As we head into the Memorial Day weekend we have information about when your loved one’s basic training mailroom will be closed for the holiday, so that you can make sure to get your letters to your recruit before the long weekend. The dates below are subject to change depending on the needs of the Command. Additionally, our print room will be closed on Monday, May 27, 2024 in observance of Memorial Day.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to our Customer Happiness team. 

This weekend, we encourage you to take a moment to reflect and honor the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Here are some Ways to Honor The Fallen This Weekend

Sandboxx Memorial Day Printing Schedule

Wednesday 5/22
Ensure Delivery for all Army Bases before Memorial Day – Final Print at 5pm ET

Wednesday 5/22
Ensure Delivery for Parris Island(USMC) before Memorial Day – Final Print at 5pm ET

Thursday 5/23
Ensure Delivery for San Diego (USMC) & Quantico (USMC) before Memorial Day – Final Print at 5pm ET

Thursday 5/23
Ensure Delivery for all Navy Bases before Memorial Day – Final Print at 5pm ET

Thursday 5/23
Ensure Delivery for all Coast Guard Bases before Memorial Day – Final Print at 5pm ET

Thursday 5/23
Ensure Delivery for all Air Force Bases before Memorial Day – Final Print at 5pm ET

Army Basic Training

All mail submitted after 5pm ET on Wednesday, May 22nd will be delivered on Tuesday, May 28th for Fort Moore, Fort Jackson, Fort Leonard Wood and Fort Sill.

Marine Corps Basic Training

All mail submitted after 5pm ET on Thursday, May 23rd will be delivered on Tuesday, May 28th for Quantico and Wednesday, May 29th for San Diego.

Navy Basic Training

All mail submitted after 5pm ET on Thursday, May 23rd will be delivered on Tuesday, May 28th for Great Lakes.

Air Force and Space Force Basic Training

All mail submitted after 5pm ET on Thursday, May 23rd will be delivered on Tuesday, May 28th for Lackland.

Coast Guard Basic Training

All mail submitted after 5pm ET on Thursday, May 23rd will be delivered on Tuesday, May 28th for Cape May.

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Do you know someone who is headed to basic training? Basic training is a challenging time, and mail call is something every recruit looks forward to. This is your guide for their mailing address and letter ideas.

Below is the address format for each basic training location to send your letter.

Basic Training Mailing Address

There are four Army basic training locations. Army basic training is 10 weeks, but if your trainee is going to OSUT, their training can range from 12-16 weeks. Letters are a great way to help keep your trainee motivated and connected to friends and family. To learn more about sending letters to your trainee at basic training, click here.

Fort Jackson Mailing Address

Fort Moore Mailing Address

Fort Knox Mailing Address

Fort Leonard Wood Mailing Address

Fort Sill Mailing Address

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Marine Corps Boot Camp Mailing Addresses

Marine Corps boot camp has two locations, MCRD San Diego in California and MCRD Parris Island in South Carolina. Marine boot camp is 12 weeks and your recruit will need all the love, support, and motivation to help them get through the challenges that lie ahead. To learn more about sending letters to Marine boot camp, click here.

MCRD San Diego Mailing Address

MCRD Parris Island Mailing Address

Navy Boot Camp Mailing Address

Recruits joining the Navy will go to boot camp at RTC Great Lakes in Illinois, which is 10 weeks.  Send your recruit encouragement to keep their spirits up and help them push to graduation. For ideas on what to write to your recruit, click here.

Navy Boot Camp Ship Addresses

Air Force Basic Training Mailing Address

Air Force and Space Force basic training, located at Joint Base San Antonio – Lackland, are 8 1/2 weeks. Sending letters is a great way to stay connected. For more information on what to write to your trainee and how, click here. 

Space Force Basic Training Mailing Address

Coast Guard Boot Camp Mailing Address

Coast Guard boot camp takes place in Cape May, NJ. Boot camp is 8 weeks and recruits will learn about all that it takes to be a Coast Guardsman. To help you support and motivate your recruit during training, we’ve created a list of topics to write about in your letters. 

The post How to get the address of someone in basic training appeared first on Sandboxx.

Here’s everything you need to know about writing Letters to Air Force basic training. Do you know someone who just began their journey at Air Force basic training, or is already there? Sending Letters during basic training is one of the easiest ways to help boost the morale of your trainee.

