<p>Are we allowed to include newspaper articles in the letters? We haven't heard anything, so I don't want to keep sending articles and have him get in trouble.</p>
<p>My sons both said that if there is anything other than white paper in the envelope it gets confiscated. Whether they will eventually get these letters returned is anybody's guess. </p>
<p>I think this comes as a big surprise to my local parents group, because we were actually photocopying pictures from the luncheon onto computer paper to use as stationery while we were at the luncheon!</p>
<p>Anyone think that comics put on normal white paper is getting confiscated? Becuase that could be getting some of the letters I'm sending taken away.</p>
<p>ANYTHING other than plain white envelope, plain white letter paper, plain white anything can be confiscated and probably will be. No adders - comics, pictures, anything you can't actually write on the paper like a joke, etc.</p>
<p>If you don't think cadre know all the tricks you are sadly mistaken! :)</p>
<p>Every single cadre member has been through Basic too, and they do know all the tricks. Some won't confiscate everything though. Last year, they let us just grab our mail and take it back to our rooms. You were supposed to report any contraband on your own (yeah right, like that was going to happen! ;)).</p>
<p>Eh, well. Then its time to change the format of my letters than. I thought get the comics were allowed through. Oh well. I'll settle with jokes.</p>
<p>What about cards? I have sent funny or "I miss you" cards (with white envelopes, of course). Petko, will they get to keep the cards? There was nothing inside other than a signature and "I love you!?"</p>
<p>Again, it depends completely on the squadron, and even on the cadre who are working that day. If it were in my flight last year, the answer would have been yes. For many others, the answer might be no. It's impossible for me to say.</p>
<p>I "think" I understand the purpose of training.</p>
<p>That said...I abhor what I think is happening with the mail. I can understand searching for contraband...but comics, newspaper clippings...that isn't contraband. At least it shouldn't be under any definition of the term training.</p>
<p>As for opening mail...I'm "guessing" the cadre allow the Basic to open the mail and then the Basic is probably told to turn over contraband as defined...(for example anything not on white paper=contraband...if they want to be that strict/stract)...and hence no violation of the law. </p>
<p>Making a Basic read his/her mail openly I also think is dispicable. Granted there is no right to privacy...but it has carried the idea of "training" too far and serves no legitimate purpose IMHO which I thought "training" needed to have to be permitted. </p>
<p>I hope the PTB patrol this forum. Perhaps they might brief the Cadre on what is or is not permitted.</p>
<p>Seems stricter than my basic. I got to keep postcards with pictures on them, pictures that were on plain paper (although I hid those! :) ) and they never touched my newspaper articles or comic clippings.</p>
<p>Don't assume that all of the cadre members are out to crush the spirits of and embarrass all of the basics with their mail, as I hardly think that is the case.</p>
<p>When I worked basic, the only things I took away were gum, candy, and an article that one of my basics' parents had sent him that was ABOUT me.</p>
<p>There's really no use getting upset about things that could possibly in some way maybe sort of kind of potentially happen. I can't guarantee anything, but the vast majority of cadre members (every year) are very professional. </p>
<p>Plus, the firsties (seniors) this year can't be THAT bad, considering the members of MY class served as their primary trainers, hehe. Seriously, though, I know SEVERAL of the flight commanders working BCT as they were my "kids" and I can attest to their good character.</p>
<p>I'm sure MOST are doing the proper job. </p>
<p>My concern is for the FEW that are being reported here. One parent wrote that her son was made to read his letter out loud. Without more information, it seems totally inappropriate. It also seems totally inappropriate to take comics and news clippings (sports scores) just because they aren't on white paper. </p>
<p>Candy and the like...of course is contraband.</p>
<p>With every group there are usually a few that break the rules and make the rest look bad. Sad. Leadership is not about bullying.</p>
<p>Part of the Academy experience is learning not only what leadership styles are admirable but also which ones are not beneficial. Ideally, all leaders would be perfect and their folowers could just immulate their actions to succeed, however, this is not the case. (Even leaders at the highest levels of the military may not handle all things appropriately, even with their decades of experience.) Keep in mind that for many cadets, BCT is the first true taste of leadership they have, and they deal with it in different ways. Your children will learn a lot from these interactions. From personal experience, I can attest to the fact that even as a "repeatedly singled out basic cadet" (with a few immature and unprofessional cadre members), it is possible to not only make it through BCT and all four years at the Academy but to become a stronger and better person and leader as a result.</p>
<p>Oh...reality...that's a good point....True in life and I'm sure the military there are good leaders and bad leaders and reality is one may encounter both on at least a few ocassions...including leaders who break rules etc. Sad...but true and I guess that is the reality that one has to get used to and that BCT probably helps to prepare for. Yes sir, whether you agree or disagree whether it's as a result of appropriate action or inappropriate action...you have to pick you battles so to speak.</p>
<p>I just find it difficult when stuff is blatantly inappropriate...but we are hearing ONE side.</p>
<p>While I thought the confiscation of regular letters (albeit with the photocopied pictures on them) was a little over the top, I can understand some of the reasons for this. My complaint, such as it is, is that the parents weren't told not to photocopy pictures (as I said before, we were all doing it just for this purpose at the parents group luncheon!). We weren't told not to send cards, or newspaper clippings, or comics, or whatever. I wish I had known that, especially, cards would be banned. They cost a lot more money to buy than photocopying a picture from graduation.</p>
<p>And, I don't want to give the wrong impression. Son was not complaining about it, but just letting us know, emphatically, that we were to have only plain envelopes, paper, etc. with no inclusions. Since we learned that, it's been plain white all the way. No colored ink! No pencil, no crayons, markers, chalk, glitter, confetti... just white paper and blue or black ink.</p>
<p>Question: shall I hold onto the cards until after 2nd BCT? Will they be allowed them in the academic year?</p>
<p>Here is another question:</p>
<p>How about birthday cards and postcards? I have sent both to other cadets. Did I waste my money there, too? Did the cadets take heat because some ol' lady in Steeler Country sent him or her a postcard of Ben Roethlisberger or our Super Bowl trophies?</p>
<p>funnyesq - I think you will find that there is a LOT more unfair things that will happen over the next year that are a lot worse than the reading of someone's mail (as bad as that is). I'm afraid it's a part of the whole ordeal. My son has a list of things that he will emulate as a leader and a list of things he's seen that he will never do as one of the Cadre. What Uncynical says is spot on -- they learn from it all.</p>
<p>Send a card to an airman in Iraq or Afganistan.....</p>
<p>They can get anything...... :)</p>
<p>Fencersmom - things are much more relaxed (in some regards) during the academic year. As four degrees, they'll be able to go to the mailroom alone, whenever they want, and receive anything they want.</p>
<p>And it's absolutely true that you learn from all of it. You see the good, the bad, and the ugly - what works, and what doesn't. You try to emulate the people that you respect, and avoid repeating things that seemed ineffective or wrong. It's a learning process for all parties involved.</p>
<p>Our parents club had surveys they sent us to copy and send our kids. (Of course, you have to address and stamp an envelope if you want it back.) They are pretty funny, and they can mark their answers and if they want, they can make a comment beside it. I have gotten those back quickly and HNeedle told me to send more because it was so easy to communicate. That way, he doesn't have to sit and think of what to write. I just ask what I want to know. HE is having a BLAST! Military Guy All The WAY!!!! Loves the food, Cadre are good, etc. Does this sound like a Cadre dictating... lol j/k</p>