Letter Writing to Basic Cadets

[dmacpete]

Re: Letter writing during BCT
At my son's HS graduation party, I had available slips of paper with my son's new address and a note requesting letters over the summer. I also noted that it is important to send everything in plain envelopes with no distinguishing features and no postcards. He heard from an amazing array of friends and family. Some continue to write him regularly. He became a letter writer himself and we were like kids reading letters at the mailbox. We sent him with paper, stamps, and return address labels with his new address. He was also supplied with (read: purchased) some USAFA stationery. Mail call was a huge, big deal for him. There were basics who were getting nothing which he found disturbing enough that he asked us to write to a few of them. He was sure that one basic's only letter was the one he received from me. My point is--write, write, write. It was fun to try to find a creative twist each day and great therapy as well.

[afa_mom]

Great suggestions!

[pojack]

We supplied our cadet witheverything he needed for writing before he left for BCT. This works rather well and we supplied stamps also. We handed out self addressed envelopes to relatives and friends to also send letters. We sent printed jokes, in the content of the letter, also news about his classmates during that summer, sports etc. We sent "letters from the cat and dog", as well as other inanimate objects just for the fun of it. He always got at least 1 letter every day and some days 3 or 4 or more depending upon what relative or friend wrote that day. We even asked for addresses of his friends and others we didnt even know and sent letters to them, encouraging them etc. Jeremy also gave some names of folks who didnt get any mail and we tried to send them also. NO-ONE should be without mail during BCT!! Jeremy even said he got a few cards from people he didn't know, wishing him well and encouraging him. :aok

[SpaceGirl'sMom]

I love the "helpful hints" that you all are posting. Thank you, and keep it up.

I plan on stealing the idea of passing out addressed, stamped envelopes to friends and family at SpaceGirl's graduation/send off party. On our Orientation packet, it gives us the P.O. Box that they are assigned. My question...before I print out labels, is how are we supposed to address our daughter/son? I assume it has to be "Basic Cadet something or other" but don't want to get it wrong.

[skyblue]

It is

Basic Cadet First Last Name
PO BOX XXXX
USAF Academy, CO ZIP CODE -XXXX

the XXXX is their box number that you use as the extra 4 digits of the zip code

[afa_mom]

During BCT mail must be addressed Basic Cadet XXX XXX. Their mail is collected and handed out by the Cadre. That's why you should stick to the white envelope, patriotic stamp, no embellishments on the envelope. You don't want to call attention to them.

After BCT each cadet goes to the Post Office and gets their own mail and it can be addressed anyway you like..........C4C XXX XXX or with nothing but their names XXX XXX.

So only print enough address labels with Basic Cadet to last through BCT. Your cadet certainly won't want to be referred to as a Basic Cadet after BCT.

[SpaceGirl'sMom]

Thank you, thank you...I knew you all would know the answer. Yet another reason why I love this forum!

[afa_mom]

pojack usually makes things up
but most of us do know the answers - and if we don't we'll sure find out!

[pojack]

Originally Posted by afa_mom

pojack usually makes things up
but most of us do know the answers - and if we don't we'll sure find out!

It is well to be so beloved...lest you all forget, I am da "ENFORCER" on dis here site so watch yer mouthes or I will get'cha wid me shoe or me hoe..LOL!! OK Cheryl, no more Mister Nice dude!!

2NYAAAHHH!!!2

[afa_mom]

Originally Posted by pojack

It is well to be so beloved...lest you all forget, I am da "ENFORCER" on dis here site so watch yer mouthes or I will get'cha wid me shoe or me hoe..LOL!! OK Cheryl, no more Mister Nice dude!!

