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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Col, at the risk of giving away my age I do remember mail call and I also remember Pay Call where we stood in line, verified our ID, saluted the Pay Officer, held out our left hand as he counted out less than $100 for the month, and stepping to the right and signing the pay roster in front of Top. Make a sharp right turn and move on. My English counter parts did the same thing except they received the Queen's rations of toiletries, tobacco, and rum tickets. I remember the day when my pay broke $100 for the month, WOW!
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my friend CWO3 Robert Fong for letting us know you remember mail call as well as pay call "where [you] stood in line, verified our ID, saluted the Pay Officer, held out our left hand as he counted out less than $100 for the month, and stepping to the right and signing the pay roster in front of Top.'
PO2 Jeffery Marcussen Sr LTJG Robert M. CAPT (Join to see) PO3 (Join to see) PO2 Jonathan Scharff LCDR (Join to see) CMC Robert Young CWO3 Dave Alcantara PO1 Jerome Newland PO1 John Johnson
Here is a link to my pay call question
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/who-remembers-pay-call-what-country-ies-did-you-receive-pay-call-in
PO2 Jeffery Marcussen Sr LTJG Robert M. CAPT (Join to see) PO3 (Join to see) PO2 Jonathan Scharff LCDR (Join to see) CMC Robert Young CWO3 Dave Alcantara PO1 Jerome Newland PO1 John Johnson
Here is a link to my pay call question
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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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my friend SN (Join to see) for responding and letting us know that you remember mail call while you were on a Navy vessel
FYI MSgt Robert E. M.PO3 Michael James PO3 (Join to see) CPO (Join to see) SCPO Del Wolverton PO3 John Wagner [~CPO Nate S. PO3 Ellsworth Allen Westgate TSgt Randal Groover FN George Woodruff SN Greg Wright PO2 Tim Zeman CWO3 Dennis M. PO3 Steven Sherrill PO3 Charles Streich PO3 Edward Riddle
FYI MSgt Robert E. M.PO3 Michael James PO3 (Join to see) CPO (Join to see) SCPO Del Wolverton PO3 John Wagner [~CPO Nate S. PO3 Ellsworth Allen Westgate TSgt Randal Groover FN George Woodruff SN Greg Wright PO2 Tim Zeman CWO3 Dennis M. PO3 Steven Sherrill PO3 Charles Streich PO3 Edward Riddle
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Yes Sir, Indeed!!! That’s one line of anticipation. As I recall years ago, whenever I saw a line, I got in it. It usually meant something good or important. Thank You Sir, for the Memories!!! Doc
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my friend and brother-in-Christ CMDCM John F. "Doc" Bradshaw for responding and letting us know that mail call brought back good memories for you.
FYI CPO Raymond Shaw, MBASP5 David den BoerPFC Carl Wolfe1LT (Join to see)LTC George MorganTSgt Ken RichterSPC Kevin FordSgt Gary Thompson
MSG Darold R.Cpl Jason LangSPC (Join to see)
SSG(P) (Join to see)PVT (Join to see)
FYI CPO Raymond Shaw, MBASP5 David den BoerPFC Carl Wolfe1LT (Join to see)LTC George MorganTSgt Ken RichterSPC Kevin FordSgt Gary Thompson
MSG Darold R.Cpl Jason LangSPC (Join to see)
SSG(P) (Join to see)PVT (Join to see)
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my fellow combat engineer [ I was an enlisted combat engineer in 1975] for letting us know that you remember mail call.
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We were out clearing villages in Vietnam and as evening came we filled sand bags to put around us when we slept to keep from getting hit by sniper rounds.
As it got darker the fireworks began. I remember my platoon was lighting up the sky with tracer rounds, red one direction and green in the other. My fellow medic, Evans (photo attached), always looked so relaxed when things got crazy.
It got quiet for awhile and you could here the Huey gunships coming our way. Their mission that night was to bring us each 2 cold beers and a sack of mail and after delivering it, they quickly disappeared into that dark evening sky. That night we had mail call and read our mail along with drinking cold beers.
As it got darker the fireworks began. I remember my platoon was lighting up the sky with tracer rounds, red one direction and green in the other. My fellow medic, Evans (photo attached), always looked so relaxed when things got crazy.
It got quiet for awhile and you could here the Huey gunships coming our way. Their mission that night was to bring us each 2 cold beers and a sack of mail and after delivering it, they quickly disappeared into that dark evening sky. That night we had mail call and read our mail along with drinking cold beers.
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LTC George Morgan
RBL2012 - The Last Post - 720p HD
The Royal British Legion: http://www.britishlegion.org.ukHelp for Heros: http://www.helpforheroes.org.ukBand of Her Majesty's Royal Marines: http://www.royal...
The Royal British Legion Prayer of Remembrance, to me, seems appropriate here as we remember Gregory Evans.
They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them,
We will remember them.
Last Post (British Taps)
***** Two Minute Silence *****
When you go home, tell them of us,
and say, for your today, we gave our tomorrow.
On Remembrance Day, US Veterans Day, in every village, town, and city across the United Kingdom, parades are held, and the prayer is recited.
At the Royal Albert Hall, London, in the presence of the monarch, following a Festival of Remembrance entertainment, a service of remembrance is held, as it has been, ever since 1919. This link, is the prayer of that service, followed by Last Post, the silence and reveille.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99tCg596QSc
Should you be interested, this is a link to the 2017 Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance, during the silence, poppy petals drift down across the assembled military who have been represented during the festival.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwmPkhZBYUE&t=11s
They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them,
We will remember them.
