Mail and care packages sent to BMQ / BMOQ

[shadow]

ANYTHING CANADIAN!

When they shut down the NSE in Ilidza (Sarajevo) there were Canada Flag curtains on the windows in the little Canada House.  I asked them what they were going to do with them and a week later they were in my mailbox   I take them with me on every tour.  On Op Apollo, my boyfriend at the time found me a Canada Flag fleece blanket, and my parents send me a little windup musical box that plays 'Oh Canada'. 
Having those things with me reminds me of home and why I'm over there

 

[rmacqueen]

From what I have heard, lots of lip balm.

 

[sunshine]

Hey everyone.  I'm fairly new to Army.ca, but I've read some good advice on here, and was hoping someone may be able to help me.  My boyfriend just left for Basic Training over the weekend, and he's called me a couple of times, and he's having a really rough time.  He's very homesick, and missing everyone a lot.  I've been sending him letters everyday (he hasn't received them yet), and I've been trying to get in touch with all of his friends to ask them to send him letters/postcards when they get the chance.  I'm feeling pretty helpless cause there isn't much that I can do from here - but do any of you have any helpful suggestions of things that I could do to help him through this?  Thank you 

 

[Gunnar]

There are numerous threads on this topic, and most point to letters, e-mail and phone calls as the only way to keep in touch.  During basic, your boyfriend is going to be sequestered away as much as possible....but if you are writing every day, you are doing a lot of what is required.

Do a search on this board...there's a lot of information out there, and this topic has been amply covered.

 

[patrick666]

http://www.marriedtothecanadianforces.com/ - there is an adopt-a-soldier link. They sent shoeboxes filled with all sorts of goodies to thousands of troops.

Cheers,

Patrick

 

[Dee]

Hey, my bf is just finishing basic this week. I got lots to tell you if you still need. Let me know and we can add eachother to msn if you want to chat. Talk to you soon and good luck.

 

[17thRecceSgt]

Hi,

The letters are great.  Phone calls are good, but you can't read them over again when you need a boost.

If you are proud of him, tell him.  If you support him in this, tell him.  Remind him that this adjustment is normal and easier for some than others.  You can put stuff in your letters about what you are going to do when he is done, on Christmas Leave, etc etc.  To give him something to look forward to.  Sometimes, a week on course or a Field Exercise can seem like forever.  Deployments are probably, well.  Harder.

While there is some stuff you can do, some (lots) of this is on him to adjust, and it will happen sooner or later. 

Hope that helps some.   

MRM

 

[IN HOC SIGNO]

Hey everyone.  I'm fairly new to Army.ca, but I've read some good advice on here, and was hoping someone may be able to help me.  My boyfriend just left for Basic Training over the weekend, and he's called me a couple of times, and he's having a really rough time.  He's very homesick, and missing everyone a lot.  I've been sending him letters everyday (he hasn't received them yet), and I've been trying to get in touch with all of his friends to ask them to send him letters/postcards when they get the chance.  I'm feeling pretty helpless cause there isn't much that I can do from here - but do any of you have any helpful suggestions of things that I could do to help him through this?  Thank you 

Part of the whole point of Basic is that he has to prove himself and become a man/an adult. If he can't handle homesickness and isolation now this is a good time to figure it out. If you feel you have a future with this guy and he has a future with us (the CF) you are a key player in his support network. Keep the letters going and they will arrive eventually...usually at the 3 week to 1 month point and he'll get a slew all at once. Keep them positive and loving. Tell him he can do this and that you're confident he can do this. Tell him that you are there for him and you will be there for him when he's finished his course and then the next course and the next course and his first deployment etc etc. Can you honestly say all that?

He has signed on to a lifestyle, a new culture and a new family. This is not a job. If you're going to be in this man's life you've just signed on for a new lifestyle, culture and family too. Those of us who love it...love it a lot. We're passionate and we're committed. Best of luck and God bless you both.  

 

[Journeyman]

I've been trying to get in touch with all of his friends to ask them to send him letters/postcards

His friends (male) are slugs. It's genetic. Accept it.

If you get a post card (not a touristy picture one, but just a stack of them from the post office), address it to your guy at the Recruit School....and stick it in the hand of his friend with this detailed instruction:

"[Boyfriend's name] is off learning how to a) defend your freedom, b) be a Canadian soldier at army recruit training, or c) kill things - - you know, like in Full Metal Jacket. Scribble a message and drop it in a mail box - - it's free, slug"



Again, since males are slugs, if this doesn't work, offer to sleep with his friend - - but DON'T !  ;D

 

[sunshine]

Thanks everyone, for your tips and advice ... I really like the idea of addressing and stamping some postcards for his friends to send - I'm not so sure if I'll go so far as to offer to sleep with them however (although it is a very creative idea).

I am happy to report that my boyfriend is doing MUCH better.  We chat on the phone pretty much every night, and I've sent him many letters (sometimes more than 1 a day  ;D).  Apparently some of the other guys have (jokingly) made fun of him about for the number of letters I send.  He said that it makes him feel good, so I'll keep doing what I've been doing.  I think he's feeling better now that he's settled in, is making some friends, and knows that there of lots of people back home, proud of him and supporting him.

