Letters and cards -- adding color to bootcamp

[Jeannie]

Hi,

I just picked my son, Chris, up from Great Lakes today. He has been separated from the Navy because of severe tendonitis and, God willing, will have an opportunity to return.

He had so many great things to say about bootcamp and we have loved listening to his stories. He was in Ship 11, Div. 224. To all the Ship 11, Div 224 mom's and dad's, he has nothing but good things to say about your sons.

I sent Chris both letters and cheerful, funny, colorful and inspirational cards. I typed all my letters and inserted pictures in them -- lots of pictures! he told me that many of the recruits seem to get more letters than cards and that everyone enjoyed cards. he said after a very long day it was nice to have something cheerful to look at.

after he left for bootcamp, I went out and bought about 25cards and started sending them. I also sent him lots of postcards, too. I sent him cards with pieces of art work on them and told him that bootcamp probably didn't include art appreciation -- light messages like that. he said things like this lightened the mood for him and some firends.

he said one of the guys near his "rack" -- bed in navy -speak -- would get down sometimes and he liked looking at the cards -- they cheered him up.

My son asked that I pass on this information to the Navy moms that a bright, cheerful/funny card can really turn a hard day into a good one.

onward,

jeannie b.

[christine]

Jeannie thanks for the information! And hope your son is well soon!

[Rebekah R Alberstadt]

Thanks Jeannie,

My son just left yesterday for Boot Camp. I am going out tomorrow and purchasing several cards! Thanks for the advice. Tell Chris that we appreciate his insider help. Hope he is doing better soon and can follow the path that he chooses!

Rebekah

[Navy for Moms Admins]

Thank you Jeannie B! Here is another link that talks about what to send/write/ etc.
Click here for another link about what to write ideas

[Ellen]

Jeannie -
I'm glad that you were able to go get Chris at Great Lakes. I'm pulling for him to get his application for re-instatement approved, and his tendonitits healed. I'm sure he is disappointed. He can hold his head up that he tried and went down running! Jim said that one of his fellow recruits got sent home for malingering - that would be harder to live with, I think.
Thanks for the info about the cards, etc. I have also sent Jim some articles from the paper. Since we live in the mountains of Tennessee, I have to admit there are some pretty funny things going on around here. I sent him one article about a husband and wife who got into a fight with metal skillets. Their injuries were consistent with having been whacked with a frying pan, according to the paper. They were arrested. The article said that other family members joined in the fray, but declined to press charges. Jim said his buddies got a chuckle out of that one!
I just bought him a card last night that says, "Here's a helpful technique for managing stress during difficult times: First, get one of those glass sno-domes with a happy little snowman and an idyllic, peaceful winter scene.......(open it up and it says)...Next, get a hammer....... I think he'll appreciate it since he is SO frustrated with being back on Ship 17, waiting on his paperwork. He was really sick with a bad cough and laryingitis(sp?), but started antibiotics a couple of days ago and is feeling better. His spirits are somewhat improved, but I think a plane ticket to A school is what would perk him up more than anything!
Please tell Chris that I'm sorry for his disappointment but proud of him for giving his best. I'm praying for your family. Ellen

[Jeannie]

Hi Ellen,

Thank you for your comments. I hope Jim gets out of Ship 17 soon. Chris says that everything at Great Lakes is painted White and Blue -- nice colors -- and then you get to Ship 17 and it's brown and not too clean.

Jim is being housed in a much nicer section of Ship 17 than Chris. Chris was very glad to be out of Ship 17 but is suffering culture shock right now. I am so sad for him. The Navy has made it very difficult for him to return.

My husband and I have read the discharge papers and they said it was an erroneous enlistment because he wore orthotics. His MEPS paperwork clearly states that he showed the docs at MEPS the orthotics and they sent him and the inserts to GL.

