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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yup a shoe box sized stack of mail thrown at me and then push ups or my uncle writing me at AIT when I was a PFC E3 and putting on the front of the letter PFC(crossed out) SGT or LT Hewett congratulation on your promotion, then me finding about 6 Drill SGT's licking their lips like hungry wolves ready to go in for the kill. My Uncle thought it was funny and I just became every Drill SGT's favorite chew toy for about a week. HA HA HA!!
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my friend SSG Byron Hewett for responding and making us aware that when a 'shoe box sized stack of mail thrown at me and then push ups were required' and in AIT as a PFC your uncle wrote ypu a letter with 'PFC(crossed out) [and] SGT or LT Hewett congratulation on your promotion, then me finding about 6 Drill SGT's licking their lips like hungry wolves read to go in for the kill.'
I expect you had a interesting reacquaintancewith that uncle while on leave :-)
FYI PO3 Phyllis Maynard PO3 Steven Sherrill CSM Chuck StaffordPFC Craig KarshnerSGT Jim Ramge, MBAMSG Danny MathersSgt Robert Hellyer1SG Mark Rudoplh LTC Ken ConnollyCMDCM John F. "Doc" BradshawCpl Robert Russell Payne MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi CWO3 Dave Alcantara LTC (Join to see) MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi SPC Nancy Greene SPC Margaret Higgins
I expect you had a interesting reacquaintancewith that uncle while on leave :-)
FYI PO3 Phyllis Maynard PO3 Steven Sherrill CSM Chuck StaffordPFC Craig KarshnerSGT Jim Ramge, MBAMSG Danny MathersSgt Robert Hellyer1SG Mark Rudoplh LTC Ken ConnollyCMDCM John F. "Doc" BradshawCpl Robert Russell Payne MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi CWO3 Dave Alcantara LTC (Join to see) MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi SPC Nancy Greene SPC Margaret Higgins
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SSG Bill McCoy
When my youngest son was in Basic, I'd mail him letters and put patriotic, pro-American logos oon the envelope. I "threatened" to send him one addressed as SGT if he didn't write home to his Mom. LOL Never had to do that.
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SSG Byron Hewett
LTC Stephen F. - you could say that but my uncle Norm 6ft 7in tall so he and I had a great laugh together later on down the road about 6 months later over a couple of cold coke’s
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you @SGT Gary Tob for respondng and making us aware that your company 1SG threw the mail towards the voice of the names called.
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my friend SSG Edward Tilton for responding and letting us know that you had mail call while deployed to Korea but not when deployed to the Republic of South Vietnam.
FYI SGT James Murphy SSG Michael Noll SGT Mary G. MSgt Dave Hoffman MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi SMSgt Lawrence McCarter SMSgt Mark Venzeio SGT Steve McFarland GySgt Jack Wallace MSgt James Clark-Rosa MGySgt (Join to see) MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. SFC Chuck Martinez SGM Bill Frazer
FYI SGT James Murphy SSG Michael Noll SGT Mary G. MSgt Dave Hoffman MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi SMSgt Lawrence McCarter SMSgt Mark Venzeio SGT Steve McFarland GySgt Jack Wallace MSgt James Clark-Rosa MGySgt (Join to see) MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. SFC Chuck Martinez SGM Bill Frazer
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SSG Edward Tilton
LTC Stephen F. - Had me going on how did we get our mail in Vietnam. Normally the NCOs took it for anyone in their sphere
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my friend fro clearing it up. SSG Edward Tilton I am glad that you and other soldiers were able to get mail while deployed to Vietnam [probably delays at times]
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my friend SSG Mildred Johnson for responding and letting us know you remember mail call. I hope mail call was a blessing for you, many times over.
