care packages
- Thread starter clce
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Go to the Parents' Assn website
If you go to the CGA website - then click the link to the Parents' Association website (links of interest - bottom left corner). On that website there is a Parent Resources/FAQ link. All information on the FAQ page is helpful - but under the area of Mail and Other Communication, there is a specific post related to care packages.
If you go to the CGA website - then click the link to the Parents' Association website (links of interest - bottom left corner). On that website there is a Parent Resources/FAQ link. All information on the FAQ page is helpful - but under the area of Mail and Other Communication, there is a specific post related to care packages.
Swab Summer
During swab Summer is not recommended to send care packages but what will be most important are letters. The food at the Academy is excellent and abundant. Phones, Internet, iPods are considered contraband and not permitted. Your Cadet will let you know what he needs and when he is permitted to have it. There will be a lot of shouting from the time they get up to a time they go to sleep and they will be challenged under pressure both mentally and physically.
They will live from letter to letter so I would suggest at least three letters per week letting them know what is happening at home. It is not important what you write but just that they keep that contact with home. Tell them when you went shopping and what you had for dinner and any local news. They will feel alone while adjusting to the military life. Just write about anything but do write. Encourage them to continue. Things get better after swab Summer and continue to get better as they progress through the Academy. Remind them that it is doable and that the upper-class cadets who may be hollering at them now went through what they are going through, survived and are much stronger because of it.
I would suggest that you send them self-addressed stamped envelopes with one blank sheet of paper in each envelope to write you back. During swab, they will only have about eight or 10 min. per day to write back home so don't expect long letters from them. Keep writing to them even if you are not receiving letters back and believe me they will appreciate it.
During swab Summer is not recommended to send care packages but what will be most important are letters. The food at the Academy is excellent and abundant. Phones, Internet, iPods are considered contraband and not permitted. Your Cadet will let you know what he needs and when he is permitted to have it. There will be a lot of shouting from the time they get up to a time they go to sleep and they will be challenged under pressure both mentally and physically.
They will live from letter to letter so I would suggest at least three letters per week letting them know what is happening at home. It is not important what you write but just that they keep that contact with home. Tell them when you went shopping and what you had for dinner and any local news. They will feel alone while adjusting to the military life. Just write about anything but do write. Encourage them to continue. Things get better after swab Summer and continue to get better as they progress through the Academy. Remind them that it is doable and that the upper-class cadets who may be hollering at them now went through what they are going through, survived and are much stronger because of it.
I would suggest that you send them self-addressed stamped envelopes with one blank sheet of paper in each envelope to write you back. During swab, they will only have about eight or 10 min. per day to write back home so don't expect long letters from them. Keep writing to them even if you are not receiving letters back and believe me they will appreciate it.
Luigi59
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I disagree strongly!
Care packages for swabs are GREATLY encouraged!
As a matter of fact, you can purchase "pre-filled" swab "care packages" directly from the Parent's Association on R-Day. There will even be a large bin placed outside Leamy Hall to collect all the swab care packages which will be taken directly to the mail room at Chase Hall.
Send the first care package in a seal-able plastic/tupperware container no larger than 12x12x6, then use regular flat-rate or 1st class shipping boxes as they will not need another container.
Snacks, mints, lozenges, power bars, drink powder, trail mix, Brasso-O/Nevr-Dull, lighters, a lint-brush - there are many many items that your swab will appreciate getting in the mail.
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- Mar 27, 2008
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Not the case! Although the swabs will have the opportunity to eat, and the food is good and plenty, squaring meals makes consumption difficult to say the least. BTW, Your swab will find that a small peak at food is allowed if they need to use a knife to cut it...heard rumors that swabs were finding the need to cut PB&J sandwiches, just to justify a quick look at the plate.
Send care packages...sweets, beef jerky, nuts, etc...anything that they used to love at home, that won't melt in the CT heat (ie, chocolate might not be such a great idea...a nasty stain on the uniform would be bad), lifesavers or cough drops for the sore throat from all the yelling....and I always put a letter or card in the box as well. Oh, and halfway through Swab Summer we sent a few new pairs of socks and tshirts. They wear the heck out of them and smell like swab, even after laundering! Great advice! We got 2 letters over the summer. But he is a boy who hates to write. So we felt pretty lucky. One thing that he enjoyed were the comic strips from the paper. And Chuck Norris jokes! They need to be conversant at meal times (if the 2/c engage them that is...) so current events (SHORT ONES!) are always good.
Not so sure about this one. Swabs certainly miss their families, but I highly doubt they feel alone. They have 295 new best friends and a slew of cadre who will keep them from feeling lonely! Within days they will feel closer to those in their company than many felt towards some high school classmates.
Overall this is an exciting time for the new swabs. They will be pushed mentally and physically, but when they get a glimpse of their parents' and the publics reaction to them at Mystic in late July, they will realize that they are truly embarking on a rewarding, tumultuous, yet exciting journey. Good luck to 2015!
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If you are going to R-Day, the bin outside Leamy which Luigi referenced in his earlier post, is where most folks put said tupperware box. It was loaded down pretty heavily with nearly identical tupperware boxes, so label it well! The day before R-Day we were at the local Walmart, and ran into several future swabs in the plastic bin aisle, and then again in the sports drink aisle!
If you can't make it to R-Day, mailing it is good. Mail delivery was slow, though, at the beginning of swab summer. I wouldn't mail it too early, if it contains anything remotely persishable/melt-y, as it will likely just sit in the mail room for quite some time.
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He is going to need the lighter for a lot of things...trust me on this! He'll use it to burn loose threads on ODUs, shine shoes if he chooses to fire shine (debatable as it depends on the cadre), and to de-lacquer his belt.
