent us one letter for both BCTs. And when it did arrive, it was not filled with happiness and sunshine. When he was allowed to call, he told us that he was exhausted. Sleep was more important than family contact. Hang in there. We lived for that Doolie Day phone call.
 
I've been writing letters to my son since we returned home from dropping him at the airport:redface: We have not received any mail yet. I'm dying to hear from him.... Has anyone received a letter from your BC??

We have received 3 letters. One short note and two long ones. He is sore and tired. So far he is enjoying the majority of the experience. Saying expressed that it isn't a picnic.
 
I've been writing letters to my son since we returned home from dropping him at the airport:redface: We have not received any mail yet. I'm dying to hear from him.... Has anyone received a letter from your BC??


We adhere to the adage that-"no news is good news".
We've seen pictures on webguy of him smiling, winking or making goofy faces. That's enough for us to know he's hanging in there.
It's not the letters we receive from them but what we send them that is of importance.
Keep writing because it's sad to see pictures of doolies returning from the mailbox empty handed while squadmates are elated to read their correspondence from home.
 
We have received 3 letters. One short note and two long ones. He is sore and tired. So far he is enjoying the majority of the experience. Saying expressed that it isn't a picnic.

We also received three letters: one Chapel postcard and two short letters. Our DS says meals are not easy at all, "but whatever." He says he felt really good when he went to the Chapel on both (yes, both!) the first Saturday evening and Sunday AM services. He said it gave him "a sense of spirit and self again." We raised him as a Christian family and he has not been too keen on going to Church lately, and this was very great news to us!

On his 4th of July letter, he mentioned that he was inspired, but was also homesick. He said during the hardest times, he thinks of his family to get his work done. He called us "you civilians" and hoped we enjoyed our 4th of July. From what he wrote, he seems to be realizing more and more what a great sacrifice it is for people in our military to "guarantee" the very freedom that we celebrated that day. It made me cry...

I sure hope that all the other parents get to hear from their beloved DDs and DSs, and get a glimpse of what is going on with them at BCT. Also, the WebGuy photos have been so much fun to scour through and see what happens to the Basics everyday. I highly recommend it!
 
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