For one son, his BCT squadron allowed him to receive handwritten letters - and we'd written on the flip side of paper on which we scanned all sorts of pics, etc. Twin B's squadron confiscated those.
Don't forget my favorite "letter" to basics: The form letter. You write it, send two copies (one for him/her, one to return to you, with SASE of course). Here's how it goes:
1) The food at USAFA is:
a) Not mom's cooking but tolerable
b) What food?
c) You call this food?
d) I've eaten all mine and my roommates'
e) Other _________________________
2) My roommate is:
a) a nice guy/gal from _________________, named __________
b) not human
c) no longer with us
d) crazy
e) other:______________________________
3) If I could be doing something other than BCT RIGHT NOW, it would be:
a) Nothing! This is great!
b) Oral surgery is looking good about now
c) At the pool, hanging with my old friends (who miss me!)
d) Eating chicken nuggets
e) Other: _______________________
4) The ABU's I've been issued:
a) Fit great and look totally cool.
b) go so well with my birth-control glasses
c) are history. I'm naked.
d) Itch, fit poorly, and look hideous.
e) Other__________________
5) Who do you miss most?
a) my mom and dad and sis and bro and dog.
b) Just the dog
c) My guitar
d) My high school chemistry teacher
e) Other_______________
6) I-Day was:
a) So much fun!
b) Just like high school so no biggie
c) I forget
d) The epitome of hilarity
7) My cadre:
a) are not human in any sense of the word
b) are mostly nice except for a couple of moments when their true colors came through
c) OK, especially those who are Steeler Fans!
d) Fire-breathing, fire-eating dragons raised by wolves.
e) .....
OK, you get the drill - make up your own. My kids loved this kind of letter because they could easily respond (just circle one or more for each question) and they could fill it in on the "other" slots or add their own comments. So I could learn what I wanted to know and they didn't have to spend a lot of time on writing.
This suggestion came to me from a gal I met seven years ago on this forum, whose son was graduating from USAFA. I am grateful always to her for this idea! Janet - salute and thanks!