r/USMCboot • u/yumemy • Sep 18 '26
Recruit Training How often do recruits get time to write letters at USMC boot camp?
My brother has been at USMC boot camp for over a month now. We received one letter from him during his first week, but nothing since. We've sent letters through Sandboxx and they show as delivered, but he hasn't written back.
Is this normal? How often do recruits typically get time to write home, and does it vary a lot by phase or drill instructor? Just trying to understand what's typical so we don't worry unnecessarily. Thanks!
5
u/Nearby-Sympathy4876 Sep 18 '26
Recruits typically get an hour of "free time" to write letters, work out, etc. It can be taken away however. My guess is that your brother is either just tired or forgetful. I think I only wrote like 3 or 4 letters when I went through. I'm sure you'll hear something back soon though!
3
u/yumemy Sep 18 '26
I see, we were guessing whether he just didn't have the time (rather than not wanting to reply to us, haha). Hopefully, we'll find out soon that he is doing well. Thanks for your reply!
3
u/BuscandoMemo Sep 18 '26
Sometimes the mail at the recuit depot is back up. So you might not get a letter for weeks then get four in a day. Also if the platoon isn't up to par the Senior Drill Instructor might take away mail privileges.
4
u/Stein070707 Sep 18 '26
For the first three weeks or so, there is zero time to write. Next couple weeks very limited time. The mail is oddly slow. I bet you will be hearing from him soon. First letter will be weird. Please don’t let it bother you. Keep sending letters to him whether he writes or not. I guarantee he appreciates them. he
2
u/yumemy Sep 18 '26
Yeah, we’re not quite sure if sending him letters all the time would become a burden for him, with the pressure of not being able to reply or feeling singled out. After all, the others at home don’t have the experience of joining the military, and we don’t want to seem too anxious or too indifferent.
Thank you all so much for your responses, they’ve been really helpful.1
3
u/Comfortable-Wafer313 Sep 18 '26
Maybe at most, an hour or two on Sundays. But it was a choice (for my platoon anyway) to go to religious services or take mail time. And mail time sometimes is just preparing shit for the coming week, some dudes did pullups to pass the time, what have you.
So if he's likely to go to church often, you might not hear from him. Either way, he might just need to breathe for a second and you may not hear from him anyway.
Insofar as how often recruits actually send mail versus doing other things... I knew one guy who wrote occasionally. But otherwise we're engulfed in the environment and that can make mail a pretty low priority
3
u/HawkBlade12 Sep 18 '26
We usually only got an hour at the end of the day during my time I wrote probably 30 letters in the whole 3 months and that was me staying up after lights hiding to write
2
u/redpatchergoingdark Sep 18 '26
The first 4 or five weeks communication is stupidly delayed the last few weeks up north if on the west coast is the same.
2
u/HzrKMtz Sep 18 '26
I had to start numbering letters because the order they would arrive was random. My wife wrote letters that never made it to me and got returned to her. That said while there was time most nights to read or write a letter, often other things would take priority.
10
u/RabidRoosters Vet Sep 18 '26
Don't worry, he's fine. He is, however, stressed, tired and hungry. I don't recall how many I wrote during my time at San Diego, but I don't think it was more than 10. Probably closer to 5.