Mail During Indoc

joriebelle

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Apr 4, 2017
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I saw one post that suggested at the HS graduation party, to have people bring blank letters or cards that could be mailed to the plebe candidates during Indoc for encouragement. I also saw a post that said that you don't want to draw attention to yourself during Indoc so I'm thinking getting a lot of cards and letters would NOT be a good thing.

Advice?
 
Definitely send mail. Reactions depend on what company you are in, but your DD/DS will need the encouragement. Plain envelopes draw less attention than fancy cards. Last year, my husband sent cards with funny return addresses which he knew would draw attention to our DD but which made her laugh so hard that it was worth it. It depends on your plebe candidate's personality whether that would be a good idea or not.
 
Check out Sandboxx. For those averse to the labor and unfamiliar with snailmail, you compose your letter in the Sandboxx app, Sandboxx turns it into snailmail and your DD/DS receives real paper mail.

(Many of our USNA sponsor mids have asked where the stamp goes on an envelope in the last several years.)
 
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I should have mentioned that mail takes much longer than you think. Add an extra week for sorting during Indoc. Also, they give out envelopes and stamps to the plebe candidates during Indoc, but no paper. So if you want a precious letter back, be sure to send paper. Make sure to let friends and extended family know not to expect mail back until after Indoc. You should know that if you send a package, the cadre will open it and most likely keep any good stuff you send. If you want your DD/DS to have a chance at getting anything, make sure you send at least 60 of whatever you are sending.
 
So if he gets 10+ letters in one day that wouldn't be a problem? I'm just thinking how some of my relatives are. I can see his Grandma writing every day, and his sisters too
 
Do the Cadre open all letters or just packages? Can we send mail before Indoc to make sure it gets there in time?

Thanks Capt MJ for the Sandoxx suggestion. I hadn't heard of that but it seems like a great app. I'm thinking of buying a package of multiple letters and asking DS's friends to write to him and send pictures. That's why I asked if the Cadre open letters. I'm sure DS's friends will send embarrassing photos to make him laugh.
 
He will get called up and mildly teased. "Well, someone back home certainly loves you! Just how many girlfriends do you have?" Nothing negative, at least not for my DS and DD. A letter each day from Grandma would be great.
 
Yes, I would mail letters starting about a week before Indoc. Letters are not opened the way packages are. However, I would wait until after Indoc to send photos because they are not allowed until afterward, and they will probably be confiscated.
 
I would also recommend Project Write2Them www.write2them.org It is a great organization similar to Sandbox. I shared the email info with other family and friends who then used it to send mail to our 2021. I did include pictures and such and there were never issues. It is a 501(c)3 nonprofit and they really look out for their subscribers. For example, someone reached out to me after I purchased a 2 month subscription to tell me that they'd adjusted my subscription because of the following--and they refunded me the prorated amount:

You are only going to need the service until Indoc is over. At that time your cadet will have some access to his cell phone and an email account at USMMA.
I am going to see what dates I put in on the auto fill for USMMA. It should have an end date of 7/17/17.
I will process a refund by the end of the day.
You can add up to 30 different family members and friends on the account too.
Each morning all the emails that come in the day before are processed, combined into a multi-page letter and sent out.
We will be processing mail tomorrow (no days off until mid August for us!) but they go out until Wedneday.
Have a great 4th!
BTW I love it on the New Year's Eve show on ABC, they almost always have some cadets from USMMA there in uniform!


Here is some more information about Project Write2Them:


Welcome to Project Write2Them!
It just got easier to stay in touch with (plebe name) while at basic training/boot camp. Project Write2Them is a nonprofit organization that turns email into letters from home™. (Subscriber name) has given you access to this cost-free service, so you may now send emails to (plebe name) at any time, from anywhere -- and (plebe name)will receive a postmarked letter at the basic training or boot camp address.

How does it work?

