What should I be writing in letters?

[Proud Girlfriend]

U just wanna know what I should be wring to my recruit at bootcamp. What do they want to hear?

[Kalena]

Anything you want to tell him.

[Proud Girlfriend]

Can I send him pictures?

[Concernedad]

Yes you can send pics, but know that many may see them.

I'd send my son questionaires from this website asking about his experience there and printed off comics from the comic strips.

I'd suggest nothing stressful, as they've got enough to deal with. Let them know what's going on at home. Tell them how well they're doing.

[GBATTS (ship 02/div 945)]

Jill - I'm glad you asked this, as I wondered the same thing just this morning.  My daughter left last week and I've been writing her a daily note about what's going on at home. Of course, I tell her that we're all so proud of her, hope that she's doing well, has made friends, and that we think of her all the time.  I've been typing it on the computer so I can edit it before mailing (since I don't have her address yet). So, I add stuff in, then I take it out, then I add it back in.  Does she want to know that we ate at Pizza Hut, or that so & so asked about her, not sure.  

[Concernedad]

Here was one questionaire I used

 

Please select the appropriate answers to the following questions or fill in the blanks so your poor mother will have more detail about what you are doing other than taking 3 minute group showers and folding, ironing and marching!!! J

 

 

What day is today for your division? (example 4:4) _____________

What is today’s date (mm/dd) ________________

 

What dates are your divisions Battlestations (mm/dd) ___________

 

Have you started training on Marlinspike yet? Yes___ No ____

 

If yes, was it cool and if not are you looking forward to it? (Comment) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

How do you win a flag? What does that mean and what is it for? (Comment) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Is bootcamp what you expected? Better______ Worse_______

Why or why not?_________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

 

Are you looking forward to Battlestations? Yes_____ No_____

 

Are you looking forward to the Captain’s Cup? Yes____ No____

 

Are you getting to be friends with any guys in particular? Yes___No___

 

If so, who and where are they from? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Do you want me to send you anything in particular? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Have you lost any weight or gained any weight? If so, how much

Lost ______  Gained______ Neither ______ I don’t freakin know!! J ______

 

Are you worried about passing any certain test (academic, gas chamber, firefighting etc) of any sort or do you think you will ace everything once you learn it? If so, what?______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

What do you hate most?___________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

 

What do you like most?____________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

 

Do you wish you would have been more prepared before you left ((ie) Done a little more prep and learned more details about bootcamp) or is just learning about it as you go okay?

____ Wish I would have known more details

____ Learning as I go is fine

 

Do you feel that you are doing well in bootcamp overall? Yes___ No___

 

Where do you stand at in marching line so I can be able to pick you out at PIR. (example which row and how many over from left/right side?)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Do you like the fact that I am involved with Navyformoms.com or do you think I’m weird?

____ I think it is cool. You are giving me information that is helping

____ No, I think it is useless

____ Yes, I’m glad you are a Navy Mom, but your still weird J

 

Do you actually realize that it will be much easier after bootcamp?

_____ Yes, bootcamp is supposed to suck, the next 3 years will be fun

_____ No, I wish I would have just kept working a dead-end job

 

 

Are you looking forward to your job (once you learn it) and going to new places?

Yes___ No____

 

Are you hoping your orders after A-school are at sea or on land? Sea___ Land___

 

Which type of ship at sea would you most like to be on?_____________________

 

 

 

Which land base would you most like to be stationed at?

CONUS ____________________________________________

OCONUS____________________________________________

 

Are you impressed at how your father is learning Navy lingo so well!!! J J J

Yes___No___

 

Are you proud of yourself? You should be! Yes_______ No_______

 

 Do you know how proud your family is of you? You should!! J

 Yes_____ No_____

 

==========================================

 

Choose the most appropriate answer:

 

Right now I would most like to

(a)  go to sleep in a real bed

(b)  have some of my home cooking

(c)  wear some pajama pants and boxers

(d)  drive your car

(e)  watch TV

(f)  listen to music

(g)  iron something J

 

My RDC is:

(a)  pretty cool, yells a lot but he likes us overall

(b)  mean as hell, he hates us

(c)  mean but that’s their job

 

The first thing that I want to do after graduation is

(a)  go to the bathroom by myself

(b)  eat/drink something sweet

(c)  take a long shower by myself

(d)  wear civvy’s

(e)  other __________________________________

[Concernedad]

I found this letter I had sent to my son while he was at Boot Camp. Thought it a pretty good letter to send to the new recruits..

