In a few short weeks, your son or daughter will report to one of three esteemed colleges; whether it is the Air Force Academy, Naval Academy or Military Academy at West Point, your new cadet will not have access to their phone or computer.
For six weeks, your new/basic cadet or plebe will undergo physical, mental, emotional and military training that will challenge them. The only form of communication you will have with them is through letters.
When writing a letter to your New Cadet, Basic Cadet or Plebe, it is VERY important that you address your letter correctly. This includes ensuring you’ve key words and numbers, especially if you’re sending it to a New Cadet, Basic Cadet OR Plebe during their summer training.
Failure to label the letter with NEW CADET (West Point), BASIC CADET (Air Force Academy) or PLEBE (Naval Academy) could get your son or daughter in some playful trouble with their upperclassmen leaders, or possibly not get the letter.
Here’s how you should address your letters to your loved one at their service academy summer training.
Naval Academy Mailing Address
| Rank: | USNA Mailing Address: | Sample Address: |
| Plebe (Summer Training) | PLEBE Plebe’s Name P.O. Box XXXXX Annapolis, MD 21412 | PLEBE Adams Morgan P.O. Box 89756 Annapolis, MD 21412 |
| Midshipman | Midshipman’s Name P.O. Box XXXXX Annapolis, MD 21412 | Taylor Mills P.O. Box 78285 Annapolis, MD 21412 |
West Point Mailing Address
| Rank: | West Point Mailing Address: | Sample Address: |
| New Cadet | NEW CADET First and Last Name CBT Company X-# (Letter-Number) P.O. Box #### (4 digit P.O. box number) West Point, NY 10997-#### (4 digit P.O. box number) | New Cadet Johnny Appleseed CBT Company D-3 P.O. Box 0987 West Point, NY 10997-0987 |
| Cadet | CADET First and Last Name Company X-# (Letter-Number) P.O. Box #### West Point, NY 10997 | Cadet Joe Muller Company F-1 P.O. Box 1234 West Point, NY 10997 |
Air Force Academy Mailing Address
| Rank: | USAFA Mailing Address: | Sample Address: |
| New Cadet | BASIC CADET First and Last Name P.O. Box #### (4 digit P.O. box number) USAFA, CO 80841 | Basic Cadet Emily Randon P.O. Box 4321 USAFA, CO 80841 |
| Prep School Cadet | First and Last Name P.O. Box #### (4 digit P.O. box number) USAFA,CO 80840 | James Brown P.O. Box 6789 USAFA, CO 80840 |
| Cadet | CADET (rank)* First and Last Name P.O. Box #### (4 digit P.O. box number) USAFA CO 80841 | Cadet Third Class Mark Keys P.O. Box 4563 USAFA CO 80841 |
*Cadet Ranks for the US Air Force Academy
- First Class (Senior)
- Second Class (Junior)
- Third Class (Sophomore)
- Fourth Class (Freshman)
Sending Letters through Sandboxx
Sandboxx letters are a great way to communicate with your new cadet or midshipman. Here are a few reasons why Sandboxx beats regular mail:
1. Sandboxx Utilizes FedEx to Overnight Letters
Regardless of where you live in comparison to your loved one’s service academy, Sandboxx utilizes Fedex to send your Letters overnight to arrive at the Academy by the next day. Each Letter comes with a tracking url so that you no longer have to guess where your mail is.
Letters sent to the United States Naval Academy will not be sent via FedEx, but through USPS.
2. A Sandboxx Letter Includes Reply Stationary for Your New Cadet/ Plebe
Every free second counts, and with little downtime through out the summer Sandboxx makes it easier for your loved one to respond back to you. Each Sandboxx Letter includes return stationery and a pre-addressed return envelope making it easy for your loved one to write back to you.
3. Sandboxx is a Military-Owned and Operated Company
Sandboxx is a veteran-owned business and employs many members of the military community and former military personnel who are invested in helping the military ecosystem thrive. Read more about how Sandboxx got started and meet some of our leadership.
4. Sandboxx Letters Never Expire
Let’s say you purchased lots of letters a few months prior to summer training. Now, summer training is almost over and you realize you haven’t used all the letters. Don’t worry Sandboxx Letters never expire.
You can continue to send Letters to your Cadet after they finish summer training and well into their plebe year. Eventually, they will deploy, and you will be able to continue sending letters of love and support to them through Sandboxx.
Learn more about how Sandboxx works or download Sandboxx and start writing your first Letter.
