An encouraging letter (help for those at a loss of what to say.

[JunieB]

When my older son was in BC last year one of the wonderful Navy Moms (Thank you, Bev S.!) posted this letter that she either wrote, and told us we could use it too. When you get that 'really down' letter and don't know what to say, this can help your recruit think on their situation and feel better about their decision to join. This is a version of it I modified for my son. My older son said it really helped his 'perspective' and I am hoping son #2 will find the same encouragement. Feel free to use it as I did.


I hope this week has been a better week for you. In your letter from last week you sounded so ‘down’, I just wanted to hug you & make it all better (just like a Mom huh?) But you made me think about what you must be thinking & feeling there.
I bet it was odd thinking you could be standing, at times, in the exact same spot other young men might have stood & gotten yelled at before they went off to make their home on a ship under constant attack. I couldn't imagine eating at a table where young men, like you, had eaten before, thinking & feeling the same things you are. I just can not fathom sleeping in a bed, in a dorm, where so many young men had slept before you, knowing some had even cried there before falling asleep, missing their moms' and dads', full of their own homesickness. I think it must be hard to learn to trust someone you've just met to guard your backside, whether at boot camp or on deployment. It must be stressful to learn in such a short amount of time so many new things the Chiefs tell you you will need to know if something were to go wrong in a dangerous situation. I imagine it was beyond strange to be looking out over those grounds and buildings where so many, just like you, had gone before. I'm sure you must be awestruck thinking on the sheer number of young men who upon leaving that place found the wisdom, the strength and the courage to do more than the jobs they were assigned. And finally, I bet it made you proud to go where so many heroes had been before. I am sure, beyond doubt, that if you should ever be called on yourself, to find that same wisdom and strength, your own courage will not fail you. Because you now stand where many will come after you. Because you too, are now a hero. I am so PROUD of you!

[Diane]

I thank you for this letter. My son had called the other night to get some info from me. I could tell he was upset. I composed a letter and sent it yesterday. I wanted to give him encouragement, but I think I might have been too strong. So tonight I am writing him again, using this letter as a much milder form of encougagement. I hope I did not upset him with the other letter - argh - well I probably did. It is difficult to say the right things in the right way for me. I hope he will be OK.

[Shef's Mom]

This is a wonderful letter.....I suspect I'll be able to send a similar message to my son soon.

[Carla Lee]

Replying through my tears, very inspiring note. Thanks for sharing.