This is for any father, family member or friend who has or knows someone in bootcamp. Write letters....plenty of them! While in boot camp they are pretty much separated from the outside world.
Receiving letters from home is like opening a xmas present every week! It keeps them in touch with what is going on at home and lets them know you are proud of their choice to serve in the Armed Forces.
They also need reassurance that they made the right choice. As stated before in other discussions on here,doubt creeps in from time to time as they go through the process of training.
Our job is to keep their spirits up. When I went to boot camp years ago, I couldn't wait to read letters from home. If I had a bad day or week, it all went away and my spirits went sky high with letters from my family with words of encouragement.
So the best way to help your Recruit is....LETTERS...LETTERS and more LETTERS!
Replies
Great Juan, your recruit will really appreciate them. This is also a way for a Father,Mother or family member to feel that they had a part in his developement towards becoming a Navy Sailor. Although my Boot Camp experience may be different than the way it is performed today, the result of your son or daughter being in a totally alien enviorment from what they are used to is not. Although i had older siblings who had experienced Boot Camp and tried their best to prepare me, it still was a shock. I personally started enjoying boot camp after the 4th week. We were becoming a well oiled machine by then, so the extreme vocals by our RDC were becoming less and less...lol. They were still there....just less of it.
Thanks Will, writing right now...