  • Send emails any time, from anywhere. Simply email (email specific for each plebe) from your computer or smartphone, and Project Write2Them takes care of the rest. Letters get mailed daily via the U.S. Postal Service, and you get notification when your email is included in a letter to (plebe name).
  • Send emails as often as you like. Project Write2Them provides this service to help improve the morale of new military members by making sure their name gets called during "mail call". The more frequently you send emails to (plebe name), the more letters we mail out and the busier "mail call" gets.
  • Share pictures by attaching image files (.gif, .jpg, .png) to your emails that fit within the 5MB size limit per message. Please make sure that all pictures are in good taste so that (plebe name) stays out of trouble.
  • Personalize your messages with a profile picture of yourself. Just email the photo you would like to use to mypic@write2them.org, and we will print it in each letter next to the emails you send. You can change the photo as often as you like.
We hope you make use of this service to keep in touch with (plebe name). There is absolutely no cost to you, and your email address will not be sold to or shared with any third party.

As a nonprofit organization, Project Write2Them relies on donations to provide this service to new service members, their families and friends. Please visit http://www.write2them.org/donate to see how you can help.

Sincerely,

signature3.png
 
I always sent a piece of paper with a self addressed stamped envelope.. I almost always got a letter back .. Even if it was a Hi Mom.. I'm tired but alive,lol....
 
There is no such thing as too much mail. Have everyone send mail. It takes 4-5 days for them to receive it. And at times there are days that they do not get mail so it piles up. It is good to be the one with the most mail. And just a word of warning about the services that send mail from email, I have seen numerous complaints that it is not sent timely or bundled and sent a couple days later etc. I never used them but there were a number of complaining and frustrating posts in prior year's facebook page about it. And, nothing beats a handwritten note. Even a comic or a picture that you can send and sign your name means much more than some service sending it. These plebe candidates will be under stress and freaking out. A little love will help. And finally do not send any cookies. Cookies and everything else is contraband and they will not get to eat it. Everyone else might but they won't. Lol.
 
Oh. And do not expect a card or letter back. If you are thinking you will get some or a few of them put that thought out of your mind right now. If they do write to you it will be late at night while they are lying on the floor facing the door using the light that comes under the door to write the letter.
 
No dig to afliss comments above. Just saying in general. Each plebe candidate is different
 
There is no such thing as too much mail. Have everyone send mail. It takes 4-5 days for them to receive it. And at times there are days that they do not get mail so it piles up. It is good to be the one with the most mail. And just a word of warning about the services that send mail from email, I have seen numerous complaints that it is not sent timely or bundled and sent a couple days later etc. I never used them but there were a number of complaining and frustrating posts in prior year's facebook page about it. And, nothing beats a handwritten note. Even a comic or a picture that you can send and sign your name means much more than some service sending it. These plebe candidates will be under stress and freaking out. A little love will help. And finally do not send any cookies. Cookies and everything else is contraband and they will not get to eat it. Everyone else might but they won't. Lol.

This is great, golfindad, thanks. Can we send cookies and snacks after Indoc?
 
Ask your plebe/plebe candidate when it is ok. They will know when it is ok and what is ok. There is contraband and then there is CONTRABAND.
 
Your plebe candidate s will go through a process of being very scared of doing anything. Then they will think they have some huevos and they will for a while but soon after they will be slammed and all of their beef jerky will be confiscated. Its a process. Embrace it. Laugh silently. But give support to your plebe candidate
 
No dig to afliss comments above. Just saying in general. Each plebe candidate is different
No worries! Yes every situation is different I was just giving an idea of how I made it easier.... Some never heard from their plebe.. Indoc is such an emotional rollercoaster.. I was very thankful for all the great photographers that took pictures during indoc.. Moral of the story just because you don't get a letter back doesn't mean they don't love or miss you, they are just too tired and busy to think about it ;)
 
Ah. Yes. You will live for the photos. And curse the photographers and your PC for not being in them. "Why is he never getting himself in the pictures.....doesn't he know we are trying to see him?" And you will do that each and every day. You will avoid everything else on your schedule for the chance to look at the pictures. And you will have long conversations with your spouse about whether that shaved head in the back corner of picture 127 is your son/daughter or not. Lol.
 
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