I actually have another question, though.  He has been talking lately about the possibility of being able to come home for Thanksgiving?!  I know that the standard answer to questions such as these is that nobody really knows, but I was wondering if anyone would know if there is even a possibility for this? 

Thanks again!

 

[IN HOC SIGNO]

Thanks everyone, for your tips and advice ... I really like the idea of addressing and stamping some postcards for his friends to send - I'm not so sure if I'll go so far as to offer to sleep with them however (although it is a very creative idea).

I am happy to report that my boyfriend is doing MUCH better.  We chat on the phone pretty much every night, and I've sent him many letters (sometimes more than 1 a day  ;D).  Apparently some of the other guys have (jokingly) made fun of him about for the number of letters I send.  He said that it makes him feel good, so I'll keep doing what I've been doing.  I think he's feeling better now that he's settled in, is making some friends, and knows that there of lots of people back home, proud of him and supporting him.

I actually have another question, though.  He has been talking lately about the possibility of being able to come home for Thanksgiving?!  I know that the standard answer to questions such as these is that nobody really knows, but I was wondering if anyone would know if there is even a possibility for this? 

Thanks again!

Depends on how far away from home St Jean is....if BC it's doubtful he'd have time...somewhere in Ontario or QC maybe.

 

[opsiq]

My club is getting together some 'care packages' for 'Royal Canadian Afghan Society'.

What sort of stuff would be worhwhile getting over there? What sort of stuff could you use to
make your stint a little better?

One of the guys suggested  webcams that you could hook into available computers, and  USB memory modules
that could be used to record messages for sending home. Phone cards, Timmy's certificates?

What sort of stuff is needed, useful, handy, a treat?

 

[George Wallace]

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[the 48th regulator]

As a Start, using the search function , and typing in care packages is a good start.

Loads of info, and less bandwith destruction.

dileas

tess

 

[zipperhead_cop]

Hey all. 
I have a colleague that was asking me about what sort of things soldiers would like to get in a care package for Christmas.  She is a mod on a different forum (nothing like this one) and is trying to put together an initiative to send something for the troops.  As I have not deployed before I didn't want to speak out of my lane, I told her I would ask y'all and get back to her.  (although I am sure a great many people would appreciate skin mags, Nuttelatm, a pogo stick and a pistol style fly swatter gun  ;D)

If anyone has any ideas as to what could be included that would be great.  If this has already been done, or already is an established ritual, if somebody could give me a heads up who I could put her in contact with so she can contribute without duplicating effort unnecessarily. 

Thanks in advance 

 

[DAJ]

On a different note, does anyone know how long the mail room in KAF will hold packages/mail? And how do soldiers get their mail if they aren't actually going to be near KAF?

Thank you in advance!

 

[Yrys]

ZC,

if you're still looking for ideas, RHFC-Piper in this thread seem to have a few of them...

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/51999/post-464033/topicseen.html#new

 

[military granny]

I just found this on the 2VP site.

Christmas Morale Mail

The deadline for Christmas Morale Mail is 9:00am 16 November 2006
All packages or mail intended for Christmas must be at the Battallion
Post Office or M.F.R.C. by the above date.

The last despatch for the year is 9:00am 7 December 2006

http://www.army.dnd.ca/2PPCLI/contents_e.htm

 

[The Bread Guy]

Can anyone confirm how true this is?  Is there anything official in the system re:  please don't encourage this anymore?  I'd like to know because if this is really the case, I can do something other than sending "care packages".  Thx!

No care packages, please. We're on duty.
Tenille Bonoguore, Globe & Mail, 20 Nov 06
Article Link

Care packages lovingly sent to unknown soldiers in far-away lands may sound romantic, but the Canadian Forces don't want them any more.

Only family and friends of serving personnel should be posting parcels to troops, says C.F. public affairs officer Captain Alexander Peterson.

It's not that the forces are being heartless: It's just a matter of space. Almost all of the available room in transporting supplies is taken up with operational equipment and other necessities, and that leaves little room for donations, Capt. Peterson said.

Plus most of the goods people are sending are already available to the troops, he said.

Instead, people wanting to support troops overseas can buy official merchandise -- with proceeds going to personnel and family support services -- wear red on Fridays or write to the troops.

Donations to the citizens living in the countries where Canadian soldiers are serving can be made through humanitarian agencies.

 

[Michael OLeary]

I know that guidance has been issued to the Public Affairs Officers to advise those inquiring about shipping donated goods to find alternative ways to show support to the troops.  The reasons given range from security concerns over unknown persons handling items throughout the process to limitations on shipping space.  Apparently there have been some groups gathering things with the impression that dropping them off at any unit, base, FRC, etc., will automatically result in the military sorting out their delivery problem.  If a personal contact is made through family or friends, or even through the "Write to the Troops" program, then packages to meet an individual's wants would undoubtedly be welcome.  It's the mass donations that the system can't process. 

Those same collected materials could be donated to a local shelter on behalf of the deployed troops, and a letter and photos sent to the troops about the donation to show themn that they are being thought of and that Canadians are making sacrifices of time, effort and donations in their name to help other Canadians.  Or donors could seek out the various NGOs that are working to move aid into Afghanistan.