My good friend is joining to the Navy, and will be going off to boot camp in a few days. Is there any gift I can get him that he'll actually be able to take and use in boot camp? Not a phone card. Also.. is a gift even appropriate ? Maybe I'll just give him some kind of card... obviously I'm clueless. Help!
2007-12-11 05:56:36 · 6 answers · asked by ? 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
When a guy reports to boot camp in the Navy, everything he brings with him is boxed and sent home... EVERYTHING.
He's issued everything he needs.
He has no space to store little trinkets or pictures. Certainly gifts of value, watches, jewelry, cameras, CD or DVD players are out. No cell phones either.
He'll not have much opportunity to use the phone. Certainly not for a few weeks. A phone card is a nice idea, but he has little space to lock up stuff.
Just a card and your best wishes. You can write him as often as you want, but he'll probably only get mail call once a week... after the first couple of weeks. Don't expect a lot of correspondence in return. He's going to be busier than he ever though he could be. If you want to keep up on how he's doing, keep in touch with his parents. I wrote my parents once a week, and the girl I was dating once about every two or three weeks.
The thought's nice, but, unfortunately, part of boot camp training is weaning recruits from reliance on anybody but the military. For some it's kind of a hard adjustment so the military's pretty strict.
2007-12-11 06:27:50 · answer #1 · answered by gugliamo00 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am not positive about the Navy but the Marine Corps doesn't want you bringing anything except your body and underwear to start with, most everything else is taken away and stored until you get out of boot camp then returned. I would think the other services are similar because the reason for boot camp is to get the recruit in to thinking more military and less like a civilian-in other words discipline and sense of being part of the team. Individual things are not usually appropriate at that time. Reason for haircuts and so on ar te same eason-merge into a team and think less individually. I would give him a nice card and then write and support him while he was there; after he graduates and comes home take him out for a nice dinner.
2007-12-11 14:21:02 · answer #2 · answered by GunnyC 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When I went through boot camp, they even took your prescription glasses from you. You keep nothing! End of story! No bible, no underwear, no kidding. You throw it all in a bag, and it goes in storage. The Navy will give the recruit everything he needs! Everything!
Don’t bother. If you’re truly a good friend, write him at least once a week, twice a week is better. Mail call is the single most important item for anybody in the military, especially during boot camp, long deployments in the bush, and in the combat zone.
2007-12-11 14:23:48 · answer #3 · answered by bolillo_loco 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure what the Navy allows, especially for boot camp, but what about some kind of care package.
Or maybe you could make him a mixed CD with all of his favorite songs on it.
Or... get his closest friends together and have each person write him a letter and enclose a picture of themselves. Put all the letters/pictures in an album. When he's lonely and homesick, he will have something to brighten his mood.
2007-12-11 14:02:10 · answer #4 · answered by laurygrl 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Give him a card, maybe a gift card!
then give him something nice after graduation.
2007-12-11 14:14:33 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
recruits are allowed to take NOTHING except a small bible or religious medallion. he may be permitted to keep writing paper/envelopes and stamps.
2007-12-11 14:00:54 · answer #6 · answered by Mrsjvb 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