 

 

This is what my son John had to say about Navy Boot Camp right after he graduated.

 

I finished Navy boot camp back on August 10th, 2007 it was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be, I think the hardest part was establishing teamwork in the division. There are so many different people from all over the U.S. and the world, not everyone is going to get along with each other. We had people yelling at each other and never getting along. We didn't really even start to come together as a team until about week 6.

 

One thing I really had a hard time getting use to was being bossed around and getting yelled at. I didn't take any of the yelling personally, because I know it is the job of the recruit division commanders to turn us from normal people into sailors, but still, being woken up each morning by yelling and having it continue throughout the day becomes stressful.

 

With that said I would like to give some good hints on how to deal with Navy boot camp. ( although some of these will apply to Army, Air Force, and Marines ).

 

1. Don't be sensitive

Don't take things that are said to you personally while in boot camp, even if it's by another recruit. All that does is cause you more stress. If a recruit division commander (RDC) yells at you for something just respond with "aye aye petty officer/chief" or "yes petty officer/chief". If another recruit yells at you just ignore them. If they are trying to correct you just listen to them and correct yourself.

 

2. Teamwork

Learn to work as part of a team. In order for a team to form everyone has to be able to have an active roll. Don't separate yourself from the others and don't let others become isolated from the group. If you see someone that isn't quite part of the team then have them help you with whatever the current task is. Another part of this is never leaving a shipmate behind. If someone is having a hard time with folding or running or push up, or anything else, then help them! I had this guy next to me at boot camp that really sucked at folding his shirts and pants. Every night I would help him with folding and make sure everything in his rack locker was organized correctly.

 

I believe the most common things people struggle with are swimming, running, folding, and making racks.

 

3. Never give up

If you give up you will never get anywhere. Just keep trying and seek help from your division (teamwork!). When you're doing the 20 minute run and you feel like you can't go anymore just keep trying. That only lasts for a little bit then you get more energy. Just slow your breathing down, and keep your current speed.

 

4. Take advantage of Holiday Routine (Sunday)

Every Sunday you get about 5 hours of free time. Take advantage of that. Take a break; write letters, go to church, get to know other people in your division. Letters were very important to me in boot camp. They are what kept me going. I made my dad write to me every day and I was able to respond every Sunday.

 

5. Attention to details

Pay attention to what you're doing. Do exactly what you're told, don't assume the RDCs mean for what they say to be interpreted a different way. This happened a lot in my division.

 

6. Sleep when allowed

When you're allowed to sleep actually take advantage of it, don't stay up talking to other people, you can talk at other times, use your sleeping time to regain your energy and rest. This will help A LOT.

 

7. Eat healthy

The galley's at boot camp offer a large variety of foods, make sure you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. (The galley will have a salad bar in it too.) Balance you meals out make sure you have a little of everything. Here is what I did in boot camp.

1 - meat

1 - cup of milk (not before running or PT)

2 - fruits (usually a peach and a banana)

2 - vegetables (whatever they had as the main vegetables and a salad)

2 - grains Usually a roll and one of the things in the main line.

 

[ebigirl]

I used the form (questionaire) letters also. I did this because my son didn't like to write, and fill in the blank was more his style. I got them back, usually with a one word answer to each question.

More than anything, make sure you keep everything you write positive. Our kids LIVE for their mail. This is what my son told me anyways. They would rather read about your "to do" list for the day than get no mail at all.

Just keep writing, and ask other family members to write often also. ust keep it POSITIVE!!!!

[Chris 2 Sailors Mom]

Just write as if you were having a conversation with him, even if it's one-way.(isn't this what Mom's do anyway?) I tell my son what his siblings are up to, even tho they write him too. I tell him how my fave baseball team is doing, and tease him about his fave teams. I talk about a new restaurant I found and what they have on the menu. He'd like to try it sometime.

Just talk about little things, and be descriptive so he can picture home in his mind as he reads it.