Writing Letters

[MamaLamaDingDong: AO/Pensacola]

Most of you will have already found this information but in case we get some "new" mom's on here I will post this. *this is copied from another post.

Comment by JessicaB-Sailor Mom on April 6, 2011 at 5:04am

Here's how your address should be written:

SR, Last Name, First Name, Middle initial

Ship ##, Divison ###

Recruit Training Command

#### Something Drive or Avenue

Great Lakes ILL 60088-####

SR= Seaman Recruit

(The Recruit Training Command can be left off...it just may be written that way on your Form Letter.)

You may get a ship name, that's not needed in the address but you can use it if you want (my son was on the USS Enterprise...he thought that was cool!) If you use the ship name in the address I think it goes on the 3rd line, under ship/div.

Comment by JessicaB-Sailor Mom on May 27, 2011 at 5:59am

Ya'll as far as writing letters WRITE EVERY DAY...they do not care what you write as long as it's from HOME. One N4M sent her grocery list and her son loved it. Send info from friends and family, gossip, world news, sports news, keep them up on their favorite sports teams, TV shows. Tell them the funny things your pets or other children or YOU are doing. Try not to be sad or tearful...do let them know you love and miss them but follow that with...I'm proud of you and looking forward to seeing you march through those doors at PIR. Send them funny jokes and photos....http://www.jokesgallery.com is good...some of them are a little dirty. I sent them to my son and he shared and his division LOVED them. Cards are fine...try to stay away from colored envelopes. NO musical cards, no glitter, perfume, stickers, NO CARE PACKAGES. Another thing about letters do not use red ink...they tend to read letters in bed (not suppose to) and at night there is a softly glowing red "night light" that makes it VERY hard to read red ink. The red light is used on ships when they go to "darken ship" as red can't be seen across the ocean like white can. That is why there is a the red light on at night... Recruits receive mail every day (except Sundays and holidays, just like the rest of us). They begin getting mail as soon as their Mail Petty Officer (the recruit assigned to collect and distribute mail), is trained. Because the mail is controlled by federal law, the MPO must complete a federal training course before s/he can handle the mail. Sometimes this takes a couple of weeks, but not usually more than three.

Jokes and Fun Stuff to include in your letters

http://www.jokesclean.com/ChristianJokes/

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Word searches

http://www.armoredpenguin.com/wordsearch/

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about.com military humor

(this particular link is on “10 Ways to Make Basic Training Harder )

http://usmilitary.about.com/library/miljokes/bltoughbasic.htm

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Gocomics

Your favorite comic strips!

http://www.gocomics.com/explore/comics

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Military humor-but has all kinds. Poke around.

This was one of my favorites as they have to put their SS# on EVERYTHING!

http://www.swapmeetdave.com/Humor/MilJoke.htm

It’s best to photocopy jokes and such onto the back of the letters you write. Actual clippings may get thrown away. Pictures may be sent but they will be inspected for content…and also remember they do not have a lot of room in their compartment for storage. Please use good judgment on content when sending cartoons and such…you don’t need to get you or your SR in trouble.

[Mike's Mom (S-PACT/Yokosuka,JP)]

This is copied directly off the RTC web site. There is other very helpful information there, so you might want to check it out: http://www.bootcamp.navy.mil/index.asp

Proper mailing addresses for Recruits are:

SR LAST NAME, FIRST NAME, MI
SHIP XXX DIV XXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
GREAT LAKES IL 60088-XXXX

Ship 2
3600 Ohio Street
Great Lakes, IL
60088


Ship 3
3600 Ohio Street
Great Lakes, IL
60088-3156

Ship 4
3600 Ohio Street
Great Lakes, IL
60088-7103


Ship 5
3610 Illinois Street
Great Lakes, IL
60088-3118

Ship 6
3510 Illinois Street
Great Lakes, IL
60088-3119
Ship 7
3405 Sailor Drive
Great Lakes, IL
60088

Ship 9
3415 Sailor Drive
Great Lakes, IL
60088-3515

Ship 10
3425 Sailor Drive
Great Lakes, IL
60088-3525

Ship 11
3505 Sailor Drive
Great Lakes, IL
60088-3505

Ship 12
3515 Sailor Drive
Great Lakes, IL
60088-3515
Ship 13
3420 Sailor Drive
Great Lakes, IL
60088-3520

Ship 14
3410 Sailor Drive
Great Lakes, IL
60088-3510

Ship 17
2705 Kansas Street
Great Lakes, IL
60088-3140

[MamaLamaDingDong: AO/Pensacola]

Calls for Recruites/Letters from Home Project http://www.facebook.com/groups/453921554637473/

Ladies, The above link will take you to the calls for recruits site and the Letters from home project. I would encourage you as we head (finally) into the time where our SR's will be able to send and receive mail that you ask your SR to be on the look out for anyone who is not receiving mail then give you their name. You can post their name and add on the above site and letters will come flooding in! I have been sending out 3-4 letters each week to people in all branches that don't have anyone to send them mail. Thanks! 

[Scooter's Mom (USS Charlotte)]

I got a letter!!!! My son is on Ship 14 Div 290.  The postmark is smeared but it looks like it was mailed out Aug. 1st.

He said that they had not earned the priviledge to write yet, but many of the guys were writing after lights out.  I could tell he had not received my letters yet because he asked about the shooting in Aurora, CO.  (my first letter covered it extensively).  He said processing days were super boring, but he is doing well.  Kids in the group from age 18 to a 38 year old going into the reserves. He said the worst part is being so isolated from the real world.  The best part - he is using recruit handwriting to write his letters so I can actually read it!  He said " a typical day consists of getting yelled at, marching, getting yelled at, eating, running while getting yelled at, and some basic life training stuff (how to shave, write a check, etc)".  To all those who have not received a letter, its coming soon!

[MamaLamaDingDong: AO/Pensacola]

I second Always a mom! My daughter is in the same div so I'm guessing she chose to sleep after lights out rather than write. The logical side of my brain says, "good for her!" The mom side of my brain says, "Sleep?! Sleep?! Who needs sleep when you can write your mamma?!?" Lol

[MamaLamaDingDong: AO/Pensacola]

Study for tests?!? Who needs to study for tests when you could be writing your mamma?!? Lol

[MamaLamaDingDong: AO/Pensacola]

I think I'll join the group behind us, then I'll be the first getting everything! Lol

[MamaLamaDingDong: AO/Pensacola]

But then again maybe I wouldn't as apparently my daughter is going to sleep thru boot camp! ROFL

[MamaLamaDingDong: AO/Pensacola]

GAH! I just added more guilt to my plate when she gives me some perfectly reasonable explanation, huh?!?

[MamaLamaDingDong: AO/Pensacola]

You've got a deal Always a Mom!