Posted on Jul 15, 2015
Who remembers standing in formation for mail call? Does the military still conduct mail call?
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I was recently reminded me of the importance and significance of mail call especially in the days before email, cell phones and texting existed in the 1950's 1960's, 1970's and I think through the 1980's. Waiting with anticipation in formation as a young enlisted man in sun, snow, rain or wind for mail call. The weather was much less important than hearing the names of friends called out to get mail and then hearing my own name which was wonderful. Going back to the barracks to smell envelopes from girl friends, read the letters on my bunk.
Later as a cadet at West Point one of the duties of the freshman class known as plebes was to distribute the mail to the upper classmen. It was a very important function and seemed to release a sense of common humanity and a brief period of humane treatment.
After I was commissioned in 1980, my mail was delivered to me except when we were away from home station when we would have mail call or else wait until the operation was over and then mail would be distributed.
Images: mail call wingen 70th ID WWII; Korean War early afternoon mail call brought these Thunderbirds in the 279th Infantry; Mail call! Pfc Glen Zachery of the 19th Army Postal Unit brings a sack of mail to the
Later as a cadet at West Point one of the duties of the freshman class known as plebes was to distribute the mail to the upper classmen. It was a very important function and seemed to release a sense of common humanity and a brief period of humane treatment.
After I was commissioned in 1980, my mail was delivered to me except when we were away from home station when we would have mail call or else wait until the operation was over and then mail would be distributed.
Images: mail call wingen 70th ID WWII; Korean War early afternoon mail call brought these Thunderbirds in the 279th Infantry; Mail call! Pfc Glen Zachery of the 19th Army Postal Unit brings a sack of mail to the
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Edited 4 y ago
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 377
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Idk if mail call is still conducted due to all of the technology that trainees are allowed to have now. I entered in 2001 and we were still not allowed to have cellphones etc. and were getting mail call.
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you SGT Willie Norwood for making us aware that you enlisted in 2001 and in BCT and MP AIT cell phones were forbidden. Hopefully you received some letters while in training.
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FYI SSG(P) (Join to see) 1SG Steven Imerman COL Mikel J. Burroughs Col Carl Whicker Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen MAJ Rene De La Rosa TSgt David L.SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx TSgt Joe C.PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. MSgt Jason McClish SPC Tom DeSmetSGT (Join to see) SPC Woody Bullard SSgt Brian Brakke Sgt Albert CastroLTC Bill Koski
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LTC Stephen F.
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We had an Italian kid from the Bronx name of Evangelista. Yup, he got reduced down to Alphabet. My name? Cosgrove. Always freaking Cosgrove no matter where I went.
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you, my friend Cpl John Cogswell for making us aware of the top-down renaming of:
1. the "Italian kid from the Bronx name of Evangelista" to being labeled as Alphabet.
2. you being renamed from Cogswell to Cosgrove. Did they issue an ID with that name? :-)
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1. the "Italian kid from the Bronx name of Evangelista" to being labeled as Alphabet.
2. you being renamed from Cogswell to Cosgrove. Did they issue an ID with that name? :-)
FYI FYI PO2 Jeffery Marcussen Sr LTJG Robert M. PO3 (Join to see) PO2 Jonathan Scharff CMC Robert Young CWO3 Dave Alcantara PO1 John Johnson LTJG Richard BruceSgt Jay JonesCWO3 (Join to see) GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad SPC Americo Garcia Sgt (Join to see) SSgt Terry P. Sgt David G Duchesneau LT John Chang LTJG Josh Thaxton CWO3 Dennis M. CMDCM Gene Treants
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Mail call, regardless the weather or the time, was always welcomed. I lived through it and have many fond memories from the letters that came to me--all except the "Dear John."
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SFC Greg Bruorton
PO3 Bob McCord - It is rare, indeed, when a high school sweetheart girlfriend will stand to the challenge at becoming a faithful and fruitful housewife to a serviceman during his military years. My first wife was a WAC, yet 11 years after two sons and several deployments I had to divorce her. She was a good looker, but a terrible brood mare.
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SFC Greg Bruorton
Roger that, Bob. When wife#2 (Elizabeth) came along she was able to reteach my youngest boy how to talk and do all the things a young boy needed to do. He had nearly choked to death trying to extricate himself from his high chair while I was in Vietnam. I came home a month early because of him being admitted to Womack AH. Wife#2 was exposed to military life during my last two years before retirement, but in the interim, she told a certain Army dentist that he'd better stay in the Army because he would starve to death on the outside. In those days, a wife's words could bring repercussions back on the service member, but I was fortunate to have been in the Special Security Group at the time and no one knew what we did or where we did business and why.
