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Hello,
I would like to share some of them with you -- as an encouragement ... and as a way of saying, "Let Go, & Let God." With Love, Most Recent Letters on Top - To get the overall feel for this page, please begin with the letter at the bottom of this page. :-)
Dear Mom, " ... I'm sitting here enjoying a nice snickers bar while I write you this letter. Guess what? I've got great news! It's not just great, it's excellent! It's the best news I've had here. Remember on the phone when I said when I found out where I got stationed I'd let you know first? Well, I'm letting you know first. I wanted three choices. Ft. Carson, Ft. Hood, or Ft Sill. And I prayed every night mainly Ft. Hood, Texas. That's the one I really wanted. And I thank and praise the Lord
for bringing me to a base close to home. The Lord answered my prayers. I will be stationed at Ft. Hood in the wonderful state of Texas right next to New Mexico. I can't wait to get your response back. It was like a shock went through my body and I had just finished praying. And yes, you are the first to know (besides my platoon and half of Georgia, but what can I say)...."
Hi Mom, I was so happy to get to talk to you and dad on the phone. ...May 24th is the "Turning Blue" Ceremony and May 25th is graduation from AIT. You guys gotta be here the 24th AND 25th. ... I'll find out exactly what days before and after that I have off. As far as Charlie training it should be till June 11th. Then I get 10 days paid vacation and 20 days home town recruiting, but either way, I'm home for 30 days. HA! If you can stand to put up with me that long. I loved the Hebrew you sent me. You have to send me more (I should've studied more in school). Also, I can't wait to discuss that bow hunting information with you. So how is the mule? Have you been riding a lot? Nana wrote me and said Cujo fell into the ditch and you pulled him out. Poor pup! Is Steph working hard on school? If not, send her here for a day and she will be working hard by night fall. ....
Everyone loved your cookies and wanted to thank you for them. So how are you doing and how is everyone? ... (steph received "thank yous" from many guys)
Dear Mom & Dad, Everything is going good here, especially now that I have only a few weeks left. I haven't heard anything yet about where I'll be stationed. The Drill Sergeant said as soon as he gets the orders he will give them out. It sure is getting hot here. We came across two snakes already. The first one I caught was a pure black snake. He was a pretty snake. The second was a rattlesnake. I think by the color it was a timber rattler. Not very big but the Drill Sergeant told me to leave the snakes alone. Bummer! This past Monday we road marched 16 miles to the grenade launcher range. That was pretty cool but I liked the Anti-tank weapons better. Tuesday was my favorite day of the week. I qualified with the Berretta 9 mm on moving targets.
Hey Sis, What's up? How is everything going? You have any boyfriends yet? Ha! Ha! Just playing. My training is getting more intense. They are actually letting me shoot big guns and throwing live grenades. I wish you could see some of these things. ... I really want to ride the horses with you and mom. When I get back we'll definitely go see some movies. But, until then, keep up with your work and hopefully the Army will continue to let me shoot big guns. I better go now. I love You, Sis.. Love, Big Bro Bob
Hi Mom, ... I tried to call you Friday to let you know the good news. My Platoon beat the other two Platoons and won the Basic Rifle Marksmanship Trophy. Hurray!!! But I was hoping to talk to you. I tried calling Nana's house but it said it would not accept this call. We had a great pizza party. I bought and ate two large pizzas. I got a sharpshooters medal for shooting well. I had fun most of this last week. It's still hard but I guess that's to be expected. Our Chaplin said the government did a study. They said the Marines were meaner but the Army's training is tougher and the Army trains their soldiers better than the Marines. ... And if Steph (sister) doesn't straighten up, send her here for a day. She'd be begging to do her work. Ha! Ha! My ATM card and cash, along with everyone else's, was taken away by the Drill Sergeants. He said they don't want anyone going AWOL -- having access to money, but last Friday he gave everyone the ATM cards and cash back. We passed the tough stage, now we're in the fun stage. ... I was reading the Bible and came across Psalm 144. I do praise the Lord for my time here. I do appreciate all the prayers from you guys, which reminds me -- you're going to get jealous. I ordered a military ring. On the top it has my birthstone. Engraved by laser is 2 crossed rifles. Around the top outside of the birthstone it says US Army Infantry. On one side I got an eagle, like the one we looked at in magazines, and on the other side I got the Star of David. The ring cost me $120 bucks (ouch) but it is worth it....
