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 >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 376
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We had a few guys with names that were in the last 6 letters of the Alphabet.. Our MTi handed the mail to our Flight chief and he would go through occasionally and do those guys on the back end first. I held that position the last 4 weeks of training.. I kept up that idea.. I would go through and do those Airmen in the middle, we had 12 with names in the middle 7 or 8.. gave somebody else a chsnce to be in the first dozen to get their mail quicker..
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you, for responding, my friend SSgt Boyd Herrst I am glad to learn that your mail call order of distribution periodically shifted so the last would be first. That is great news IMHO. I wonder if anybody else had that experience in mail call?
FYI LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey SFC William Farrell SGT Mark Halmrast Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Gregory Lawritson CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke 1stSgt Eugene Harless SSG William Jones SSG Diane R.
FYI LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey SFC William Farrell SGT Mark Halmrast Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Gregory Lawritson CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke 1stSgt Eugene Harless SSG William Jones SSG Diane R.
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you for responding SGT Larry Cooper. I certainly concur with you that mail call was something which motivated us with hope to receive something in the mail. Unlike pay call when we got what was due, sometimes mail call was disappointing either because of no mail of disappointing news.
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FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Orlando Illi Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price CPT Jack Durish Capt Tom Brown CMSgt (Join to see) MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SGT (Join to see) Sgt Albert Castro SSG David Andrews Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT Mark Halmrast PO1 William "Chip" Nagel CPT Gabe SnellLTC Greg Henning
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Highlight of the Day - yes we used highliters too. and grease pencils, and maps, and compasses, and canteen cups. and steel pots. and web gear. Wow! - am I old or what?
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you for responding SFC Ralph E Kelley that mail call was a highlight of the day. I well remember grease pencils, combat acetate and non-permanent markers. Every now then some newbie would use permanent markers and learn the lesson of life :-)
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FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Orlando Illi LTC (Join to see) LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Jeff S. CPT Jack Durish MSG Dan Walther MSgt Robert C Aldi SFC Stephen King MSgt Danny Hope SGT Gregory Lawritson Cpl Craig Marton SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT (Join to see) Maj Marty Hogan
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LTC Stephen F.
Thanks for letting us know Lt Col Charlie Brown. Based on your response I image you entered the military in the 1980s.
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Orlando Illi LTC (Join to see) LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Jeff S. CPT Jack Durish MSG Dan Walther MSgt Robert C Aldi SFC Stephen King MSgt Danny Hope SGT Gregory Lawritson Cpl Craig Marton SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT (Join to see) Maj Marty Hogan
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Orlando Illi LTC (Join to see) LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Jeff S. CPT Jack Durish MSG Dan Walther MSgt Robert C Aldi SFC Stephen King MSgt Danny Hope SGT Gregory Lawritson Cpl Craig Marton SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT (Join to see) Maj Marty Hogan
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Worst mail call ever......received a box of chocolate chip cookies from my mother while in boot camp. Not fun!!!!
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LTC Stephen F.
Ah yes, mandatory sharing of a gift meant usually for you was no fun SSgt Gary Andrews
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SSgt Gary Andrews
Sometimes you shared.....everyone got on but you. In my case, I had about 30 seconds to cram the whole box down.....my chewing and swallowing did not keep up with the speed at which the D.I. was shoving them into my mouth. It was years before I could eat another chocolate chip cookie!
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Cpl Gabriel F.
With you on the cookies Andrews. One girl that my dumb ass had dated and neglected to mail a 30 second " Do Not Send Me Anything Letter" went down the Marine recruiter that happily advised her "Sure you can sent him lots of goodies" got my Parris Island address and sent soft cookies wrapped in cellophane and chocolate cake wrapped in foil. When the box was pulled and my named called out could not understand how this happened to me. Ordered to eat the cookies now, started to unwrap the cellophane got a very quick kick and a "Oh no, waste not want not" eat it all. Cellophane was stretched across my teeth down my throat along soft cookie goo with me doing my best to swallow the whole mess when he held up the foil wrapped cake making my fillings hurt at the thought. " Would the maggot care to donate this to the drill instructors coffee fund ? Sir, yes sir trying not to spit cookie goo. The drill instructor shouted for the house mouse to bring one cup of hot water on deck. Told to drink it down and then do bends and thrusts for the rest of mail call near enough for motivation tap by the drill instructor. Hungry all the time so did not throw up to his disappointment.
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Basic, AIT (Infantry), Visual Tracker Coursel, RVN, during field training in the '70s and '80s.
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my friend MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. for responding and making us aware that you had mail call in Basic Combat Training, 11b AIT, during field training and the Visual Tracker Course in the Republic of South Vietnam.
