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Send letters to basic training with your photos from home

Letters to basic training can be a 4x6 photo postcard with your photos from home. Add a few lines, and we print, stamp and mail it.

Loved by families across the countryEstimated delivery Oct 23 – 30
  • Real 4x6 glossy postcard
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Your photos are yours. We just print them.Never sold, never used in ads, never used to train AI.

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Add a photo first, then choose how many to send.

$9.99

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  • Send each postcard for $1.49
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A photo postcard of four family pictures resting on an open red mailbox in autumn
A laughing grandmother and grandfather holding up a photo postcard
A photo postcard held on the fridge with fruit magnets, beside a school photo and a child's rainbow drawing
A mom in the kitchen holding up a photo postcard next to her baby in a high chair
A photo postcard on a red gingham picnic blanket with lemonade and strawberries
A young couple and their dog on the couch holding up a photo postcard
A photo postcard on a party table with confetti, a party hat and birthday cake
A puppy asleep on a yellow couch next to a photo postcard

What people are saying

  • “My boyfriend and I are long distance and this hits completely different than texting pictures. We already FaceTime constantly so having an actual picture of him on my desk feels less digital.”
    Claire O.
  • “My parents love my postcards and I never would have done it without Familyletter, I don’t think I have ever even bought a stamp before. Love it and will keep using them!”
    Tricia M.
  • “I’ve been sending postcards back and forth with some long distance friends and I genuinely forgot how fun it is to get something in the mail that isn’t a bill lol”
    Steven G.
  • “I visited my grandparents last week and it was awesome to see their fridge covered with my postcards! They seem to really appreciate them”
    Eric S.
  • “I sent one to my best friend after she moved across the country and now we’re obsessed. We talk all the time but getting real pics is totally different.”
    Georgia K.
  • “This is such a good “thinking of you” gift, it feels way more intentional than sending a text”
    Alex U.
  • “I sent the first one as a joke and now everyone asks when the next one is coming”
    Patrick E.
  • “I send a few postcards a month to my buddies from college, it’s kind of like a monthly time capsule”
    Elijah P.

See how it works in 20 seconds

Pick photos, write a note, we print it, then stamp and mail it. Postage included.

Letters to basic training, as a 4x6 photo postcard

It's a glossy 4x6 postcard, not a letter in an envelope. Your photo from home fills the front, and your note goes on the back.

We print it, add the postage and mail it. At boot camp, mail is the main way to reach a recruit.

A postcard is open mail and can't carry a reply envelope. Write what you'd let the whole platoon read.

Rules for sending letters to basic training, by branch

Every branch welcomes mail from home. Here's what each one's own recruit pages say.

  • Army: an Army.mil story on mail call counts letters, postcards and packages. Ask your soldier about photos.
  • Navy: letters and small photographs only, no packages, per the Navy boot camp FAQ. Postcards aren't named.
  • Air Force basic training letters: photos are fine if they're in good taste and fit the professional atmosphere of BMT. Postcards aren't named.
  • Letters to Marines in boot camp: Parris Island says recruits hear from home through letters or postcards sent by U.S. mail.
  • Coast Guard: letters and small pictures in good taste. Mail comes daily from Wednesday of week two.

Where to mail letters to boot camp

Use the exact address your recruit mails home. Air Force trainees send it in week one, Marine recruits two to three weeks in.

Marine mail won't reach a recruit without the right company and platoon number, so copy every line.

Boot camp addresses are regular US addresses. APO and FPO are for troops stationed overseas.

Cute ideas for basic training letters

Keep it short and about home. Save bad news for a phone call; they can't fix anything from boot camp. Borrow a line:

For more short lines, see our miss you postcards or encouragement cards.

  • The dog still waits by the door at 5:30. We told him you're busy.
  • Your room is exactly how you left it. Dad says that's temporary.
  • Grandpa did twenty push-ups for you this morning. Well, four.
  • Your sister took your parking spot. Come home and fight for it.
  • Counting down to graduation. I already picked my seat.

Cards for a recruit, made in this builder

Card front with two photos side by side: a boy walking a golden retriever down a leafy sidewalk, and a girl holding a basket of cherry tomatoes
The dog and the garden, still going
Card back on the Stars pattern with a note about the dog waiting by the door, in a handwriting-style font, with a So proud sticker
From Mom and Dad
Card front with four photos of younger siblings: a girl showing a lost tooth, two kids lifting a pumpkin, a boy with frosting on his face, a hug on a dock
Everyone at home, on one card
Card back on the Stripes pattern with a note from Grandpa about doing push-ups, in a handwriting-style font, with a Miss you sticker
From Grandpa
Card back on the Hearts pattern with a note counting down to graduation, in a handwriting-style font, with a Love you sticker
From a partner

What it costs

PostcardsPriceEach
1$9.99$9.99
2$17.99$9.00
3$24.99$8.33
5$34.99$7.00
10$59.99$6.00

Shipping is free on every order, even one card. Each card in an order can go to a different US address.

Sending for a birthday or a holiday? Please allow up to 15 days. USPS can run a little slow, especially in December.

Basic training mail questions

Can you send a postcard to basic training?

Yes. Parris Island names postcards, and Army mail call includes them. The Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard list letters and photos, so check with your recruit if unsure.

What do you write in a letter to basic training?

News from home, a photo and one line of encouragement. Keep it upbeat, and save bad news for when they can call.

Do they read the letters you send to boot camp?

The official pages we checked don't say. A postcard has no envelope, though, so write only what you'd be fine with anyone reading.

How long does a postcard take to reach basic training?

Most cards arrive in 5 to 10 business days: printed in 1 to 2, then USPS First-Class Mail. Base mailrooms add time, and we can't guarantee a delivery date.