Calling/Writting home
 

Ive heard all kinds of stories. Besides the initial 'first' letter from basic, how often will we be able to write home?
Do we also get to call at all after the initial 'Im here' call?

Generally you can write letters home on Sundays..many try to write a little each night after lights out, but you can get in trouble for that! All letters will be posted on Mondays only. You have some time to write on Sundays...but many wait until they have all their laundry, ironing and folding done first. Then if they are slow on that, run out of time to write, so prepare your family!
Now phone calls are a different story, it can depend on many factors, like is your division acting as one and not getting in trouble. Is your RDC a hard ass or kind of nice. Some people have had phone calls each week, and some only have had the first call and the one after Battle Stations. Just because you stay out of trouble does not mean you will get mroe calls..if someone in your division gets in trouble, the WHOLE division pays the price....:exactly:
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KIDS WELLBUTRIN

wow so if u have a really tough RDC u only get to call home twice out of the 2 months that ur there? That so sucks.

Yup...my kids story exactly. Got the 4.5 second call home right after she got there and then I didnt hear from her for 7 weeks and 1 day. And the ONLY reason I got that call was because it was Christmas day. She had PIR a week after that and her battlestations happened to be the day we were traveling to Chicago for PIR so I missed that call. =( It was rough, thank goodness for the letters or I'd have gone nuts.

It is not only due to a hard headed or tough RDC...but your shipmates in your division not being able to get their act together, or try to sneak stupid stuff, or write letters after hours and get caught, or they cant drill together in correct formation or what ever. When one in the division does bad...the whole division pays for it. It is a learning process to teach you all to work as one..the navy way.
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KMART GIFT CARDS

Exactly. Lauren was soooo frustrated with her division. Her words about them, "numbnuts". Couldnt March worth a damn, after weeks! She was like, "Its Walking to a beat People!!!" They Couldnt seam to learn to Shut Up! She had a lot of guys right out of high school who acted like they were 8 not 18. And Sue is right, one screws up and you all pay the price.

While Derek was there he got the "I'm here" call two weeks after he got there and then one 5 min call half way through. I didn't hear from him again until after battle stations. He only had two short calls then too. I did get at least one letter a week once they were able to start writing.

What about phone cards, is there a need for those in boot?? I realize that you may not be able to call very often, but is it worth having one?

Phone cards is a good idea, any answers? I was watching the new vids and they show the new recruits calling home at basic on pay phones - Should I bring change for that, or a phone card, or do you not have to pay to use them? Or maybe I can bring a cell?

Bring at least a 500 minute phone card...and activate it BEFORE you leave for boot and know how to use it!
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CamillaH

Make dang sure you bring a phone card. You don't want to me waiting in the line at the base exchange buying one when you could be on the phone at the same time...

Awesome.
Thanks for the answers guys. :)

We got a toll free number for our home phone when Andrew was at boot. Then whenever I left the house, I just had all calls forwarded to my cell. I know that some parents wrote the code on the back of the card in Sharpie so it was easier to see.:witch:

Hey Craiggers....I can get a bunch of calling cards from work. They are 5 hour cards, but it seems when they're used for the payphone up at GL's they only work for like 2 hours. Anyway...how bout I glom a bunch and send them to you and Tessie. Then you could send them to the DEPers that could use a helping hand. PM me your address and I'll start collecting them. I can prolly send you 20-30 maybe more.

Oh, and once their activated they expire in 60 or 70 days, but that shouldn't be a problem as they'll get them thru boot camp.

Well if anyone stops by here and check this out, I just want everyone to know that http://callsforrecruits.org will send you free phone cards via email. Just print it out and take it with you to boot camp. Family Members, Loved Ones, nor the Service Members should have to pay for phone calls from Boot Camp!! Go to Calls for Recruits.org and get your free cards today!! Have a great day!!

I love CallsForRecruits. Not the guy, but the organization :rofl:

This group is outstanding! You deppers need to "use and abuse" this group. You've earned it!

We all believe in you deppers... You've joined the worlds best Navy! We are proud of you and only want to pay you back for about the defend our nation. We appreciate it!

http://i47.tinypic.com/2q4046v.jpg

it is different for everyone but just sharing my experience, i got to call home about 7 times, and all of those calls except for the 1st one lasted more then 10 minutes. I also wrote a little bit every night so i didn't have a lot to do on sundays. We also we given time through out the night to get ironing done, it was strange but thats how they did it, there is a 24 hour watch, and it switches every 2 hours during the night, and who ever is on watch has a list of times and recruits they wake up at night for their half hour ironing session, take advantage of it. its nice to chill out on sundays. i also used to shine my boots every other night, especially saturday nights, if you do a little here and there, you wont have much to do on sundays at all. and sundays is only free time from after breakfast until lunch time. which is usually about 8am to 1pm.

I would really appreciate any phone cards that you could send me. I have one son in bootcamp and one in DEP.

You need to contact this group and see if they can help you...... http://callsforrecruits.org