Air Force Basic Training Mailing Address

Writing Letters to Air Force Basic Training?

During Air Force Basic Training trainees are pushed mentally and physically to see if they have what it takes to be a part of the United States Air Force. There is nothing easy about what they are going to be doing during their time at Lackland Air Force Base.

Mental and physical exhaustion will become a norm as the loved one you said goodbye to is transformed into a completely new person.

To help you become a basic training Letter expert we’ve put together a list of some questions for you to ask when writing Letters to Air Force basic training.

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1. What were your first thoughts when you got off of the bus?
2. What time do your mornings start?
3. How delicious is the chow?
4. What has been the worst thing about basic training?
5. If you could describe basic training in one word what would it be?
6. How many trainees are in your flight?
7. What’s the name of one friend you’ve made, where are they from?
8. What are you most anxious about for Beast Week?
9. What is one thing your flight gets yelled at for the most?
10. What time do you normally get to sleep?
11. Have you been given a nickname?
12. Is there anyone in your flight not receiving mail that I can write to?
13. Has it been hard to make your bunk perfectly?
14. What have you liked best about basic training?
15. Did you win your pugil stick battle?
16. What has been the funniest thing your TI has said this week?
17. What’s the best advice you have received at basic training?
18. What is the dumbest thing you have seen or heard another trainee do?
19. Has basic training been what you expected it to be?
20. What is your wish list of bases you would like to be stationed at?
21. What’s the first thing you want to do after graduation?
22. What homemade/fast food meal do you miss the most?
23. Are you proud of yourself? (You should be!)

It’s hard to know what to write to your trainee when you don’t always get Letters back from them. The most important thing to keep in mind is that Letters don’t have to be long and they don’t have to be complicated. Just sending your trainee a message to let them know you are thinking of them and believe in them will be more than enough.

Sending Letters via the Sandboxx app will get your message and photos into your trainee’s hands within a couple of days (we overnight your Letters directly to Lackland Air Force base). Each Letter also includes a return envelope so your loved one can write you back!

Ready to send your first Letter to Air Force basic training?

1. Download the Sandboxx app.
2. Create your account
3. Send your first Sandboxx Letter .
4. Receive weekly in-app updates on Air Force basic training and more!

Learn more about how your Sandboxx Letter gets delivered.

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Do you know someone who is going to Marine boot camp or who is already at boot camp? If so then your recruit is officially beginning their journey to becoming a United States Marine! Over the next 12 weeks, your recruit will be pushed beyond their limits and if successful be made into a Marine. Through this transformation, your recruit will need your support and motivation to help them succeed. Here is all you need to know about sending Letters to Marine boot camp.

MCRD San Diego Mailing Address

MCRD Parris Island Mailing Address

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What should I write in my Letters to Marine boot camp?

Over the next thirteen weeks recruits will be pushed beyond their limits and, if successful, transition into a United Staes Marine.

Mental and physical exhaustion will become a norm as the loved one you said goodbye to is transformed into a completely new person.

Mail call will be the most anticipated time of the day, and your recruit will enjoy receiving a lot of mail from your over the course of the next three months.

In case you ever face writer’s block, we’ve come up with some questions to ask your recruit when writing Letters to Marine boot camp.

1. What were your first thoughts when you got off of the bus and stepped onto the yellow footprints?

2. What time do your mornings start?

3. How delicious is the chow?

4. What has been the worst thing about boot camp?

5. If you could describe boot camp in one word what would it be?

6. How many recruits are in your platoon?

7. What’s the name of one friend you’ve made, where are they from?

8. On a scale of 1 to 10 how much fun are pugil stick battles?

9. What is one thing your platoon gets yelled at for the most?

10. What time do you normally get to sleep?

11. Have you been given a nickname?

12. Is there anyone in your platoon not receiving mail that I can write to?

13. Has it been hard to keep your rack area clean and in tip top shape?

14. What have you liked best about boot camp?

15. How hard is it to keep your M-16 clean?

16. How fast can you take your M-16 and put it back together?

17. What has been the funniest thing your DI has said this week?

18. What’s the best advice you have received at boot camp?

19. What was going through your head when you jumped off of the repel tower?

20. What is the dumbest thing you have seen or heard another recruit do?

21. Has boot camp been what you expected it to be?

22. What is your wish list of bases you would like to be stationed at?

23. What’s the first thing you want to do after graduation?

24. What homemade/fast food meal do you miss the most?

25. Are you proud of yourself? (You should be!)

Looking for even more ideas of what to write during Marine boot camp? Read our what to writing when sending Letters to basic training article.