We've been married for 40 years and still going.
We've been married for 40 years and still going.
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SFC Greg Bruorton
PO3 Bob Walsh , I did stupid things too in my second marriage. Fortunately, Elizabeth stuck by me and helped to get me back on the good road. Now, after many years together, she and I are in the same church and it keeps us on the straight and narrow path.
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Oh yes, and I remember finance always thinking we were going to rob them when it came to monthly withdraw at the FOB. Like they were going to stop a bunch of swinging dicks with live ammo and frags if we actually wanted their measly $100k. Good times
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LTC Stephen F.
Thanks for responding SSG Adam Wyatt with a 21st century version of periodic "trips" to the FOB for mail.
I was reminded of the song from the seven dwarfs - hi ho, hi ho its off to the FOB we go with frags, magazines and an attitude ... :-)
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I was reminded of the song from the seven dwarfs - hi ho, hi ho its off to the FOB we go with frags, magazines and an attitude ... :-)
FYI SGT Philip Roncari SGT (Join to see) 1SG James L Vetter SGT Guillermo Vega LTC Thomas TennantSPC Karl Tomolonis COL Jack Vantress CPT (Join to see) LTC Stephen C. COL Mikel J. Burroughs SPC Margaret Higgins PO3 Steven Sherrill SGM Paul Shenep (R)SSG Bruce Sorge 1LT Thomas Rogers LTC Mark RosenCPT Dan Santos MSG Brad Sand
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Depends on the unit needs and command directives. We did not. Just go to the post on your time off. When we brought it to our SEN's it was given to them.
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LTC Stephen F.
belated thank you my friend 1LT (Join to see) fo0r responding and making us aware that "depends on the unit needs and command directives. We did not. Just go to the post on your time off. When we brought it to our SEN's it was given to them."
FYI SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark KuzinskiPO1 William "Chip" Nagel SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSLLTC Wayne Brandon LTC Bill Koski Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. MSgt Jason McClish SPC Tom DeSmetSGT (Join to see) SPC Woody Bullard SSgt Brian Brakke Sgt Albert Castro
FYI SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark KuzinskiPO1 William "Chip" Nagel SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSLLTC Wayne Brandon LTC Bill Koski Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. MSgt Jason McClish SPC Tom DeSmetSGT (Join to see) SPC Woody Bullard SSgt Brian Brakke Sgt Albert Castro
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I joined in 1985, I think the only time I had "mail call" in formation was in OUST. Even at my 1st duty station in Germany, 1986, mail was delivered to the PSG and it got passed out by section leaders or sometimes at a PLT formation....
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my friend SMSgt Thor Merich for letting us know that in 1981 you joined the US Army.
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LTC Stephen F.
I thought you would SPC Margaret Higgins. I posted this discussion a couple years ago. Then PO3 Bob McCord posted a great comment to another question which reminded me to update this question.
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I don't think we do mail call while in formation no more(As far as i remember), all we do is sitting in classroom while our ds hand out mail.
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Only in 1978 Basic Training.
The Drill Sergeants threw the mail at you and you had to pick it up.
The Drill Sergeants threw the mail at you and you had to pick it up.
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SPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D
SFC James Corona Childish in my opinion. Respect is earned and I don't think throwing mail at someone is earning respect rather it just shows who is the real Dirtbag.
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SFC James Corona
SPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D
The Drill Sergeants were
Viet-nam Combat Veterans.
My DI said in effect quote;
"You will get your mail in your hand when you EARN and GRADUATE from Basic Training and until then you are a ragbag trainee!"
The BT Chain of Command AGREED!
The Drill Sergeants were
Viet-nam Combat Veterans.
My DI said in effect quote;
"You will get your mail in your hand when you EARN and GRADUATE from Basic Training and until then you are a ragbag trainee!"
The BT Chain of Command AGREED!
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SFC James Corona
LTC Stephen F.
I attended OSUT BT in Fort Gordon, Georgia in 1978 with same DI'S from July 1978 -December 1978.
I will never forget the experience! It wasn't funny thrn but it's funny now.
I will
I attended OSUT BT in Fort Gordon, Georgia in 1978 with same DI'S from July 1978 -December 1978.
I will never forget the experience! It wasn't funny thrn but it's funny now.
I will
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SPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D
SFC James Corona Spending an insurmountable amount of time in actual combat in Viet Nam thought me a lot about God, people, life, respect, appreciation for my brothers and sisters in service, but it appears these DIs were just trying to be tough guys without knowing how to EARN respect and NEVER LEARNED THAT FROM COMBAT!
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