Letters

[Popeye's Mom Alum DIV 031 1-6-12]

 

Hi everyone,

I hope I get the hang of this eventually. When can we send mail? My son went to boot camp in Great Lakes yesterday 11-1-11 & I don't have his address yet. His recruiter said he would get it but I've read on here that they sometimes get the wrong one. How soon are they allowed to write to us? I'm sure the answers are already here but I'm not too good at knowing where to look. Thank you so much!

P.S. We did get our call last nite-yea!

[mome2jord]

Popeye's mom...my son also left for boot camp on 11/1.  I have begin writing letters and his recruiter said he would have his address for us on Monday.  I too am nervous to use it but want to get letters out immediately. How are all you mom's holding up?

[fishingmom SHIP2 DIV907]

 my daughter left on 11/1 also...as for being worried more because she is female..no not so much,

however was very surprised when she said... at the airport they had 164 recruits getting on the plane of which 160 were male.

 

[KIM756]

Does anybody know how many form letters they get to send out? Is it just one and the person who gets it passes the address on? Started saying goodbye to my "other" son (my sons best friend) tonight. Hoping I can make it to MEPS for the swearing in and final goodbyes. This is so hard, my son leaves for BC in a month, so having to do this twice.

[spontino]

Only 1 form letter goes out...say the parents are divorced, then which ever parent he chooses to send it to will be the only one.

[GaryMimi]

Hi fellow Mom - our son left October 23rd and we got our first letter a few days ago, it was a form letter with tons of information along with a brochure and a small note from him. He gave us his address so we have been writing and sending letters ever since! They encourage us to send a letter per day - I have also shared his address with the church and other family members - I tend to send cards that are themed with not only "miss you", but also found at the post office cards about service to our country and freedom, etc....I don't want him to be too homesick...he has a way to go....I am so excited to be seeing him next month!  Seeing him will be our anniversary/Christmas present!!!

(We are trying to figure out about airfare, or driving, etc....not sure yet what to do - his Mom is going, is Dad (my husband), me - step mommy, and his brother and girlfriend!) My hopes is that he is flooded with mail!

 

[jms93mom]

GaryMimi,
I started writing my first letter last night. Got the dreaded phone call around 0230 hours, very short and I could tell a difference in his voice, that I can't explain. I woke up this morning and have decided to do what I am calling "The Boot Camp Challenge" at work. I am encouraging all of my co workers to send at least one encouragement card to my son and I will provide the stamps and mail them.I am also thinking about making it a post on Facebook as well (except I will only give the address out through an inbox message).My family will be also be passing this on to their church members. I am like you, I want my son to be flooded with mail. I am anxious to see if anything other newbie moms like myself, will have a son in my sons division. I would love to do the same for those that are with him. It will be a few weeks before I hear from him in the form of a letter but I will have my ducks in a row and plan on getting the ball rolling!

~Dawn~

[Popeye's Mom Alum DIV 031 1-6-12]

 

Hi fellow Navy Moms,

I can't find where to start a new discussion.(I am so technologically challenged, my sailor always helped me-lol!) So I just thought I'd keep going on here. We got what I call our "boy in a box " yesterday 11-7! It didn't make me cry but I did look thru the paperwork & it had his picture on it so I gave him a kiss. Our poor dog, Pepper, is missing him really bad! I always refer to him as her "brother." She keeps sniffing the floor in the entire house(something she's never done before) & sitting on the arm of the reliner looking out the front window for him! He has a noisy low-rider truck so if she hears a loud vehicle she jumps up on the chair to see if it's him! It makes me sad. I talk to her about him like she's human but who knows what they understand.  :(  Now waitin' for a letter or another phone call. Hope you're all hangin' in! Take care!

Roz

[suesueb]

My son rescued a cat during the hurricane katrina days.  THe cat has slept w/ him and has really bonded w/ him, although i'm the one who feeds it (?)  After my son left, the cat stayed gone for 3 days then returned home.  She has jumped up n my lap, let me pet her and she too listens when i talk or read his letters (almost like she understands and has a sense that i/he needs her.  Its wild how animals react to things and some say they have no feelings, huh i disagree totally.  He called last nite and was able to talk for 15 min.  What a atreat it was to finally hear his voice, he states that they only get 3 calls (does anyone know any different?  We werent told that the 1st 2 weeks were 4 processing in and doesn't count toward bc so that makes it a 10 wk deal rather then the 8 we were lead to believe.  I finding that many things are misleading where the navy is concerned.  He also stated that the dentist told him he had 4 cavities, one may require a root canal.  He has only had 1 his entire life and went to dentist at home 1 wk prior to leaving and our dentist gave him a good check up w/no cavities.  This is really bothering me as he can do nothing about it (the root canal).  Has anyone else experienced any similar problems?  I will double check w/ our dentist today, but feel something isn't adding up.  Thank u in advance for your response, caring and sharing.

sue sue b.

[PhoenixMomPS1204]

Hi Sue:

Some of the guys graduate in 8 weeks, and some in 9 or 10.  When their graduation date is depends on when their division fills up.  For example, guys who went in in 11/1 are graduating with guys who went in (like my son) on 11/8.  My son's graduation date is exactly 8 weeks from the Friday of the week he went in, but the ones who wen in 11/1 are longer than 8 (maybe 9?).  So it's really an approximation of when they will graduate rather than exact.

 

My son's latest letter also said they filled some small cavities.  He had just been to the dentist in October, so I am also surprised they found any dental work to be done!.  HIs dentist a few months prior had recommended his wisdom teeth be pulled - we were told to wait until he went in and let the Navy deal with it, but when he got in they said they didn't need to pull them because they had come in ok.  Don't understand the difference between the Naval dentists and our regular dentist (who is very good), but I guess just be thankful that they found any problems that may have been missed. 

[GaryMimi]

Hi there...our son left October 23rd...we got the box and then a form letter with a small note shortly afterwards....with his address!  As soon as we got his address, I let everyone know and began writing to him on a daily basis - some times I sent two letters!  YESTERDAY we got two letters!!!! One that had been written just 4 days prior....he has been getting all of our letter and wants them to keep coming!!!!!!!!  they are all super busy and only get to write on Sunday's....so be patient - they will come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[suesueb]

my son also left on the same date as yours.  I finally after 28 days was able to get the 1st real phone call.  we were able to talk for 15 min.  He sounded good until the end, knowing we had to say goodbye was hard for my lil "sailor man."  His grad date is also the same.  New to this forum and all this military stuff.  Looking forward to sharing and supportin one another as we travel this path w/our sailors. He said that they were only allowed 3 calls, the one to let us know they made it to bc, the one last nite and then 1 more.  Since phone calls are a reward, i'm wondering will he possibly be able to make more than that?

[PhoenixMomPS1204]

It's possible there could be another call.  My son's friend went in last June and we got 4 calls from him (he was living with us at the time he left). The "I made it here safely" call, the one about 3 weeks in, and then got another one a week or two before battlestations, and then the "I'm a sailor" call.  We were thinking he must have earned that extra call as a reward.