Mail call is usually every evening, Monday through Saturday. At the end of the duty day, the
The Drill Sergeants won't open the letters (though they very well might open packages, if they gets any). However, if a letter arrives with a suspicious feel-like lumps of gum or a stack of photos, they will ask your soldier to open the letter in front of them. No, drill sergeants do not typically read your letters.
Yelling is, by far, the most common corrective action in military basic training. If you perform some boneheaded stunt, your training instructor is going to let you know about it ... loudly. Don't discount being yelled at as a punishment.
During this time, some soldiers get a chance to call, and even write their families a letter. However, since they are not yet in their basic training unit, they cannot give you a return address. Usually, you should give it about a month after they leave for BCT to begin expecting a letter.
A Sandboxx Letter is an electronically composed message that is printed into a physical letter, and sent to recruits in training. Sandboxx Letters are delivered overnight to base, making them faster than traditional snail mail.
Mail call is usually every evening, Monday through Saturday. At the end of the duty day, the drill instructor will enter the barracks, call out names and pass out mail. You're then usually granted about one hour of free time to read your mail.
A letter from home can encourage your recruit during the demands of basic training. If you do send a letter, use a plain piece of paper and an envelope. It's okay to send photos, but don't do things like decorating the envelope – it could cause unwanted attention for your recruit.
Getting That Morning Wake-Up Call
In military basic training, there's no such thing as sleeping in. You'll get up at 5 a.m. every single day. Waking up in the morning is an adjustment process that's the same for every single basic training class.
Don't send pornography or 'pin-up' or nude photos, off-color or racist jokes or comics. These items can get your soldier, sailor, marine, airman or guardsman in serious trouble. Don't send packages of goodies. Basic is not the time for 'Care Packages”.
Army Basic Training Red Phase
Red phase is the starting phase and is typically considered the hardest part of training. The entire phase, which is 3 weeks long, is devoted to constant calisthenic exercises, and you will be spending much of your time in the push-up position.
Drill Instructors/Drill Sergeants don't physically touch recruits. They don't hit or physically assault recruits, ever. They come close, but they never physically hurt or even touch recruits. Another thing that is important is that everything they do is for a purpose, a rehearsed, manufactured, and engineered purpose.
Yes, it is possible to fail basic training. You could go through the trouble of leaving your home, job, family and friends and come back a failure. In fact, this happens to about 15% of recruits who join the military every year. Too many recruits I speak to think that it is impossible to fail basic training.
The Army is the only branch of the military that honors the Holiday Block Leave for all recruits who are in basic training. This allows the drill sergeants and instructors to have a break during Christmas and prepare to come back for the New Year ready to train.
This time around, however, instead of allowing a line to form behind the phone, drill sergeants simply free recruits' phones from lock-up. Drill sergeants still monitor all phone use and often restrict photography, texting, and social media usage.
Service members who went through Basic Training said the Navy allowed 1-2 phone calls per month. Army recruits are allowed to call every 3 weeks when they phase up, and then every weekend once they complete Basic and begin AIT.
Marine Corps Recruit Training is the longest, most demanding military basic training, consisting of more than 70 “training days” in a period of 13 weeks. Unlike other boot camps, there are no weekends off and you cannot leave the base.
Cleaning Up: Showers
In basic training, you take group showers. There's no way out of communal showers. They're required. Everyone in your barracks will enter the shower room assigned to your barracks when commanded.
Often, drill commanders assign when and how long a unit has to shower. For example, you may have 1-2 minutes to squeeze in a quick shower in the morning after PT. Then, more time is generally provided in the evening right before or after “lights out”.
The following relationships are permitted in the military and not considered fraternization: Dating between enlisted members of the same rank. Dating between enlisted members and civilian employees or government contractors.
Basic Training Doesn't Last Forever
The best military relationship advice is this: You can be just as strong apart as you are together — if you're willing. With every day that passes, you're that much closer to seeing your other half graduate from basic training.
It's a tough process, but a rewarding one that many service members value for life. To succeed in boot camp, you should prepare yourself physically and mentally. Daily cardio, weight training, pushups and situps are a must. You should also practice arriving early on a regular basis and sticking to a strict schedule.
The first letter you receive from your recruit will be a form letter. This letter should arrive in your mailbox approximately 10-14 days after they leave.