When a person decides to join the military, the first aspect of training is referred to as basic training or boot camp. The length of basic training differs based on the service he joins.
While he/she is in basic training, communication will be very limited and you will not be allowed to see them under normal circumstances.
During basic training, it is imperative that their full focus and attention is on their training. For this reason, family visitation is generally not allowed during training until the graduation ceremony.
However, military members are allowed limited phone time and are encouraged to communicate with family and friends through letters.
Your main form of communication during basic training will be by writing letters. This is a great way to encourage them throughout their training and remind them of your support as they learn new skills and are introduced to the military lifestyle.
Their address at basic training should be shared with other family members and friends so they can also write to him.
Many military members refer to letters during training as gold. They are very important to their morale.
The number and length of phone calls during basic training can differ greatly from one service to the next and from one instructor to the next. It is best to not count on lengthy phone calls or phone calls more than once weekly.
In my personal case, I heard from my husband for a few minutes every two to three weeks. The phone calls were very short and very cherished.
Be aware that your military member won’t have a lot of personal time in order to write to multiple people. Even if they are unable to respond to every letter or only write short responses, it is still important that you continue to write to them on a regular basis. And you should encourage others to do the same.
When he/she walks across the field at graduation, the pride you feel will make the separation and lack of communication worth the sacrifice.