# What can be mailed to a recruit/cadets at CFLRS?



## khpark (3 Jan 2013)

So, I've sifted through the pages on here and did a search but couldn't see any.  If a family member or friends would like to send some stuff to a recruit/cadet in CFLRS, is there any restriction on what they can send? (Obviously not firearms/weapons)


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## ekpiper (3 Jan 2013)

The restrictions on what trainees have at CFLRS vary depending on the stage that they are in in their course.  You may send things, but if they aren't allowed to have them, they will need to be put into lockup until they are allowed to use them.  This would probably include electronics, and most things that wouldn't fit in a shoebox.  If you send food items of any sort, expect them to either be shared with everyone right after the package is opened, or confiscated by the instructors (everyone usually appreciates it!).  Each particular course staff has variations in if and when something is allowed.


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## Shamrock (3 Jan 2013)

khpark said:
			
		

> So, I've sifted through the pages on here and did a search but couldn't see any.  If a family member or friends would like to send some stuff to a recruit/cadet in CFLRS, is there any restriction on what they can send? (Obviously not firearms/weapons)



Candy. Lots and lots of candy. Ignore ekpiper, he's clearly the Grinch. Send candy. 

Oh, also, embarrassing childhood photos. They're great to boost the morale of the young troops. Reminds them of home.


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## ekpiper (3 Jan 2013)

Shamrock said:
			
		

> Candy. Lots and lots of candy. Ignore ekpiper, he's clearly the Grinch. Send candy.
> 
> Oh, also, embarrassing childhood photos. They're great to boost the morale of the young troops. Reminds them of home.



Who?  Me?


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## Sunnyns (3 Jan 2013)

I mailed my brother a magazine and his Sgt took it from him, said he could have it back when he was done BMQ.  I suppose it's also up to the staff.  We sent candy and he had to do 25 pushups for the package.  I told my mom not to send me stuff for my course, we do enough pushups.  =D


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## George Wallace (3 Jan 2013)

Sunnyns said:
			
		

> I mailed my brother a magazine and his Sgt took it from him, said he could have it back when he was done BMQ.  I suppose it's also up to the staff.  We sent candy and he had to do 25 pushups for the package.  I told my mom not to send me stuff for my course, we do enough pushups.  =D



OK.  Something does not sound right here.


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## Hitman (3 Jan 2013)

We did pushups a few times to receive mail too. I don't think it could be forced on us, but it was done lightheartedly and we were all laughing. One guy got 3 packages, so the Sgt spaced it out and he did 3 sets of pushups (or 6 inch leg lifts) during one bible.

If food/candy wasn't shared immediately, it was saved by staff and given to us during topo in St. Bruno. As with most advice given here, it largely depends on your staff. This being said, we were told to have loved ones stop sending food/candy by week 6 or so. And don't forget, after indoc you can go to the canex at your leisure (read evenings/weekends) and buy your own candy.


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## 421_434_226 (3 Jan 2013)

Did I read that correctly? Leisure time during basic? I seem to recall when I went through we manged to scrape up some off time on Sunday mornings and that only happened if you went to church. And yes it was winter with 3 foot drifts and always uphill and sometimes barefoot too.


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## Hitman (3 Jan 2013)

cell phones are permissible too. That one was a shocker.


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## SentryMAn (3 Jan 2013)

Had some Halloween candy sent to me, made sure to have enough sent for the Platoon and a special treat in the box for the staff, since I knew they would confiscate everything.

All was shared upon opening the contents.

Its a great morale booster if you get into that kind of thing.


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## Sunnyns (3 Jan 2013)

George Wallace said:
			
		

> OK.  Something does not sound right here.



It was an XBox Mag, but looking at it from the point of view that your there to work and not play.  Maybe that is why they took it.


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## Ricemancdn (6 Jan 2013)

My family sent me mens health magazines, got some funny comments from my MCpl I wouldn't recommend it.


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## ambernewton04 (15 Jan 2013)

I sent my husband a parcel that contained 36 individual baggies full of candy lol. I only did it once since it cost me an arm and a leg. I also sent him pictures of our daughter and a father`s day card. They only had 5 minutes to eat their candy then it was taken away  He never said anything about them being disciplined for it.


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## Spooks (17 Jan 2013)

Getting mail isn't something you are disciplined for at Basic. Sure, you may be instructed to do pushups or sing or some other light-hearted activity. *It is not a punishment though.* If you get to do pushups for a letter, consider it an opportunity to work on your pushups. If you are normally really bad at pushups and can only push out 10 of the 20 they ask you to do, you will not be screamed at and order to push another 10 out. DIs are not there to make getting corrispondance from home a loathsome activity you fear. Contact with family is very important for the morale of a troop.

As for the candy thing, does it really matter if the receiver has to share it with his platoon? Basic is about building teamwork and learning to operate as a cohesive entity. Pte(R) Bloggins gets a bag of Halloween candy so his morale is up. No one person needs a whole bag to themselves though. Sharing the goodies makes everyone happy (and is especially great for the troop who never receives anything from home). As well, recruits are being conditioned into eating well, exercizing regularily, and operating differently than they did as a civvie. Candy/cookies/junkfood is kinda counterproductive to the whole 'eating healthy' thing, so hence why they may be taken away until field time. In the field, they will be burning a lot more calories than normal, so a sugar-injection from a mini-Snickers bar could be the difference between a troop that can push out that one-more-hour of walking around lost on the nav course and crashing.

Similiarily, I celebrated my 21st birthday while on my 3s. My platoon instructors gave me a gift for it - being told to do 21 pushups in front of my platoon. In that course, we did pushups all day normally and some may say 'we have done enough pushups'. However, at that stage, 21 more pushups really means nothing. It was minorly embarassing doing them infront of my platoonmates as they heckled me about keeping my back straight, going lower, or whatnot. OMGburyMYheadINtheSAND, when I had to make my 'wizard' noises while doing it (since my nickname was Wizard due to playing D&D on the weekends). Frustrating that when I did the 21 requireed I then had to do another 1 for Queen, Canada, Lady P, CoR, the Army, my mom, my platoon, the other guy with a birthday that day, etc. All in all, it was in fun and is an example of how tight we were as a platoon.

Edit: Grammar and spelling


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## brent164 (17 Jan 2013)

This one guy in my course had family back in Korea and they sent him $400 worth of candy and food. So we got to pig out on his food during orders at the end of the day. It all depends on your staff. By week 6+ we were asking our families to send us 100+ cookies so we could share with everyone and our staff loved it and it ended the day with them on a positive note.    Random but thought I'd throw that in there just so you know what it can be like.


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