MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT/EASTERN RECRUTING REGION PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- Christmas cards are a welcome greeting from loved ones, but soon recruits will be able to use a different type of card to say "Merry Christmas".
Hallmark, known for its variety of Christmas and greeting cards, is offering free phone cards this holiday season to recruits so they may verbally wish happy holidays to their loved ones back home.
"They just want to support the troops," said Pam Horton, Marine Corps Community Services-South Carolina retail buyer, who helped coordinate acquiring the cards. "It's out of the goodness of their hearts."
According to Horton, the primary Hallmark connection lies between Bob Allen, exchange general merchandise manager and Jim Foster, military sales manager for Hallmark. Their business relationship over the years has helped foster a good relationship with the Depot.
"They'll do anything for us," said Horton. "They really love the Marines."
Recruits are usually only authorized one phone call during recruit training - a short confirmation call that lets a loved one know the recruit has arrived safely aboard the Depot. Other phone calls for emergencies are authorized, but phone calls for any other reason are scarce.
For many of the recruits, Christmas in recruit training will be the first time they have been away from family for the holidays. They're hoping to talk to their families.
"A lot of the recruits are homesick," said recruit Jason Walker, Plt. 3013, Lima Co., 3rd RTBn., who hasn't spoken to his parents since his initial phone call. He's expecting good news.
"My sister had a baby the ninth of this month," he said.
Though inwardly longing for home, the recruits managed to stick it out through Thanksgiving.
"They were fine," said Staff Sgt. Michael Reed, Plt. 3013 senior drill instructor. "They stayed busy so their minds didn't focus on it."
Reed understands the homesickness, but believes that his recruits will keep their bearing.
"I'm sure in the back of their minds it's a factor," he said, "but I don't think I'll really see any emotion."
Hallmark has sponsored other events aboard the Depot in the past. In addition to giving phone cards out to recruits for the past three years, Hallmark has also sponsored free limousine rides during the Marine Corps Birthday Ball season. Prior to the phone cards, they helped sponsor a "Recruit Wrap," during which recruits were allowed to purchase small gifts for loved ones and have them wrapped by volunteers and shipped out at the recruits' expense.