FYI SSgt Marian Mitchell PO3 Phyllis Maynard SPC Nancy Greene SSG Diane R. SPC Diana D. PO1 William "Chip" Nagel PO2 (Join to see) SSG Samuel Kermon SFC Chuck Martinez
FYI SSgt Marian Mitchell PO3 Phyllis Maynard SPC Nancy Greene SSG Diane R. SPC Diana D. PO1 William "Chip" Nagel PO2 (Join to see) SSG Samuel Kermon SFC Chuck Martinez
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Mail call was an important indicator to unit leadership as to whether some soldiers having family/friendship back in the world. The soldier who never received a piece of mail is the soldier into self-destruction when their life has a setback. As a CID agent, task with investigating suicides (and some major attempts). The unit mail clerk always reported that the noted soldier never received one piece of mail. I had a soldier in Germany shoot himself with his M-16 because he didn’t come out on the E-5 promotion list. He survived but part of his investigation found he had never received mail in 19 months, had major dysfunctional family back in the states and was administratively discharged back into that world.
I was part of a two-man detachment at Camp Howze, South Korea during the Gulf War. We received a piece of mail addressed to “Any soldier in South Korea”. It was from a fourth grade class in Washington. They were looking to becoming a pen pal with soldiers. As a setup, I must state that I was educated at a Catholic school for eight years from elementary through middle school years. The Sisters of Charity taught me cursive handwriting and the reported stories of rulers across the back of your hands was true. In not wanting the corporal punishment, I learned to write cursive beautifully and just like writing samples along the blackboards in the classrooms. Once in the Army, more than one male soldier indicated that I “wrote like a bitch”. Once the kids started to receive my letters in Washington State, the teacher wrote me a personal note explaining she was teaching the kids cursive handwriting and asked my permission to display my letters in her classroom as a good example of the art. I, of course agreed, and thought if the nuns could have known that they’d be proud of their accomplishment years earlier. So, mail call was much more important than simply an administrative process.
I was part of a two-man detachment at Camp Howze, South Korea during the Gulf War. We received a piece of mail addressed to “Any soldier in South Korea”. It was from a fourth grade class in Washington. They were looking to becoming a pen pal with soldiers. As a setup, I must state that I was educated at a Catholic school for eight years from elementary through middle school years. The Sisters of Charity taught me cursive handwriting and the reported stories of rulers across the back of your hands was true. In not wanting the corporal punishment, I learned to write cursive beautifully and just like writing samples along the blackboards in the classrooms. Once in the Army, more than one male soldier indicated that I “wrote like a bitch”. Once the kids started to receive my letters in Washington State, the teacher wrote me a personal note explaining she was teaching the kids cursive handwriting and asked my permission to display my letters in her classroom as a good example of the art. I, of course agreed, and thought if the nuns could have known that they’d be proud of their accomplishment years earlier. So, mail call was much more important than simply an administrative process.
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my friend CW3 Michael Clifford for responding with great detailed descriptions of mail call.
I wholeheartedly concur that 'Mail call was an important indicator to unit leadership as to whether some soldiers having family/friendship back in the world. The soldier who never received a piece of mail is the soldier into self-destruction when their life has a setback.'
1. Thank you for your transparency 'As a setup, I must state that I was educated at a Catholic school for eight years from elementary through middle school years. The Sisters of Charity taught me cursive handwriting and the reported stories of rulers across the back of your hands was true. In not wanting the corporal punishment, I learned to write cursive beautifully and just like writing samples along the blackboards in the classrooms.'
2. It was wonderful that you made the effort to send letters to children in school in cursive. 'Once the kids started to receive my letters in Washington State, the teacher wrote me a personal note explaining she was teaching the kids cursive handwriting and asked my permission to display my letters in her classroom as a good example of the art. I, of course agreed, and thought if the nuns could have known that they’d be proud of their accomplishment years earlier.'
3. As a CID agent, task with investigating suicides (and some major attempts). The unit mail clerk always reported that the noted soldier never received one piece of mail. I had a soldier in Germany shoot himself with his M-16 because he didn’t come out on the E-5 promotion list. He survived but part of his investigation found he had never received mail in 19 months, had major dysfunctional family back in the states and was administratively discharged back into that world.'