2NYAAAHHH!!!2

:scare

[J.NordicSkier7]

These new smilies are the BOMB, lol (corny, I know, but I really wanted to use this one

[margar]

The most helpful thing my mom did for me was send me with pre-printed stickers that had my return address and several of my friends and relatives addresses. unless you want to stay up late (i don't recommend it) you have VERY little time to write letters and not having to write out my return address or the address of the person i was sending it to saved me tons of time.
it may seem like something little but during beast every second counts
also, it's really not as important as everyone makes it out to be to put everything in white envelopes. people in my squad (myself included) would get decorated letters or singing cards. it depends on your cadre. we had to "earn" our mail anyway (ie do 1000s of push ups and flutter kicks before we could receive them) so our upperclassmen just made fun of us when we received decorated cards. it made things more interesting and gave us a reason to laugh (albeit the laughter came later on when we were back in the safety of our rooms or tents)

[corpmanlm]

When our son graduated from high school, I had a pad of blue (for Air Force) 3"x3" post-it notes placed beside the sign in book. I had printed out his address from the computer on white paper. I used decorative edged scissors and cut the white paper with the address a bit smaller than the post-it note. I then used double-sided sticky tape and taped the white address paper on top of the post-it note. At the bottom I put the date of when they should not use Basic Cadet XXX XXX. Some friends and families took several with them to pass out to other friends and family members. We wrote every day and he said it was great to receive a letter a day.

Congratulations and good luck to all the new appointees!!

Maureen (and Leonard) Corpman

[txtwinmom]

Originally Posted by margar

also, it's really not as important as everyone makes it out to be to put everything in white envelopes. people in my squad (myself included) would get decorated letters or singing cards. it depends on your cadre. we had to "earn" our mail anyway (ie do 1000s of push ups and flutter kicks before we could receive them) so our upperclassmen just made fun of us when we received decorated cards. it made things more interesting and gave us a reason to laugh (albeit the laughter came later on when we were back in the safety of our rooms or tents)

My cadet told me the same thing. She said that the singing cards were good because they had to dance to the music to get the card. It was a good way to bread the tension.
Last summer my dh and I took a trip to Italy and Slovenia. I recruited several Academy parents to write to my cadet so that she would continue to get a letter every day. I took the names and address of all of their cadets and sent them postcards from Venice, Rome, Florence and Slovenia. I tried to send them at least 2 or three cards during our vacation.
No trip planned to Italy :cry2, but I would be willing to send letters or postcards to some of the new Appointees this summer. Just pm me their info.

BTW, love the new smilies!

[pojack]

Originally Posted by txtwinmom

I tried to send them at least 2 or three cards during our vacation.
No trip planned to Italy :cry2, but I would be willing to send letters or postcards to some of the new Appointees this summer. Just pm me their info.

BTW, love the new smilies!

That is a good idea, we would also send some letters etc., to some of the new appointees this summer also, if folks wanted to. :aok GREAT IDEA PEGGY!!!

[USAFA10s]

I loved getting a letter every day and I definitely looked forward to every letter, reading some of them multiple times.

[AuzmansMOM]

Originally Posted by USAFA10s

I loved getting a letter every day and I definitely looked forward to every letter, reading some of them multiple times.

:aok


Cannot get a stronger endorsement than that for the importance of sending those letters to your Basic Cadets, often!

[cwebb3875]

Originally Posted by pojack

We supplied our cadet with everything he needed for writing before he left for BCT. This works rather well and we supplied stamps

If you sent these with him I was just wondering how Jeremy was able to get these items through to his room on in-processing day? Did he keep these in the same packet as his immunization stuff? Am I over-processing?

[pojack]

As far as we can determine, while they were browsing through the tables etc, before actually going up the stairs, he had his personal stuff with him and writing paper etc., was in that. He didnt take much with him but paper etc. did not take up much space. I will ask him for the intimate details if you need them. I do believe that they were allowed stamps and writing paper as part of his personal items.

[Eaglescout]

Now that we've got our son's address, when do you suggest we start writing letters to him. In processing begins on June 25, 2009. When will mail begin to arrive for him from Alabama. I'm sure a few days before "Inprocessing" would be good. What do others think?
When do others think they will start writing letters?hew Also, when will they actually begin to receive their mail during BCT?