6 months? That's an awfully long basic training.

For the most part it's 6 weeks, and I believe that they can start writing and receiving letters before then.

Writing letters is different, but there are good things about them too. They're something to PHYSICALLY hold onto, when someone isn't with you. You can tape them up on your bathroom mirror, etc.

When my BIL went to Iraq, I started writing him loooong letters. Jot something down everyday. Be silly. Share gossip. Share reactions to movies. Then I started taking the letters to parties...and we'd end up with 20 pages to send.

People that would never have written a letter themselves, would write stuff down onto the letter I started.

My point isn't to get you to take letters to parties, but that letters don't have to be anything special...it's perfectly okay to just ramble.

Anyway...maybe give writing to him a try? It might turn out to be more support (for both of you) than you realize....

Patti is right help him stay connected to civilian life in the most inane manner you can. Compared to the brainwash that goes on in basic training this will help a newly inducted civilian flipped into soldier mindset. Prayers for you and your friend with both of you kept safe.

patti22 he's going to basic and then straight to his medic training.after graduation. i intend writing him many letters and that's a good idea to even jot down the little things <3 thank you for your support

You'd be surprised how quick it goes. When my son was in Basic a few years ago, his Unit had a webpage and you could follow what they did, there were live cam views of their training, movie clips of them goofing off, it helped feel connected throughout the time he was gone. We talked on the phone quite a lot, we texted and wrote letters back and forth all the time. Its not like it was 20 years ago, they don't confiscate their cell phones.

I think you'll find that you get to keep in touch more than you think. I also think this will be a time when you can meet new friends, maybe not the same caliber of support as your best friend, but you know, you can always use more friends. Maybe try and reach out and meet some people that you have things in common with. Or maybe do some Volunteer work. Helping those who have it worse than you can be a very rewarding experience. When you put your energy into helping others, sometimes your own problems don't seem quite as big.

hang in there, you'll be okay and stronger for making it through this.

Take care,
Kat

Hang in there! Turn it around, as patti said into an adventure providing the opportunity to do and say things you can't always do~~will perhaps make the time go by faster. Can you send him some of his favorite things as well every now and then? Thanks to him for serving and to you for supporting him. Hugs.