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC (Join to see) Maj Robert Thornton Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. SSG Stephen Rogerson SSG Franklin Briant SMSgt David A Asbury SMSgt Lawrence McCarter PO2 (Join to see) PO3 Phyllis Maynard SPC Woody Bullard SPC Nancy Greene
I wholeheartedly concur that 'Mail call was an important indicator to unit leadership as to whether some soldiers having family/friendship back in the world. The soldier who never received a piece of mail is the soldier into self-destruction when their life has a setback.'
1. Thank you for your transparency 'As a setup, I must state that I was educated at a Catholic school for eight years from elementary through middle school years. The Sisters of Charity taught me cursive handwriting and the reported stories of rulers across the back of your hands was true. In not wanting the corporal punishment, I learned to write cursive beautifully and just like writing samples along the blackboards in the classrooms.'
2. It was wonderful that you made the effort to send letters to children in school in cursive. 'Once the kids started to receive my letters in Washington State, the teacher wrote me a personal note explaining she was teaching the kids cursive handwriting and asked my permission to display my letters in her classroom as a good example of the art. I, of course agreed, and thought if the nuns could have known that they’d be proud of their accomplishment years earlier.'
3. As a CID agent, task with investigating suicides (and some major attempts). The unit mail clerk always reported that the noted soldier never received one piece of mail. I had a soldier in Germany shoot himself with his M-16 because he didn’t come out on the E-5 promotion list. He survived but part of his investigation found he had never received mail in 19 months, had major dysfunctional family back in the states and was administratively discharged back into that world.'
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC (Join to see) Maj Robert Thornton Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. SSG Stephen Rogerson SSG Franklin Briant SMSgt David A Asbury SMSgt Lawrence McCarter PO2 (Join to see) PO3 Phyllis Maynard SPC Woody Bullard SPC Nancy Greene
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We would be in Battery formation(when I was FA) or Platoon formation(when I was Infantry) for mail call
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my friend SGT Gary Tob for responding and letting us that you had mail call
a. in Battery formation while you were assigned to 8th Inf Division 5/83rd; 5/81st ABN FA gunner at Baumholder, Germany.
b. Platoon formation (when I was Infantry) for mail call while assigned to 1st Battalion, 160th Infantry Regiment, National Guard in Los Angeles, CA.
FYI SFC (Join to see) CPT Jack Durish CSM Charles Hayden SFC Richard WilliamsonMAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D.SPC Randy ZimmermanMSG (Join to see)SSG Robert WebsterCSM Chuck StaffordSGT Ed MatyjasikSGT Jim Ramge, MBAMSG Danny MathersSgt Robert Hellyer1SG Mark Rudoplh 1SG Michael Blount 1SG Steven Imerman
a. in Battery formation while you were assigned to 8th Inf Division 5/83rd; 5/81st ABN FA gunner at Baumholder, Germany.
b. Platoon formation (when I was Infantry) for mail call while assigned to 1st Battalion, 160th Infantry Regiment, National Guard in Los Angeles, CA.
FYI SFC (Join to see) CPT Jack Durish CSM Charles Hayden SFC Richard WilliamsonMAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D.SPC Randy ZimmermanMSG (Join to see)SSG Robert WebsterCSM Chuck StaffordSGT Ed MatyjasikSGT Jim Ramge, MBAMSG Danny MathersSgt Robert Hellyer1SG Mark Rudoplh 1SG Michael Blount 1SG Steven Imerman
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CSM Charles Hayden
LTC Stephen F. The Army National Guard’s 40th Division’s, 1/160 Infantry was renown for it’s longevity in the Glendale Armory of the CAARNG.
An insurance salesman, from ?1962 era was a CPT Company CDR in the 1/160. CPT Gil Ross was a ‘direct commission’ officer from WW II in Europe. He told me that since his Army Serial Number reflected his combat time and experience that the Guard always awarded him the difficult tasks as he was an actual Combat Experienced Officer.
