Hi,

My son just joined he AF on Monday, and was sent to Lackland AFB in San Antonio. He called me today with the information regarding sending mail, but he was only allowed to read from his paper, and then hang up.

The first line was puzzling. He said it starts: AB smith, joe
331 TRS etc....

now he was saying that the name part is supposed to be me, or anyone sending mail. i think he might have been confused. wouldn't it be his name? Would they know the mail was for him by all the other numbers and what not that are in the address?

my name would be on the return address anyway. If anyone can clear this up (his recruiter said on Monday that he'd be no help in this anymore), then I'd appreciate it.

thanks,
d

http://preview.afnews.af.mil/lackland/units/737trg.asp

Try this to gather information.

dmoss74

AB smith, joe is really: Airman Basic Smith, Joe.

AB is his current rank. That he had to read from a piece of paper only indicates that the entire platoon was lined up at the few phones, to call home to let you know he made it to boot camp ok. At least he got to make such a phone call. When I went through Marine boot way back in the 70's, no phone calls were allowed.

thank you. i thought that was it, but he was being rushed and read it as i was supposed to put my name.

thanks

I have a similar question. My son-in-law has been in Basic Training at Lackland for about a week now. The first time he called with address info, he said that the name line is just "AB [lastname]". That doesn't make sense to me. I sent him a card addressed to "AB [lastname, firstname, MI]". Shouldn't it get to him assuming I have all the other parts of the address right? Then he called on Thanksgiving and said that I should stop doing that (why?) and address future mail to "AB [lastname, MI]" That makes even less sense to me. He said that's what his training manual says. I hope it's not some kind of test to see how well he can make his family follow directions. I don't want to get him in trouble by addressing his mail incorrectly. And, can someone explain to me how their mail system works? I have no experience with this. He made it sound like incoming mail is withheld from the trainees for a period of time. His call on Thanksgiving was to ask his wife to get another copy of their marriage certificate because the one they provided didn't have the right numbers printed on it. He said that when she sends it, she needs to put a gold star on the back of it so that he'll get it right away (or something to that effect.) Thanks for your help!

Sounds like he is stressin', Robin, it'll get easier in the next few weeks. The address should be good, long as he got the unit ID numbers right. My son-in-law did basic at Lackland last year. Don't worry, he'll be ok. And no, they can't test to "see how well he can make his family follow directions", only how well he can follow instructions. All the best, hope you hear from him soon.