I have a friend in the marines

[Gregoriev]

I have a friend in the marines basic training in Parris Island, and I have just received the address to mail him a letter, but I have no idea what to write.

I mean...what is he going through out there? What can I say to him that would bring him the most comfort and encouragement? My mind really just hits a brick wall thinking about it.

Anyone have some recomendations?

[Princifur]

He's in a world that is so much different than yours is that anything you say will be fine. If you're hitting a brick wall, just pretend you're writing a journal entry. Start with "I woke up today and then...." and end with "so that brought me to this point in my day writing a letter." Just hearing about things that are familiar to him will be appreciated.

Mail means so much to you in basic training. Sometimes just hearing your name and knowing that you got mail is better than reading the letter itself, so anything you write will be fine.

Don't worry if it sounds like you're making up stuff to put into your letter. I can remember being at OCS, reading every word of a letter, getting to "With Love, -Mom" and realizing I couldn't remember a single word of the entire letter that I had just read. But the fact that I had a letter, even if I forgot what it said the second I finished reading it totally made my day, and it will for your friend as well.

[Ignition]

talk about happenings in the outside world, things happening at home no matter how small.

also keep the letters positive... nothing negative if you can

13 weeks will fly by, and one of the best parts about the mail is just hearing your name called during mail call

[tibis3383]

Originally posted by Ignition
talk about happenings in the outside world, things happening at home no matter how small.

also keep the letters positive... nothing negative if you can

13 weeks will fly by, and one of the best parts about the mail is just hearing your name called during mail call

+1. Writing anything negative would be bad. Just keep him informed with everything. And like the others have said, the best part of it all is hearing your name during mail call. And write often.

[truckstop cop]

add some sort of positive saying(you can find them online),send pics,tell of your day and ask questions of what he is doing and going through(but dont expect to many answers),also as a helpful tip always send a self addressed stamped envelope with each letter that way all he has to do is write and drop it in and send it.My daughter just recently graduated from PI and she said all those things helped her greatly..

[Gregoriev]

Well guys...I have some bad news.

It turns out Jeff get sick and had an accident during training about a month after starting. Somehow he got a bacterial infection behind one of his cheek bones, and it spread to the point that his equilibrium was completely thrown off.

His mother tells me that he's been on IV antibiotics for the past week, and the doctors are saying there may be perminant damage of some kind. Now, I know you all asking how this could have happened...so am I. It doesn't matter how he contracted...whatever he did, but his mother thinks it got as bad as it did because Jeff was never the type to complain or call it quits just because his cheek hurt a little.

Hell, he probalbly thought it was just another bump from falling on his face during a drill or something and didn't think much else about it...neither would I.

He's been moved from the medical facilities on Parris Island to a larger military hospital somewhere in South Carolina, and from there he's been moved to a medical specialist. His mail gets forewarded to him, and he responds within a few days, something unheard of for a recruit in basic. He has also spoken with his mother over the telephone, another think virtually unheard of in basic. (That's what his mom tells me anyhow)

I hope he makes a full recovery and can complete his training for the marines. I will be keeping him in my prayers.

[tibis3383]

Well I am sorry to hear that. I can bet that he had symptoms for a while but said nothing. I hid EVERYTHING while I was in because the thought of being there any longer than you had to be was terrifying. Also you get so attached to the guys you are with and if you have medical issues you get dropped in training until you are healed and then sent to another platoon. I graduated with stress fractures in my left foot. Tell him to make sure he is healed fully and not to push it because there is still a lot of hard training ahead of him.

[Gregoriev]

I have good news to report!

My friend is back home and is no longer in the military. He is expected to make a full recovery, and he now seeks a new lifetime goal of becoming a soldier of fortune instead of a soldier of poverty.

Aparently the marines discharged him for medcal reasons, or as he put it, "They broke me and couldn't fix me". His voice is several octives deeper as well, not because he is more manly, but because his vocal chords are scarred. He is, however, better for it. What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, that sort of thing. He is also does not plan on entering any other branches of the military, ever.

On the one hand, I am glad he's back home, but on the other I feel bad about what he had to go through.