CSM Ralph Salcido, WW II CIB, Korean CIB Star was the CSM there for many years. I last saw him at Riverside National Cemetery for the burial of CSM John Jackson’s Sister, SSG Judy Jackson a few years ago.
One of ‘my’ troops, CSM Ron Dennis, a SGMA Graduate became CSM of the 1/160 Infantry after my retirement.
An insurance salesman, from ?1962 era was a CPT Company CDR in the 1/160. CPT Gil Ross was a ‘direct commission’ officer from WW II in Europe. He told me that since his Army Serial Number reflected his combat time and experience that the Guard always awarded him the difficult tasks as he was an actual Combat Experienced Officer.
CSM Ralph Salcido, WW II CIB, Korean CIB Star was the CSM there for many years. I last saw him at Riverside National Cemetery for the burial of CSM John Jackson’s Sister, SSG Judy Jackson a few years ago.
One of ‘my’ troops, CSM Ron Dennis, a SGMA Graduate became CSM of the 1/160 Infantry after my retirement.
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Yes, had mail call daily during a deployment to Bosnia in 2001 and mail call prior to getting a Post Office at Incirlik AB, Turkey. In fact our Post Office once we got one needed help
pitching mail at Christmas time and just about begged for volunteers!!
pitching mail at Christmas time and just about begged for volunteers!!
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my friend Lt Col Leslie Bryant for responding and making us aware that you "had mail call daily during a deployment to Bosnia in 2001 and mail call prior to getting a Post Office at Incirlik AB, Turkey." Hopefully there were sufficient personnel [assigned and volunteers] to handle that Christmas mail without errors
FYI SMSgt Lawrence McCarter SMSgt David A Asbury Col Carl Whicker Lt Col Charlie Brown Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj Kim Patterson SPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D SSG Franklin Briant LTC (Join to see) LTC Wayne Brandon
FYI SMSgt Lawrence McCarter SMSgt David A Asbury Col Carl Whicker Lt Col Charlie Brown Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj Kim Patterson SPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D SSG Franklin Briant LTC (Join to see) LTC Wayne Brandon
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my friend SSG Paul Headlee for responding and letting us know you remember pay call and being paid once a month in cash
FYI there is a parallel question on Pay Call at https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/who-remembers-pay-call-what-country-ies-did-you-receive-pay-call-in
FYI LTC Jack Regan MSG Brian Wyatt SSG Franklin Briant SSG Michael Noll SSG Michael Scott SSG Franklin Briant SSG Robert Mark Odom
FYI there is a parallel question on Pay Call at https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/who-remembers-pay-call-what-country-ies-did-you-receive-pay-call-in
FYI LTC Jack Regan MSG Brian Wyatt SSG Franklin Briant SSG Michael Noll SSG Michael Scott SSG Franklin Briant SSG Robert Mark Odom
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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Our mail clerk in basic was always getting drunk and skipping mail call. After a friendly blanket party with bars of soap inside a sock, we got our mail everyday. Some people are just slow to wake up to the realities of the world.
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my friend MSG Dale Fairbanks for responding and making us aware that your "mail clerk in basic was always getting drunk and skipping mail call. After a friendly blanket party with bars of soap inside a sock, we got our mail everyday. Some people are just slow to wake up to the realities of the world."
FYI 1SG Joseph Dartey 1SG John Highfill MSG Andrew White MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi SMSgt Lawrence McCarter 1SG James L Vetter 1SG (Join to see) MSG Douglas Tolliver MSG Jeffrey Williams TSgt David L.SGT Robert PryorGySgt Thomas VickMAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D.CPT Paul Whitmer1SG Steven ImermanSSG Samuel Kermon
FYI 1SG Joseph Dartey 1SG John Highfill MSG Andrew White MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi SMSgt Lawrence McCarter 1SG James L Vetter 1SG (Join to see) MSG Douglas Tolliver MSG Jeffrey Williams TSgt David L.SGT Robert PryorGySgt Thomas VickMAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D.CPT Paul Whitmer1SG Steven ImermanSSG Samuel Kermon
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