Navy holding mail as punishment for Division's performance

by Scott Shiley

Aug 30

Hi Dads!

Has anyone else had issues with their Sailor Recruits not getting mails they've sent?   My son is in week 5 of Boot Camp and has not received ANYTHING we've sent so far.  I got a letter from him and as of last Friday, he hadn't received anything.  He said in his letter "please send some back, as of today...nothing".

We feel terrible.  We know that his particular Division has been getting a lot of punishments for poor performance, and the reason is because unfortunately, there are a bunch of slackers in his Division, people who are constantly getting in trouble for not doing what they are supposed to, and talking when they are not supposed to.  Apparently, there are a bunch of borderline criminals, who were basically ordered by judges "it's the military, or jail."    

At any rate, my wife is a Member of various Facebook groups for Navy Moms, and a whole bunch of Moms are saying the same thing about his same Division, their Recruits have gotten NOTHING in the mail, even though they've sent dozens of things.  There are also reports of Recruits who received small pictures in their letters having to do 40 push-ups per picture.  I mean, are they opening their mail before giving it to them?  

Anyway, a lot of these kids are 18 and straight out of high school, and many of them have never been away from home for any extended amount of time.  I think it's REALLY CRAPPY of the Navy to punish them psychologically like that, making them think nobody from back home cares.  I remember the one Dad here saying how his son said that the letters from home were "like the sweetest candy he's ever tasted", and the Dad stressing how important is was for us to write to them.  What good does it do to write if the Navy isn't going to give it to them?   Even though my son has always been a team player and is always encouraging to other people, there is nothing he can do about a bunch of 'career criminals' who just happened to land on his Division.  It really should be illegal for them to hold back and open their mail.  So many Moms are saying the same thing about his Division.  Just wondering what you Dads know about this practice.  

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    Scott Shiley

    Thank you Paul for your reply. I want to clarify that we are not sending pictures as we know that he does not have the space for them. I am reporting back what other parents are saying has happened, which is direct information that was reported to them via telephone call from their own recruit.  And you are right, nobody has yet contacted RTC to ask about the process or policy, someone should probably do that.  As far as withholding the mail being against the law, I truly believe that this does not matter to them, if it is not reported, I believe that it is a method that they use to psychologically break them down from the person that they were, to try to change them into the sailor that they want them to be. I believe that they will use Whatever means is necessary, for motivation of, or sending of a negative feedback to the Recruits.  Too many Parents are saying that they are hearing that it’s happening to just dismiss it.  

    NavyDads Admin (Paul) said:

    as far as photos- it has always been out recommendation to NEVER send photos in a letter....it is far better to embed those images in letters as it leads to a lot less intensive physical training.......recruits have very limited storage space available and photos clutter inspections.....THIS is what causes push-ups and NOT mail being opened

    Aug 31

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    NavyDads Admin (Paul)

    well, my experience after doing this for more than 15 years, if those reports are from the mom's site discount about 60% of those.....

    Scott Shiley said:

    Thank you Paul for your reply. I want to clarify that we are not sending pictures as we know that he does not have the space for them. I am reporting back what other parents are saying has happened, which is direct information that was reported to them via telephone call from their own recruit.  And you are right, nobody has yet contacted RTC to ask about the process or policy, someone should probably do that.  As far as withholding the mail being against the law, I truly believe that this does not matter to them, if it is not reported, I believe that it is a method that they use to psychologically break them down from the person that they were, to try to change them into the sailor that they want them to be. I believe that they will use Whatever means is necessary, for motivation of, or sending of a negative feedback to the Recruits.  Too many Parents are saying that they are hearing that it’s happening to just dismiss it.  

    NavyDads Admin (Paul) said:

    as far as photos- it has always been out recommendation to NEVER send photos in a letter....it is far better to embed those images in letters as it leads to a lot less intensive physical training.......recruits have very limited storage space available and photos clutter inspections.....THIS is what causes push-ups and NOT mail being opened

    Aug 31

  • up

    Scott Shiley

    Just an update on the original post.  We finally spoke with my son for the first time Saturday (at the end of his 5th total week,

    P days + 4 weeks).   During the last 3 days prior to us speaking to him, on 3 consecutive days, he received 6 letters one day, 6 letters the next day, and 8 letters the day after that.  So it appears that the mail is finally coming through to him, however, that first day of 6 letters was the first time he received anything at all, near the middle of his 5th week on Base, although we'd been mailing stuff since Day 1.  So something was definitely up, I cannot say what exactly.   Anyway, thank you to all who responded.  Jim, you'd better be hiding from all those Moms out there, LOL, you know women...  they're probably calling for your head by now.  HAHA!

    Sep 3