As parents, family, and friends of a current or future service member facing the biggest challenge of their life, we know how important it is for you to stay connected with your new recruit throughout boot camp, deployments and beyond.
What is the Sandboxx App
Developed by veterans, Sandboxx is a mobile and web app that provides a quick and convenient way for friends and family to send letters to their recruit in training.
With Letters, spouses, parents, other family members, and friends can easily and meaningfully communicate with their loved one at boot camp or overseas in near-real time.
With a few taps on your phone, your personal image and message are converted into a physical letter. Your Letter is then printed and shipped to your hero’s base, just in time for mail call. Sending Letters to basic training has never been so quick or easy!
What is a Sandboxx Letter?
A Sandboxx Letter is an electronically composed message that is printed into a physical letter, and sent to recruits in training. Sandboxx Letters are delivered overnight to base, making them faster than traditional snail mail.
We know that you have options when it comes to getting your message into the hands of your future service member. What is it about Sandboxx Letters that make them the best way to reach your recruit?
Sandboxx Letters are:
- EASY.
With Sandboxx, you can send a Letter directly from our app from the palm of your hand, wherever you are. We’ll then print it and deliver it.
- MEANINGFUL.
Each Sandboxx Letter includes a custom message that you write, a full color photo for a more personal touch, stationery for your recruit to write back to you, and a pre-addressed return envelope for a quick reply. We also include shipment tracking in our app, so you can see when your Letter arrives on base.
- FAST.
We use FedEx to ship Letters overnight to many basic training bases. Sandboxx
Letters submitted by 5pm EST Monday through Thursday arrive on base the next day. - PRE-SORTED.
We pre-sort all Letters that we send to base so that it gets through the mailroom, and into your recruit’s hands, faster.
How does Sandboxx work?
At Sandboxx, we employ a consistent “5-Check” process for each Letter that we send to ensure that the words you type and the pictures you take get delivered to your loved one worry-free.
Here’s what you should expect the next time you use Sandboxx to send a Letter to your recruit or service member.
STEP 1: Drafting Your Letter
The Sandboxx app makes it as easy and convenient as possible to send a Letter from the palm of your hand, wherever you may be.
First, you’ll want to open the Sandboxx app. Then, tap”Compose Letter”, and begin writing your message.
If you have writer’s block or just don’t know what to send, read our article about what to write in your Letter to basic training. Need photo inspiration? Check out our top photos that are perfect for adding to your Letters for extra motivation.
After you confirm that your Letter order is good to go, just tap Send. Once you send your Letter, it will be processed at our printing facility the same day if your order is completed before 5pm ET, Monday-Friday.
If you’re sending a Letter to one of the bases to which offer overnight shipping, you’ll be able to track the status of your Letter in our mobile app as soon as you tap “Send”.
Once your Letter is processed and shipped out, it will typically be delivered in the next two to three days. You can learn more about our processing and shipping processes below!
STEP 2: Receiving
As soon as you send your Letter via the Sandboxx app, we verify the recipient’s address and correct any potential errors.
STEPS 3 & 4: Processing and Shipping
After each Letter is printed, we then use a machine that applies over 3,000 pounds of force to fold and seal it. Then, we sort it by company for the Marines and Army, flight for the Air Force, or ship for the Navy.
This marks our third check of the day, and allows us to ensure that each base is able to quickly distribute the Letters upon delivery.
STEP 5: Delivery
After we complete our last Letter print of the day at 5PM Eastern time, we check over the Letters to ensure each Letter is shipped to the correct destination.
Each box of 1,000 Letters is double-sealed and then dropped off at FedEx, our trusted shipping partner that makes sure these important packages arrive at each base the following day.
Please note that a Letter with the delivery status of “Delivered” does not mean that your Letter has reached your recruit’s hands, but rather that your Letter has reached the mailroom on base and is waiting to be distributed to your recruit.
Sandboxx FAQ
The app is free to download. The cost of one Letter is $4 to the sender, or less if you buy a bundle of Letter credits. This pays for the physical Letter that is delivered to your loved one, overnight shipping to most basic training bases, shipment tracking in our mobile app, the stationery and pre-addressed return envelope that we include for your loved one to write back quickly, and the printing process.
You can choose from five different Letter bundles designed to save you money, or pay $4 per Letter as you go. Each Letter includes your custom message, a full color photo, overnight shipping to most basic training bases, shipment tracking in our mobile app, and the stationery and pre-addressed return envelope that we include for your loved one to write back quickly.
No, your recruit does not need the app before you can send any mail to him or her. We convert the Letters that you write on our app to physical mail, and deliver them to the base’s mailroom for distribution to your loved one.
MCRD Parris Island, MCRD San Diego, MCB Quantico, Camp Pendleton, AFB Lackland, CGTC Cape May, RTC Great Lakes, Fort Benning, Fort Jackson, Fort Leonard Wood, and Fort Sill.
