What why son can bring with him to Plebe (USNA)? Stationary?

[shastaloveu]

My husband and I wanted to get our son nice engraved stationary and stamps since Plebes have a half hour or so to write letters everyday. We were wondering if the stationary would be taken from him during I-day and if we should ship it to his dorm afterwards. Also, we were wondering what to engrave as his address on the envelope. My husband and I have both served and understand the joy of getting and receiving letters during hard times and transitions. Thank you in advance.

 

[usna1985]

I don't think it would be taken away, but he doesn't want to be lugging it around all day on I-Day. Ship it later. Also, I don't think plebes have 30 extra minutes during PS to do anything, other than maybe Sunday mornings. You will be doing a lot more writing than he will.

Also, his address will change from PS to Ac Yr. At that time, he will probably text/email more than write snail mail. The stationery is a nice idea but I fear it won't be used very much.

And I absolutely agree with you on the importance of mail. I've stated many times here that my father (a WWII Marine) wrote me every single day I was at USNA and, later, every single day I was on deployment. It took me years to fully appreciate how difficult it was to be that consistent and how very much his letters meant to me.

 

[NavyHoops]

Echo the importance of mail. He has 30 minutes of personal time each night which consists of uniform prep, showering, thought of the day, etc. I think the few letters I wrote were either done on Sundays or a short letter in my memo book (picture 3x5” pages) that I wrote in class. Agree on not carrying that around I Day. Most of his correspondence after Plebe Summer will be via email but sending a nice thank you card to those who send packages and gifts is always nice.

 

[Just Dad]

Ditto the importance of Mail. I actually kind-of enjoyed the elimination of all the "noise" surrounding "normal" communication with DD. Going to the Mailbox hoping for a letter, then sitting down reading her notes once-twice-three times to pull as much as I could out of them.

As important as her letters were to us, I think mail was vastly more important to her. I was gonna (likely will) include this in a "spew" of suggestions to parents for IDay and PS, but since mail is the subject......

I'm sure I read this somewhere, we gave it a shot and it worked great.
1) After we got our DDs plebe summer mailing address we asked DD to make a list of people she'd would like to get a letter from during PS.
2) We wrote a form note describing, as best we could, what PS would be like, the importance of mail. We said that DD had identified the form note recipient as someone that mattered to her, and that a letter/note from them would be a help getting DD through PS. NOTE: DD could have written the note, but she is not great at asking for help, and was still in the middle of her athletic season (May June).
3) We picked about 10-15 people from the list DD had given us and sent them a large envelope containing. (A) 5 envelopes Postage Paid (stamped) and pre-addressed with DD's Plebe Summer mailing address. (B) a copy of the form letter we'd drafted with a short handwritten Msg from DW or myself saying "thanks in advance"

Boy did it work,DD Got a TON of MAIL+, cookies, cupcakes, Etc. I am certain that letting friends know that DD could use their help, and reducing the task of getting a letter off to just its writing had alot to do with this. I wonder how many 18year olds have ever licked a stamp before?

On DDs first call home she said she felt disconnected from the world. She also said that good M-R rated jokes were good currency there---and that It was really helpful to have a good response to: "Tell me something interesting, I don't already know, Plebe". After that I'd type my own note to her and then stuff a joke from the internet, facts gathered from the web about Navy Football, or USN BB56, USNA Medal of Honor winners, Etc. I'd also send along a cut-n-past from Phys.org (awesome STEM info site), or a Wiki on some obscure philosopher/y. I am sure that she didn't read everything I sent, but "joke's came in handy", "USS Washington BB56 info was considered interesting", as did listing UNSA's starting O-line for 2019. She said a couple of times she was able to read a Phys.org article and "take her head out of PS for a moment".

Kids and families differ, but these things worked for our DD during her PS. I do agree with USNA 1985, re stationary. We haven't received a letter from DD since Plebe summer; its all text, e-mail and phone. I'd use the cash for a really awesome pair of sunglasses to turn over on PPW, its the only styling thing they get to add to their uniform. That's just one guys opinion, and I am rambling------and sunglasses for my DD have become something of an obsession.

Congratulations to you, husband, and son.

 

[helmsdown]

So the stationary idea is nice but don't be disappointed if you don't see much or any of it in your mailbox. I sent on average 3 letters a week to DD during Plebe summer and DW and I got back 4. Two during SIQ (sick in quarters with plebe hack) I too included quotes, interesting facts and links to help make them more enjoyable. She had no lack of letters as her friends and extended family sent them all summer.

DW was the queen of care packages to the point where DD asked her to please stop. She was out of room for food and everyone in her squad was buried in snacks too. Since she still had boxes she sent them to "Any Plebe" via the Chaplains office. These are delivered to Plebes who do not seem to be getting mail. I included letters of encouragement in those boxes and did get replies from most of the recipients. Our first one went to an International Plebe who has become close to us and we have seen several times when visiting.

Now my Plebe was letter shy but one of her roommates sent mail every day to her mother. Go figure. Maybe you'll be lucky that way.

 

[Just Dad]

"DW was the queen of care packages to the point where DD asked her to please stop. She was out of room for food and everyone in her squad was buried in snacks too. Since she still had boxes she sent them to "Any Plebe" via the Chaplains office. These are delivered to Plebes who do not seem to be getting mail. I included letters of encouragement in those boxes and did get replies from most of the recipients. Our first one went to an International Plebe who has become close to us and we have seen several times when visiting."

Atta-boy; Atta-DW!
Wish we'd thought of that during our DDs Plebe Summer. I think we still have a box full of aging snacks/essentals that my DW overstocked while sending care packages. I wish I'd read a post like this 2 years ago. Boy, what it must mean to a kid under stress to get a care package they he or she would not have reason to expect. Food gets shared in a squad, but moleskin, a shot-blocks (laced with caffine); maybe an ankel sleave, a pair of running sock etc. not so much. WELL DONE! and I hope other
Plebe-to-Be parents take note.

 

[shock-n-awe]

We put a box for letters, stationary and pens on a table at DS HS graduation party, and asked everyone to write him a short note of encouragement that we would send to him during plebe summer. Many family and friends participated, and I always included a few each time I sent him a letter.