New Navy mom, mail call question.

[amdmom]

My son left for boot camp on Mon. Veteran's day. I got my first 10 sec. phone call on Tue evening, 'the box' on Friday, and his address and form letter on Sat. Now that I have his address I'm curious... I read somewhere that they can only receive mail on Sun. evenings. Today I heard that they have mail call every day. Which is true?? I wasn't in a hurry to write him since I thought he couldn't read it until Sunday and now I'm feeling bad that I didn't have several letters waiting with the stamps on them to send as soon as I got the address. Which is it?

Thanks!

[KYmom]

They have mail call daily, they can only write home on Sundays.
Now opening their mail they may not do daily, but they do receive it daily.
It will be about week 3 when you receive your first letter. Usually on a wed or thurs depending upon your distance from G.L

[denmom]

Hi I just wanted to say welcome to the site. To make up for not having written your son much just write 2 letters a day also explain to him in your next letter what happened. I'm sure he will understand.

To help you get through boot camp come here often and ask anything.
You can cry and vent here as well. Tell us a bit about yourself and your son.

Good luck and I look forward to getting to know you.

[amdmom]

Great idea! I can send him several and blame it on the US Mail! lgh.

My son Adam just turned 26, is a college graduate but was just not satisfied with his day job and wanted something 'physical'. So his plan is to go into diving with rescue swimming as a 'plan B'. He shocked us when in May he started looking into the Navy and has been in DEP since July. So I've had some time to prepare but it still sneaks up on you, doesn't it? I can't bring myself to wash the clothes in his box yet... it smells of him and that's a comfort to me now... So I keep it closed up and take a deep breath whenever I need to.

My husband and I are very supportive of his decision and think this is perfect for him. He has been into fitness and has been working out for the past 4 or 5 years so is in terrific shape... so I think he can do it... I just hope he has the emotional/mental ability needed to get through it all. He is worried about the decompression tests and his ability to handle the water pressure.

Does anyone know of a website that posts sports news, scores, etc? I've been looking for something that I can print off and send him so he can keep up with his favorite teams. Can't find anything though.

Thanks!

Kathy

[denmom]

Hi Kathy,

I think your son will do fine. Not washing the clothes yet is very normal.
There is no right or wrong here for you just do what you have to do to suvive boot camp as a parent. I didn't wash my daughters clothes until right before PIR.
As for finding clippings to send go online and look at your local newspapers or news channels websites. Word of advice it is easest to copy and paste it into a letter as some RDC's will get upset over actual news paper clippings.
Write every day and be creative. Also send pictures of the family he will enjoy having them to look at especially if he is missing home at all.

Take care and come back often.

[NavyMomx2]

Hi Kathy and welcome to the site. As above, come back often, this is a great place for support.

I used to send my son and daughter comic strips cut out of the Sunday paper, but I glued them to the paper I wrote the letter on. You might check CNN for all the latest news and sports information.

Pictures are a must. We took a picture (for both the kids) of our dogs 'holding' a sign that said they missed them and were supporting them. I also sent things like a big 30 on a piece of paper with encouraging words inside the number (which was how many days left of boot camp). Also, a questioneer is a good idea - I can send you a copy of one that I've sent in the past if you'd like. This way when they don't have much time to write a long letter, they can just circle the multiple choice answers and you can get all the information you crave.

I hope some of this has been helpful. Looking forward to future posts.

Beckie
NavyMomX2

[amdmom]

Beckie, Thanks I would love a copy of your questionaire... what a great idea.

I just sealed a letter (before I read Vera's post) with a news clipping from a Chicago paper about a couple who had to fight to keep a tradition of having sailors over for Thanksgiving. Should I glue it to the letter instead? I don't know if I could find the article on the internet to copy and paste. Will it be a problem for him if I send it? I don't want to cause him any difficulties there!

Thanks for the warm welcome and advice.

Kathy

[amdmom]

Another question about mail... does someone read or screen all incoming and outgoing mail to and from our sailors??

[NavyMomx2]

Usually mail is not read, unless it has red flags that something isn't right inside. (heavily scented mail, bulky mail, envelopes larger than the #10's have to be opened in front of an RDC) Don't put anything on the outside of the envelope, just the addresses - something cutesie will just cause the RDC to give your recruit crap - which no one needs during boot camp. Send me your email address in a private message and I will send you one of the questioneers.

Beckie
NavyMomX2

[NavyMomx2]

Also, you can contact Public Affairs at Great Lakes and find out when the expect PIR date is. I see on your profile that you don't have a date yet. Just call RTC Public Affairs at (847) 688-2405, or write to rtc.pao@navy.mil. They will ask you for your recruit's social security number or at least the last four of his social and then can give you the approximate date of PIR. They say it is approximate just in case they are held back for one reason or another. Didn't make time on their last run, medical difficulties etc.

Hope that helps.

Beckie
NavyMomX2

[amdmom]

Thanks for all the information. I will call after Thanksgiving to find a tentative PIR date. Did you get my email address? I am anxious to see the questionare you mentioned. Sounds like a great idea. I have so many questions for him I don't even know where to start!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!

Kathy

[NavyMomx2]

I did, and I sent you email from work - yesterday. Let me know if you didn't get it and I will resend.

Beckie
NavyMomx2

[EnfieldMom]

My son told me yesterday that he's going to send all "mail" back to me because he has no room to keep it. Is this true? I would think that if they ( the navy) want us to write to our kids that they would have room to keep some of it. He just got to BC on Jan 15th he hasn't even received mail yet and he's already worrying about getting into trouble. I wanted to send him pictures etc. not sure what to do now. Any advice?

Susan

[glennsmom]

I sent letters, newspaper clippings and a few pictures. He had a big bundle he gave us when we went to his PIR to take home so he wouldn't have to carry it to is A School but he did have enough space for all of it. If you have a lot of people sending him stuff he may run out of room though. You could always put a large envelope with enough stamps that he could return excess mail.

[KYmom]

I sent my son a manila envelope with postage on it for him to send anything he wanted to keep home.
He sent home twice.

[EnfieldMom]

Thanks, that's what I will do.

[crochet]

I sent a pre-stamped flat rate envelope for my son to mail stuff home, but he hasn't used it yet. Maybe he is waiting untill it is absolutely nessessary. I have mailed many photos and his friends mailed him photos also, so they must have an appropriate amount of personal space. They LOVE getting photos. :)

[Kristie]

The first mail call for them is usually not until the 3rd Sunday but every day after that that mail comes in they get it....hope that helps....

Send pictures with every letter they love it....let us know how we can help!

[NavyMomx2]

While their space is small, my daughter had room for all her letters from home and all the wonderful Navy Moms that adopted her while in boot camp. She did bring some of them that she said were "keepers" to me after PIR and asked me to hold on to them for her.

Sure, why not, I'll hold those along with all your clothes, etc. LOL