Your Letters to your recruit don’t need to be long and they don’t need to be fancy.  What’s important is that you’re sending mail to support them through this journey.

Sending Letters via the Sandboxx app, will get your message and photos into your recruit’s hands within a couple of days (we overnight your Letters directly to the ship). We also include a return envelope with every Sandboxx Letter so your loved one can write you back!

Ready to send your first Letter to Marine boot camp?

Send your first letter to Marine boot camp with the Sandboxx app, write your message, include a photo and hit send.

Save and attach our week one image below to give your recruit motivation for their first week at Marine boot camp.

Learn more about how your Sandboxx Letter gets delivered.

The post Sending Letters to Marine Boot Camp appeared first on Sandboxx.

It’s been a few years since I went through recruit training on Parris Island, but I remember the long runs, sand fleas, and (my personal favorite) pugil sticks like it was just yesterday that I first lined up on those famous Yellow Footprints. In hindsight, it wasn’t the physical challenges or the intense training that I sometimes struggled with–it was missing my family. You know to expect exhaustion, but you don’t anticipate the loneliness that would sometimes creep in over the squad bay just after lights out.

Fortunately for me, I had a pretty steady stream of letters coming in from my loved ones back home. Nothing staves off loneliness and uncertainty quite like a few words of encouragement from the people you hold dear. Of course, back when I was going through recruit training, Sandboxx didn’t exist yet… but if it did, I probably would have received letters more than once a week–and as a result, the entire ordeal would have probably felt quite a bit less trying.

Sandboxx makes it faster, easier, and more convenient to receive messages from your loved ones while you’re going through training, but through my conversations with Marines of my day (I got in way back in 2006) and further talks with new Devil Dogs just recently entering into Uncle Sam’s favorite gun club, I’ve become aware of a number of hurdles that can make it a bit tougher for those important messages to reach the recruits or trainees at basic training right away.

Training always comes first

While mail call is easily the most important part of the day from the vantage point of the recruits and trainees, it isn’t for the drill instructors or drill sergeants tasked with preparing young men and women for service in their respective branches. Training schedules are jam packed with essential lessons, physical training, and administrative tasks that have to take precedence over morale-improving exercises like distributing the mail.

Those charged with training the next generation of American service members have all gone through the same training themselves, and they’re well aware of how valuable mail is to their recruits and trainees. However, sometimes delays in the training schedule or remediation of essential lessons can leave precious little time at the end of the day for the comforts of home.

Sandboxx makes it easy to follow what your loved ones are doing at basic training, thanks to weekly training updates provided right in the app.

While I was in training, I became aware that I wouldn’t always receive my mail the same day it reached the squad bay. At the end of the day, the training always takes priority.

Holidays are always hard

For many military branches, training through holidays is just a part of the job. However, base mail rooms and U.S. postal carriers tend not to be operating during official holidays. That, in conjunction with the massive number of letters and packages flooding into military installations around gift-giving holidays like Christmas, can sometimes create a back-log of work in base mail rooms.

That means sometimes letters or packages reach our training facilities days before they’re actually placed in a trainee’s hands. It’s not common, and base mail rooms are exceedingly good at what they do, but sometimes the volume becomes too much to quickly sort and distribute.

Sandboxx makes this process much easier, because all letters sent through the Sandboxx service arrive at their respective installations pre-sorted for easy distribution to recruits and trainees.

Of course, delays are still a possibility around the holidays.

We can’t always write back

When I was going through recruit training, mail call often came at the end of the day. That was great for morale after a long day of training, but not always conducive to writing back. We had limited time to receive and read our mail before the drill instructors had to get us in the rack to get enough rest for the following day’s training. Sometimes I was able to write back to my family and friends, but sometimes I wasn’t. It’s important for families to know that we still want you to send letters to us, even if we’re not responding.

Sandboxx letters make it much easier to write back quickly, thanks to the included stationary and envelope.

At one point during my tenure on Parris Island, I wrote a letter to my wife on the envelope I received from her, just because I couldn’t get my hands on any paper at the moment. That’s not a problem for trainees or recruits that receive their mail via Sandboxx.

Feature photo courtesy of the U.S. Marine Corps

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