MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, San Diego -- During the 12 weeks aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego recruits look for motivation to push through each training day. Most recruits find strength and support through letters they receive during mail call.
Many recruits delight in words of encouragement they receive in letters from family and friends.
“Letters are a connection with the outside world,” said Recruit Nathan Eckerdt, Platoon 3226, Company K, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion. “Being here at recruit training can make it kind of easy to forget there’s another world.”
Estranged from their lives and thrown into a completely new world, caring words from loved ones are sometimes all recruits need to make it through each challenging day of recruit training.
“The recruits will move faster to get things done when they know they’re about to get mail,” said Staff Sgt. Robert Griffith, senior drill instructor, Co. K, 3rd RTBn. “The letters can definitely affect them throughout training.”
Drill instructors pick up recruit mail Monday through Saturday. Every evening, the recruits are then gathered around one of their drill instructors to receive mail. The senior holds a father figure role to recruits while they are in training so Griffith makes sure to always be the one to pass out his platoon’s mail.
“Recruit Mendeola,” shouts Griffith, as he calls off the name written on an envelope.
“Mail received, aye sir,” Recruit Kevin Mendeola, Plt. 3226, Co. K, 3rd RTBn., shouts as he puts one hand under the envelope addressed to him and his other hand slaps the top. This is the only acceptable way for recruits to receive their mail.
Thirty-minutes later, after hygiene time, recruits are allowed to open up their letters and write back to their loved ones during “square away time”. During this time, recruits can fix uniform items, read or write letters and study Marine Corps knowledge.
Mendeola received a letter from his mother who he said writes him the most. The evening of March 8 he decided to spend his free time reading his mothers letter, cherishing every word written across the paper.
“Her letters keep me smiling throughout the day,” said Mendeola, a Houston native.
“My mom is a single mother. She’s worked hard to give my sister and me what we have. They’re the reason I’m here today,” said Mendeola, who joined to show his mother she raised a good man.
Many recruits like to share the experiences they’ve had aboard the depot with their friends and family through their letters. Recruit Sam Kruse, Co. K, 3rd RTBn., said he enjoys telling them about his experience because recruit training is something he feels he’s excelling in and is learning new skills.
For some recruits, these letters are a way to connect with family members on a new level. Eckerdt said he enjoyed letters from his father the most because it’s the most communication they’ve ever had.
“His letters are always very encouraging,” said Eckerdt, a Billings, Mont. native. “My dad’s never been good with words (verbally). Letters are a good way to connect with him.”
Receiving mail during the beginning of recruit training is difficult for some recruits because it can make them home sick.
“Nathan has already lived on his own for the past six years,” said Jenny Eckerdt, recruit Eckerdt’s mother. “So we were all surprised just how much we missed him being away at recruit training. But the letters help. We really look forward to receiving them each week so we know he’s okay and progressing.”
As the recruits adjust to their training environment the letters give them more reasons to finish what they have started.
“Without mail the feelings of isolation would be a lot worse,” said Eckerdt, plt. 3226 guide. “It’s nice to know your family’s proud of you and thinking about you.”