Advice on letters?

[sarah-h]

Hi guys, I'm new here. My boyfriend of three years (and hopefully fiance soon) left for basic on Nov. 19 and so far I've been writing him a letter every night. A few questions that maybe some of you more experienced ladies can answer for me: How long will it be before I get his address so I can mail all my letters? When will he be able to start writing to me? And, is there anything off-limits that I shouldn't write in my letters? I want to be really mushy and romantic but I don't want him to get made fun of or anything. I have no idea how this works and I'm freaking out a little. Thanks in advance for your help!

[BrittSailorWife<3]

Hi, my fiance left the same day too:/ i also have no idea how any of it works! i need help too!

[abuon18]

As long as you don't send anything in the letters that would cause them to be opened before he gets them you can write whatever you want. If the letters feel or look like there is something else in there, like pictures or presents or food, basically anything besides the paper you write your letters on, they may get opened and checked for contraband before your boyfriend gets them. And yes, if they do get opened and happened to get read, he may get made fun of for mushy stuff. Don't spray the envelopes with perfume or put stickers or any writing on the outside aside from the address, and it should be fine.

[sarah-h]

Thanks so much guys. I thought about sending him a picture of his cats but was afraid to risk it, and now that I know that I don't think I will. But I will definitely be as mushy as I want now. :) And his recruiter told his mom that he would have his address today or tomorrow, but I'm afraid to believe him. 

[NavyGirlfriend<3 (Ship12Div54)]

I copy and pasted a few pictures onto a word document and made a little collage and printed it out on normal printer paper and put it in the middle of the couple letters I sent in one envelope and my boyfriend got it with no problem. He left 5 days before your boyfriend. And my letters have all been mushy and lovey so I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just don't send pictures on picture paper, just normal printer paper.

[Anti M]

You can send pictures, small ones. However, the best thing to do is to print them onto the same paper you write your letter on. Saves a ton of space.

[abuon18]

Like Anti M said they're allowed to receive pictures, the envelope will just be opened by his RDC before your boyfriend gets it to make sure the pictures are appropriate. As far as getting the address from the recruiter, most people recommend not doing that and just waiting for the form letter because the guys can be put in one ship, then moved to another and the recruiter will then have the wrong address. I got my husband's address from his recruiter but only because we never received his form letter and I was getting anxious after a week and a half of waiting and hearing that everyone else had gotten it!

[mollybub]

It took two weeks for my fiance's form letter to come, it wasn't until day 21 of boot camp that his first letter to me arrived in my mail box! He spent a lot of time in processing, so this isn't the norm, but it does happen. 

I just got back from my fiance's graduation, and I asked him a ton of questions. Throughout his basic training, I sent him a letter every single day - well, as soon as we got his form letter, anyway - and he said it's what got him through it, having a letter from to open everyday. And, all the other guys in his division were jealous because he was only one to have a letter everyday - my sailor was pretty proud of that, haha. So, if time permits, continue to write a letter every night! That's what I did. 

I don't think you should be worried about anything you write in a letter. I wrote all kinds of things to my sailor, mushy, romantic, sensual, you know - normal relationship stuff. His RDCs and other shipmates didn't read his letters. Pictures are good to send, if they're small. My sailor asked me to send wallets, so I went to Wal-Mart and printed a bunch out and sent one in every letter until I ran out. So wallet size is good. 

Also, my sailor ASKED me to spray a letter with my perfume, so I went ahead and did so. He loved it, and he didn't get made fun of - like I said, others were jealous! :) Maybe it all depends on the division of recruits, but this was my experience. Hope it helped!

[meagan5220]

I think the perfume thing depends on the RDCs themselves as to whether they pick on the perfume thing or not. Definitely do not send any packages. They wont get to keep it and can get punished for it. I didnt get a form letter til week two either. As far as getting the address from the Recruiter they can get moved around and get a new address. The letters are supposed to catch up with them but idk if they always do. I agree with Molly that you should write everyday. I didnt mail mine seperately but he had seperate letters for everyday so that way he could read one a day. When my husband was in BC there were lots of blizzards so thats why I sent more than one letter together so that if the mail got held up he would have a thicker one to get him through lol!

[chelseacat]

I sent a big yellow envelope full of smaller envelopes with letters in the smaller envelopes. Do you think they would just open the yellow envelope, see all the other envelopes and letters and him have them? Do you think he would be allowed them, but get in trouble also? I'm so worried about it!

[meagan5220]

I dont know if he will get in trouble for sure... It will depend on the RDC. I would suggest from now on mailing them individually. If they think there is sometihng in it they will make him open it in front of them and possibly give him shit. But I dont think he would get in trouble other than maybe doing some push ups.

[sarah-h]

Well, the recruiter came through and got us the address on Friday. I wish I had read what you guys said before I sent my letters! I mailed four of them yesterday. I hope they find their way to him. Anyway, I did spray perfume on one letter. And I wrote him a legit love letter last night, instead of the usual "I did this today" stuff. I might wait to sent that one now that you guys told me I might have the wrong address. I want to make sure he gets at least that one. But I'll keep writing every day even if I do have the wrong address, because if it's the right one I know it'll make him really happy to start getting letters from me.

[meagan5220]

Oh he still wont get them until probably about that time anyways or on navy time. They dont start handing out letters til they pick someone to do the mail stuff and train them and whatnot. I know its hard but be patient. :) Believe me this will be the first of only many times you will be in this hurry up and wait limbo! Keep writing though when you get the form letter is when they usually start letting them write and when they can start getting stuff. Depending on where you are letters only take a couple days to get there too. Hopefully he will still get them quickly. If not I have been told they get them to the guys by the end of bootcamp.