Hooah!! Welcome back for your Week Six update. Your Trainee is at the mid way point of White Phase—can you believe it?  After this week, your Soldier will have one more week of the White Phase. They are eager and hungry to progress into the next stages of training, but before they do, they must focus on the tasks in front of them.

Week 6 Expectations: White Phase

By this time, your trainee has gained more confidence through their challenging training. Their platoon is only as strong as its weakest member. Week Six is a very important time in your Trainee’s time here at Fort Benning.They will spend the majority of this week at the range wrapping up qualifying with their weapon and end the week learning some basic map reading skills to prepare them for next week’s Land Navigation.

Range Week Continues

The final week of Basic Rifle Marksmanship (BRM) in Army Basic Training is where everything your Trainee has worked for on the range comes together—and the excitement is through the roof! After days of mastering shooting positions, sight alignment, breathing control, and target engagement, it’s time for them to prove their skills under real qualification conditions.

Every shot counts as they aim to hit pop-up targets from 50 to 300 meters, pushing their focus, patience, and confidence to the limit. This is a huge milestone on their journey, and successfully qualifying is not just about earning a badge—it’s about showing they are ready to fight and win! The energy is electric on the range, with Drill Sergeants cheering them on and Trainees high-fiving after hitting those critical shots. It’s intense, it’s unforgettable, and it’s a moment of incredible pride that your Trainee will carry with them for the rest of their Army career!

Map Reading

Can you imagine trying to get around today without GPS? Well, that’s exactly what your Trainee is tackling this week as they dive into one of the Army’s most important skills: Map Reading! In the Army, knowing how to navigate without technology isn’t just helpful—it’s essential for survival and mission success. Your Trainee is learning how to read topographic maps, identify key terrain features like hills, valleys, ridges, saddles, and depressions, and accurately find and plot locations using the military grid system. They’re also mastering how to use the declination diagram to convert between grid north and magnetic north—serious skills that turn them into true navigators on the battlefield!

But it doesn’t stop there! This week, Trainees are getting hands-on with map legends, scales for measuring distance, and compasses to sharpen their ability to move confidently across any terrain. They’re learning terrain association, which means using real-world land features to guide their path—no screens, no shortcuts, just pure skill and focus. Every moment spent out in the field is building their situational awareness, independence, and warrior mindset. This is the kind of training that transforms civilians into Soldiers, and your Trainee is rising to the challenge with determination and pride! Hooah!

Letters From Home = Morale

Your words matter. Letters from home are fuel for the fight—they lift spirits, inspire grit, and remind your Trainee they are never alone. In your letter to your Trainee this week, ask them how Map Reading was and what Marksmanship Badge they earned.

Sandboxx makes letter writing easy—with next-day delivery, return stationery, pre-addressed envelopes, photos, and even gift card options. But whether you use Sandboxx or send a handwritten card, your support means everything. Every letter is a lifeline.

The Making of Your Soldier

The journey is just beginning, and the road ahead will be tough—but your Trainee is rising to the challenge. Next week, they’ll is another major milestone as your Trainee will take on thier second Field Training Excercise, the Anvil. Stay tuned for more insights as we walk this journey together. 

In the meantime, follow us on Instagram and Facebook for inspiration, contests, and encouragement for your Soldier-in-the-making. And if you ever need anything, reach out to me through the Sandboxx app or email us at happiness@sandboxx.us—just ask for Kris, and I’ll be there.

We’re honored to be part of your family’s journey. Let’s keep the fire burning.

Hooah!

SGM Kris Broadus, U.S. Army (Ret)