Eventually, we will work with his doctor to see if he can get through bootcamp okay. His podietrist works with professional atheletes and the Milwaukee and Chicago Ballet. If he can keep dancers on their toes, perhaps he can get Chris ready for bootcamp. I think ballet training has to be MUCH harder than BC.

If only we had known this before he went to BC.

He was so mentally invested in the Navy that right now he is trying to figure out what to do. He has told me that he wants a job that allows him to live in different parts of the world.

His older brother has a contact for a job. Hopefully, that will work out and then Chris is going to apply to college and start towards a degree. That is one things the people in Legal recommend he do. Also, he is on the list with the union for an HVAC appreticeship. He can still do that and it is a very well paying job and he can do it anywhere.

Where do you live in TN? I am originally from TN and my parents still live in their hometown of Bolivar. I spent my sentior year of high school living in Cumberland Gap. It is still one of my favorite places on earth. All my cousins are now in Nashville. I make it to TN pretty regularly.

We will pray that Jim moves on very quickly to A school.

onward,

jeannie b.

[Ellen]

Jeannie -
I know exactly where Bolivar is - Memphis is my hometown. My husband and I live in Chattanooga. We love it. We've bought a lot in the Sequatchie Valley area where we want to retire. It is beautiful around here. The "skillet smacking" took place in Crossville, I think.
You know, my husband and kids and I lived in Southeast Asia(Singapore) for three and a half years. He's a salesman - industrial equipment. He was an English major in college. I'm just trying to say that adventuresome people can find a way to go and do - and not necessarily in a job that you would think involved world-wide travel. Lots of the Americans there were with the oil companies, technology companies, etc.
Hearing you say he might do an HVAC apprenticeship made me think -- my husband says a good welder is worth his weight in gold right now. Don't know if he'd be interested in that, but Ace says that good welders are hard to come by, everywhere, not just in the South.
That's the good thing about being young - so many choices! I'm sure once Chris has a chance to decompress from his boot camp experience, he'll find his enthusiasm again. And remember, if they NEVER issued re-instatements, they wouldn't even have an appeals process. So, you've got to figure that they allow people back in sometimes, and it might as well be Chris, right? Right!
Let me know if you're in Chattanooga. I'll give you a tour of the city! Tell Chris that lots of moms he doesn't even know are praying for him, and waiting to hear good news about how he's doing. Ellen

[Tammie]

Jeannie...sorry to hear about your son. Hope he is better soon. Thanks for the info on the cards. I will be sure to send plenty of funny cards to my son who left on 6/10. I haven't gotten his address yet but have letters ready to go out in the mail as soon as I get it. I inserted pictures at the bottom of the letters hoping it brings a smile to Wyatt. Please be sure and thank your son for wanting to pass this information onto others.

[NavyMom(Robin)]

Nicks recruiter got me his address they day after he flew out....call and ask them .....I started mailing out letters and cards that very day! Now just paitiently waiting for my first letter!

[NavyMom(Robin)]

Nope no real letter yet....just the 3 liner.....was hoping to get something today but no luck on that....Prob tommorrow...the form letter came on Thursday of last week....here's hoping....

[Karen Gallagher]

I always included news paper articles mad libs for them to do together cartoons anything to make them laugh
My son said that it was known that I sent that stuff and near the end of boot camp the guys would come over to ask him what is the joke of the day today ?? as I sent a letter every day

[Bina]

I was under the impression you had to keep everything simple and not do anything to make them stand out- I 've been using plain paper and envelopes. - well that's gonna change!

[Denise L]

I tired to e-mail you yesterday but I am new at this. I just want to thank you so much. My daughter left for Boot Camp on June 10th. I having a tough time thinking what to write every day. I want to thnak you and Chris for this great information. I went out during my lunch hour and bought prabably 40 cards.
So thank you. I also shared this with my mother so that she will start sending cards when it is hard to think of something to write. I hope and pray everyday that Chris gets stronger so that he can go back and finish his goal.