Last Post (British Taps)
***** Two Minute Silence *****
When you go home, tell them of us,
and say, for your today, we gave our tomorrow.
On Remembrance Day, US Veterans Day, in every village, town, and city across the United Kingdom, parades are held, and the prayer is recited.
At the Royal Albert Hall, London, in the presence of the monarch, following a Festival of Remembrance entertainment, a service of remembrance is held, as it has been, ever since 1919. This link, is the prayer of that service, followed by Last Post, the silence and reveille.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99tCg596QSc
Should you be interested, this is a link to the 2017 Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance, during the silence, poppy petals drift down across the assembled military who have been represented during the festival.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwmPkhZBYUE&t=11s
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SPC Gary Symons
LTC George Morgan
Thank you, very nice prayer. I will say it for our other medic friend “Old Man McConnell”, given that name because we were all 18 to 21 he was 26. May he rest in peace. He was a Senior Medic not assigned to a infantry platoon. Old Man was scheduled to get discharged and kidded he would be waiting at San Francisco Airport with a convertible full of pretty girls when we returned in December 1968.
Old man when into the field one last time to bring out those shot and lost his life in doing so. Nice guy and still have a mental picture of him laughing sitting in a convertible at San Francisco Airport.
Thank you, very nice prayer. I will say it for our other medic friend “Old Man McConnell”, given that name because we were all 18 to 21 he was 26. May he rest in peace. He was a Senior Medic not assigned to a infantry platoon. Old Man was scheduled to get discharged and kidded he would be waiting at San Francisco Airport with a convertible full of pretty girls when we returned in December 1968.
Old man when into the field one last time to bring out those shot and lost his life in doing so. Nice guy and still have a mental picture of him laughing sitting in a convertible at San Francisco Airport.
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LTC George Morgan
Losing our friends is never easy, but keeping their memories alive is how we keep them with us. I lost two of my lads in Northern Ireland, they live with me, in both memories, and a Unit picture that hangs in my office. I the UK, we have a phrase, "Lest We Forget", we never do.
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I remember standing in line for paycall too. Then having to work my way thru the rest of the line doing out cash for one thing or another. Usually when I was in Korea.
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my friend SSG Mark Lawless for letting us know you remember standing in line for mailcall and paycall.
Here is my rallypoint question about paycall
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/who-remembers-pay-call-what-country-ies-did-you-receive-pay-call-in
Here is my rallypoint question about paycall
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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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my friend 1SG Jimmy Bacon for responding and letting us know that you well remember pay call and mail call.
By the way here is a link to my parallel question to this one.
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/who-remembers-pay-call-what-country-ies-did-you-receive-pay-call-inSSG Mildred Johnson
By the way here is a link to my parallel question to this one.
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/who-remembers-pay-call-what-country-ies-did-you-receive-pay-call-inSSG Mildred Johnson
RallyPoint - The Military Network
Find service members and veterans like you, discuss military life, and share professional opportunities on the largest military network.
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Yes I remember mail call, and pay call. In the Military there was a lot of standing around. Hurry up and Wait.
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my friend SSG Mildred Johnson for responding and letting us know that you remember standing around for mail call and pay call - hurry up and wait.
By the way here is a link to my parallel question to this one.
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/who-remembers-pay-call-what-country-ies-did-you-receive-pay-call-in
By the way here is a link to my parallel question to this one.
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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I was one of my units postal clerks, beside my regular duties. We always passed out mail during noon chow.
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my friend SPC Thomas Kosakowskii for responding and letting us know that you were one of your units 'postal clerks' in addition to your Quartermaster duties.
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Ahhhh, the memories. I certainly do remember Mail Call. It is still done at various Basic Trainings and Boot Camps, and on some overseas deployments as well. When I was in Basic Training, too many years ago than I want to remember, we all feared receiving boxes, In particular those with food from home. We were not allowed to receive food, and were told to let our families know. However, if we did receive boxes, we had to open them on the spot so the Drills could inspect them for contraband, I remember another recruit next to me that received a box of home made cookies. There must have been 5lbs of them, Being "nice" the Drills did allow him to enjoy the "bounty". He was ordered to start eating, and gave him 2 minutes in which to consume the entire box in front of all of us while all the Drills stood around him yelling at him to hurry-up. To keep this short, he did not finish the entire box, but he did eat enough to make him "toss his cookies", pun intended, all over the parade grounds. After that, we all feared getting those "care Packages" from home! Lastly, I not only remember Mail Call, but Pay Call as well. Back in the days when paper checks were still handed out, with armed guards standing around the pay officer. That was all starting to change back in 1985 when mandatory direct deposit was being initiated.
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you my friend LTC Steve Beres for responding and sharing your expereinces of mail call and care packages [Drill Segeant torture - forced eating as well as forced sharing :-(
By the way here is a link to my parallel question to this one.
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/who-remembers-pay-call-what-country-ies-did-you-receive-pay-call-inSSG Mildred Johnson
By the way here is a link to my parallel question to this one.
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/who-remembers-pay-call-what-country-ies-did-you-receive-pay-call-inSSG Mildred Johnson
RallyPoint - The Military Network
Find service members and veterans like you, discuss military life, and share professional opportunities on the largest military network.
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