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FYI SSG Jeffrey Leake1SG Walter CraigSSG Michael NollSFC (Join to see)CPT (Join to see)SSG Samuel KermonSP5 Geoffrey Vannerson SFC Richard WilliamsonSPC Randy ZimmermanSPC Richard (Rick) HenrySSG Pete FishMSG Felipe De Leon BrownSGT Rick ColburnSFC Bernard WalkoMaj Wayne CristSGM Bill Frazer1LT Peter DustonSSG Franklin BriantSSG Robert Mark Odom
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you for responding SSG Bob Klement and letting us know that you remember being in formation for mail call and reporting for pay call. I hope that mail call brings back good memories for you.
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Orlando Illi Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price CPT Jack Durish Capt Tom Brown CMSgt (Join to see) MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SGT (Join to see) Sgt Albert Castro SSG David Andrews Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT Mark Halmrast PO1 William "Chip" Nagel CPT Gabe SnellLTC Greg Henning
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Orlando Illi Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price CPT Jack Durish Capt Tom Brown CMSgt (Join to see) MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SGT (Join to see) Sgt Albert Castro SSG David Andrews Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT Mark Halmrast PO1 William "Chip" Nagel CPT Gabe SnellLTC Greg Henning
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I remember standing mail call in Staging Bn. at Camp Pendleton, CA. The postal clerk calls out all the names. He then says does anyone know someone in Belmar, NJ. I yell out I do. A family friend had written me a letter, but put my uncle name on the letter of whom I am named for, but he is Daniel Kenney . Back during WWII she had dated him prior to his going over to England. He was a S/SGT in the Army Air Corps on a B-17 as a waist gunner. Shot down over the North Sea and was captured by the Germans and held in a POW Camp for 22 months.
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you for responding Sgt Daniel J. Daly and letting us know that you remember standing in formation at the Staging Bn. at Camp Pendleton, CA.
It is interesting that a family friend wrote a letter to you but put your uncles name [ Daniel Kenney] on it instead of your own. That must have brought back memories of family history to you because your uncle Daniel Kenney "was a S/SGT in the Army Air Corps on a B-17 as a waist gunner. Shot down over the North Sea and was captured by the Germans and held in a POW Camp for 22 months."
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey SSG John Ross SGT Mark Halmrast Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Gregory Lawritson CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke 1stSgt Eugene Harless CPT Scott Sharon
It is interesting that a family friend wrote a letter to you but put your uncles name [ Daniel Kenney] on it instead of your own. That must have brought back memories of family history to you because your uncle Daniel Kenney "was a S/SGT in the Army Air Corps on a B-17 as a waist gunner. Shot down over the North Sea and was captured by the Germans and held in a POW Camp for 22 months."
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey SSG John Ross SGT Mark Halmrast Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Gregory Lawritson CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke 1stSgt Eugene Harless CPT Scott Sharon
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I remember sitting at a desk in the American Express Bank with a .45 at my right hand and two MPs with shotguns on either side when we held Pay Call at Hohenfels. We paid our soldiers in cash in those days, long before direct deposit. Yes, I also remember mail call.
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you for responding MAJ Hugh Blanchard and letting us know that you remember standing in formation for mail call.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with pay call in FRG.
I recommend you respond to the parallel pay call question.
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Orlando Illi Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price CPT Jack Durish Capt Tom Brown CMSgt (Join to see) MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SGT (Join to see) Sgt Albert Castro SSG David Andrews Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT Mark Halmrast PO1 William "Chip" Nagel CPT Gabe SnellLTC Greg Henning
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/who-remembers-pay-call-what-country-ies-did-you-receive-pay-call-in
Thanks for sharing your experiences with pay call in FRG.
I recommend you respond to the parallel pay call question.
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Orlando Illi Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price CPT Jack Durish Capt Tom Brown CMSgt (Join to see) MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SGT (Join to see) Sgt Albert Castro SSG David Andrews Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT Mark Halmrast PO1 William "Chip" Nagel CPT Gabe SnellLTC Greg Henning
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/who-remembers-pay-call-what-country-ies-did-you-receive-pay-call-in
Who remembers pay call? What country(ies) did you receive pay call in? | RallyPoint
I remember pay call while being stationed in Bamberg, Germany in the early 1980's. I think pay call was only used for forces stationed overseas [expect that includes all Navy vessels as well] where a choice of currency to receive your pay made sense. Pay call made sense when many service members did not have direct deposit for their salary. I don't know if pay call still exists and where it is used. [Update July 19] I was an infantry training...
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The last time and only time I remember doing mail call while in formation was when I was attending AIT back in 1993. And like probably most of us, it was pretty much the norm in basic training.
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you for responding SSG Jose M. Hernandezsanchez and making us aware that the only time you stood in formation for mail call was at when you were going through AIT in 1993 [I ma not surprised it was similar to mail call in BCT for you]
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Orlando Illi Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price CPT Jack Durish Capt Tom Brown CMSgt (Join to see) MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SGT (Join to see) Sgt Albert Castro SSG David Andrews Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT Mark Halmrast SPC Margaret Higgins PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Orlando Illi Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price CPT Jack Durish Capt Tom Brown CMSgt (Join to see) MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SGT (Join to see) Sgt Albert Castro SSG David Andrews Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT Mark Halmrast SPC Margaret Higgins PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
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