Hi Mom, How are you doing? Have you been getting out and riding a lot? I've been shooting this past week. I enjoy shooting the M16 ... ... A few of us have been getting together and praying every night and reading the Bible. I let one guy read that Psalm 91 Shield book you got me and he asks a lot of questions about it and the Bible, You know, things he doesn't understand, that's helped out a lot. The fellowship from that book you gave me and the Bible has reached him. I believe the Lord is reaching him. Thank You, Mom, for that. I believe we get to use the phone within the next week or two. I've been dying to talk to you and Dad. It would be cool if you could send me pictures because I need some pictures. ...
... I miss you guys a lot. I would call but I can't use the phone till the end of March or beginning of April. But I can write plenty of letters everyday. I'll try to get out a couple letters a week. Yesterday we went on a six mile road march carrying 75 lb. rug sacks thru a big obstacle course. I climbed over walls, under wire, across narrow wooden poles for balance. Today we ran 3 miles, got into company formation and someone called the Captain a Drill Sergeant (wasn't me, I'm not that stupid) and got us all in trouble. and we had to do exercises (we call it getting smoked) like you wouldn't believe. The next couple of weeks we're supposed to be down on the gun range every day. Sounds like fun. .... I'm doing my best. I took a practice test and failed it by two questions. About 16 of us were told that we would be restarted. That scared me to death. Then he told us it was a practice test and would not restart us. He said don't worry -- he rarely restarts anyone. But don't worry, I plan on being home the beginning of June. ... ... As far as being based goes, I'm trying to get as close to home as I can get but I could be based anywhere. That's something I'm going to start praying about. Also pray God will help me through, which I know you already have. Tell dad to write out the elk and deer proclamation on a paper like this so I can read it and we could plan a hunt. The Drill Sergeant won't allow me to read the proclamation but if it's written on paper like this it's alright. ...
Hey Dad, .... Dad, I need you to pray for me (you more than anyone). This is hard on me. I have got to get used to this. I'm enjoying the training. If the Platoon would start working together it would be so much easier. It's starting to come around, slowly, but surely.... if you could write me a letter once a week that would help me out greatly. Right now I could use some confidence. I'll get there ...
Dear Mom & Dad, Yesterday we squatted out in the middle of a field in pouring rain with lightening striking everywhere. It was scary but I got through it. I've been through a gas chamber where you have to walk in, take off your mask and you state your name, rank, and age. It feels like you are going to die. Your eyes burn, your throat burns and your lung burns -- which was cool to experience once. We took a class on communications, biological and chemical warfare, repelling, which was one of my favorites. We're supposed to go off a ninety foot tower soon. We learned how to take apart and put together our M16. I got the proclamation but the Drill Sergeant said the only thing I could read was a Bible and the mail. I need a lot of it. ... Mom, how are all the pets and your computer work coming? Pray that I can get a post close enough to home and that I will be strong and wise through the rest of boot camp ...
Dear Mom & Dad, How is everything? Everything here is starting to fall in place. Even though I miss you so much I am starting to have a little fun. I am in the 4th Platoon called "Rough Riders." The 3 Rough Rider Drill Sergeants my platoon has are the best but they are the toughest. They have more awards than any other platoon. So, as you may gather I am working by butt off. Oh well, it's good for me. We get up every morning at 4 AM and go to bed between 9 and 11 PM. We eat 3 times a day and have to drink between 7 and 10 quarts of water a day -- NOTHING else but water. ... When I qualify for Marksmanship I should be able to call you guys. That's pretty much it.... Please tell me everything that is going on. I miss you guys so much !!!! P.S. Please send me a lot of stamps so I can write you guys more, someone took mine. [side note: we received a letter from his captain the same time the above letter came to us from our son (2 weeks after he left home). This letter gave us the official address to mail our son and the "run down" on what we could send in the mail. Dates and times for the Graduation Ceremonies were also given in this letter. Let me share a portion of that letter below] Dear Parent of Relative, ... In order to assist your loved one in the successful completion of this difficult and challenging training, he will need as much support from you as possible. Letters of support and encouragement will positively affect his morale and spirits. I have found that a cheerful letter from home works wonders in helping a soldier make the best of a tough situation. Your soldier will be allowed to call home periodically throughout the cycle, generally every 2 - 3 weeks. Please refrain from sending any packages containing food items or reading material. The soldiers are not allowed to have these items and they will be confiscated as contraband.
Prepared with Love Copyright © 2001
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