Yes we do! You can send Sandboxx letters to overseas military addresses (APO/FPO). Those acronyms stand for Army Post Office and Fleet Post Office. Generally, overseas mail for Army and Air Force personnel go to APOs, and mail for Marine and Navy personnel go to FPOs. However, that is not a hard and fast rule, so use the APO/FPO that you have for your recipient.
Yes, you can log in to our web application at our website using your existing Sandboxx account credentials to send a Sandboxx Letter from your laptop or desktop. The process is the same as it is on our mobile app!
Sandboxx Letter Example
The image above shows everything that is included in each Sandboxx Letter, including:
- A shipping envelope that’s delivered to your recruit and carries all of the contents above.
- A pre-addressed return envelope to make replying back to you easier for your recruit.
- Your Sandboxx Letter copy, which includes up to 3,000 characters.
- An optional photo for you to include in your Letter.
- Return stationery to make it simple for your recruit to write back to you.
Sending Letters to Boot Camp
Mail call is one of the most highly anticipated times of day during basic training, and it’s no mystery why. Basic training is mentally and physically draining.
Every day, our rigorous process ensures thousands of Letters get delivered securely to bases around the country.
In the time it takes to write a text message, you can confidently stay connected with your service member, ensuring they stay focused on the tasks ahead of them at basic training while keeping their spirits and morale high.
My first letter and a bible verse were delivered to base on Dec 21. My grandson at Great Lakes has not yet received them (today is 12/27). An On Duty and a bible verse were delivered to base on 12/22. They have not been received by my grandson. I thought it would just take 2-3 days to reach my grandson. He called his parents this afternoon ET and said he hadn’t received anything, and we’ve all sent letters.
Disappointed.
Hello,
My daughter shipped on December 2nd (last Wednesday) to RTC Great Lakes. She will be in quarantine for two weeks before getting her ship address. Do these letters only go to the ship addresses, or can recruits receive mail at the quarantine hotel?
Thank you
this is only for while at basic/boot. you should receive an address for the hotel from the recruiter
My recruits last name is spelled wrong. How do we correct that to ensure he gets his mail??? I spoke to his recruiter who states that this is a Sandboxx error.
My sin is in first week of bootcamp at fort sill. Can we start sending letters thru sandboxx or do we have to wait?
I see my recruit is registered on this site, but the full address is not completely visible (*******, PI, SC). Will the letter still get to him?
I see that the address is x out. My recruiter gave me an address how do I know it matches. Im his mom. Have referred so many entrusting that the x out address is for confidential reason as a parent how would I know
How do I use the tokens?
I accidentally sent a letter twice to my granddaughter. Is there anyway I can stop the duplicate letters. She has not received the letters they are in transit
When you purchase the tokens do they expire?
My son completed his first week in quarantine and we have hotel address. Do we wait to hear from him regarding his boot camp address?
Yes, the Marine Corps will send you all that information and what you can and can’t send to your recruit. This should occur about 2 and a half to 3 weeks after your recruit arrives at boot camp.
Devon, keep yourself motivated and do your BEST son!!!! I MISS YOU AND LOVE YOU with all my heart!!! Your Brothers are proud of you!!! Love you always, Mama
How can I set up an account for the letters? What’s the address if I want to send regular snail mail as well? Thank you lots!
Are you delivering to the different places that have been setup for the recruits in quarantine?
How long does it actually take for ur love one to receive ur letter
I received a letter from my son but he did not put a return address.
I do not have a unit number or anything else how can I write him back.
What is the phone number for Sandbook
What is the phone number for Sandboxx?
What I’d you only know the base they’re at but not the rest
Will me sending letters through sandboxx also make my recruits letters come to me faster?
This is a wonderful app.
The return stationery for the recruit; does he or she have to add a stamp, or is it postage paid?
Thank you.
they will need to add a stamp, the rest is included!
This is what I have been looking for. Why in the world would it not include a stamped return envelope. That is lame and makes no sense. I mean , what’s the point ?
I can not find my son’s name to send a letter. Is this because he is still in quarantine?
Trying to find my grandson at fort sill.he is in boot camp.got there on 7/23.got on sandboxx cause we( his mama,my daughter and l haven’t heard anything from him but the last call after getting on base. Sandboxx will not let us in to write him. We know he is there but don’t know what platoon . His name is Jaxon Wallis
My son is in San Diego Marine Boot camp. I’ve sent him 10 letters since May through Sandboxx, thinking he was receiving prompt supportive communication. My first three letters werew return d yesterday. I’m not sure that he’s received any of my letters. Please help make this service dependable during such important times.
I was told that my recruit has to write me first and give me his address. My recruit has not done this. So, how can I get a letter to him?
Love this concept. Thank you!
What if I DON’T have my recruit’s platoon number??