As an almost 3/c, I would recommend that you definitely send care packages! Its a great pick me up as a swab (and a cadet!) to find a notecard in your PO Box that lets you know you have a package. Make sure you let your cadet tell you what he wants, don't try to guess! My parents sometimes sent me things I didn't need and it was hard to find places to put the items that followed the proper stowage. During the Academic year, they're not extremely strict on stowage but you can bet your room will get tossed if anything is out of place during swab summer. Don't worry about Brasso or Never Dull though, they get issued now for swab summer.
As an almost 3/c, I would recommend that you definitely send care packages! Its a great pick me up as a swab (and a cadet!) to find a notecard in your PO Box that lets you know you have a package. Make sure you let your cadet tell you what he wants, don't try to guess! My parents sometimes sent me things I didn't need and it was hard to find places to put the items that followed the proper stowage. During the Academic year, they're not extremely strict on stowage but you can bet your room will get tossed if anything is out of place during swab summer. Don't worry about Brasso or Never Dull though, they get issued now for swab summer.
Letters, Packages, Etc
During Swab Summer, and almost the first entire year, I sent my DD a letter every weekday. The person who runs the mailroom at my work came to expect my letter every morning before the first (0830) mail run
Every letter had a notecard in it with general stuff that happened the last day or was coming up at home, a 3x5 card with jokes of a military nature (some of which I got from this site) on one side and current events on the other and a printed page with her favorite daily comics - Pearls Before Swine, Get Fuzzy & Pickles. The comics were for her. The jokes and current events were in case she needed to amuse/inform the cadre at meal times. I'm not sure if she ever used them but when I asked her if she still wanted them at one point, she said to keep them coming!
As far as packages - I don't remember what I sent her anymore, but I know we bought a container of the correct size from one of the Parent's Association tables on R-Day, filled it with stuff and left it in a bin to be delivered to her. The thing I remember doing most: I made a batch of really yummy brownies and sent them to Alfa Company Cadre about half way through Swab Summer!! Yep! The Cadre! I warned her that they were coming but not to let them know they came from me (I used a return address of a friend from another state!!!
) I included a note in the box saying that I knew they - the Cadre - were working really hard to develop all our sons and daughters into great Cadets and thought they deserved a treat, and BTW, take good care of our kids!!
My D said they were STUMPED!! The loved the brownies, and suspected whose parent might have been the culprit, but could never figure it out for sure. She said it was funny to see them trying to figure it out. I'm not sure, but I think she did finally tell them (about a year later), because I occasionally get requests from my DD, to send brownies to some other cadets!!
I know my DD also had a notebook that a really good friend gave to her before she left. This friend had written her an inspirational message for each day of Swab Summer - she was supposed to read one page each day. I know my DD said it really helped her make it through the summer!
Anyway, bottom line - have fun with it! It doesn't really matter what you put in the letters (Obviously, it should be upbeat & supportive). It just gives them contact with home & lets them know people are thinking of them.
As far as letters from my Swab -- maybe one or two. She isn't really a letter writer - more of a texter, but she didn't have her phone. I figured no news was good news! It meant she was in good health & they were taking care of her & keeping her busy!
During Swab Summer, and almost the first entire year, I sent my DD a letter every weekday. The person who runs the mailroom at my work came to expect my letter every morning before the first (0830) mail run
Every letter had a notecard in it with general stuff that happened the last day or was coming up at home, a 3x5 card with jokes of a military nature (some of which I got from this site) on one side and current events on the other and a printed page with her favorite daily comics - Pearls Before Swine, Get Fuzzy & Pickles. The comics were for her. The jokes and current events were in case she needed to amuse/inform the cadre at meal times. I'm not sure if she ever used them but when I asked her if she still wanted them at one point, she said to keep them coming! As far as packages - I don't remember what I sent her anymore, but I know we bought a container of the correct size from one of the Parent's Association tables on R-Day, filled it with stuff and left it in a bin to be delivered to her. The thing I remember doing most: I made a batch of really yummy brownies and sent them to Alfa Company Cadre about half way through Swab Summer!!
Yep! The Cadre! I warned her that they were coming but not to let them know they came from me (I used a return address of a friend from another state!!!) I included a note in the box saying that I knew they - the Cadre - were working really hard to develop all our sons and daughters into great Cadets and thought they deserved a treat, and BTW, take good care of our kids!! My D said they were STUMPED!! The loved the brownies, and suspected whose parent might have been the culprit, but could never figure it out for sure. She said it was funny to see them trying to figure it out. I'm not sure, but I think she did finally tell them (about a year later), because I occasionally get requests from my DD, to send brownies to some other cadets!!I know my DD also had a notebook that a really good friend gave to her before she left. This friend had written her an inspirational message for each day of Swab Summer - she was supposed to read one page each day. I know my DD said it really helped her make it through the summer!
Anyway, bottom line - have fun with it! It doesn't really matter what you put in the letters (Obviously, it should be upbeat & supportive). It just gives them contact with home & lets them know people are thinking of them.
As far as letters from my Swab -- maybe one or two. She isn't really a letter writer - more of a texter, but she didn't have her phone. I figured no news was good news! It meant she was in good health & they were taking care of her & keeping her busy!
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- Apr 19, 2009
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Of course all Swabs are not the same with the same desires and tastes, however, I think it might be a bit too sweeping to say care packages are not recommended.
Our Swab said she loved getting little Priority Mail packages with energy bars, raisins, and chocolate packed inside. She said she was not able to eat enough during Swab Summer in the Ward Room because of the "don't look at your plate - square your meals rule" Having a protein bar or a snack of raisins really helped her.
On Flag Day at Mystic Seaport we brought fresh fruit, and juice to drink and she ate it all!
Your mileage may vary.