At Sandboxx we are always working hard to listen to our Sandboxx customers and Sandboxx families. In this series, learn more about people who utilize Sandboxx to stay connected with their recruits and trainees. Here is Robin’s story about how Sandboxx helped her stay connected with her recruit:

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your recruit or your recent graduate. Where are you from? Which branch of the military is your recruit in?

My name is Robin Fortner, I am a retired Marine SgtMaj. I was born in New York and currently reside in Virginia. My daughter Kiana Fortner, 24 yrs old, is the recent recruit graduate from Air Force Basic Military Training. She grew up her entire life in a Military family so it wasn’t much of a surprise that she decided to serve. I am very proud of her.

2. How did sending letters with Sandboxx help you connect and stay in touch with your recruit during basic training?

Utilizing Sandboxx was perfect. I understand that letters are so important to trainees to receive. I was prepared to write as much as possible anyway, but Sandbox made things simpler and faster. My daughter was able to receive letters frequently. I remember her thanking me because it made all the difference for her.

3. How did you first hear about Sandboxx? After using it for a while, what do you think about Sandboxx?

I first heard about Sandboxx a few years back and I knew that it was a means to send letters to recruits. However, I didn’t realize Sandboxx provided services across all the military services nor did I realize how it worked. When I posted on social media that my daughter was joining the Air Force, a friend of mine, Gretchen Barnett, sent me a note to tell me about Sandboxx. I was immediately intrigued and once I understood how it worked, I was sold. I logged on and bought everything I could to make sure my daughter was never without mail while going through AirForce BMT. I encouraged others to join in with me and together, we made sure she felt loved and encouraged every day.

4. Any plans for your recruit after basic training? What’s next for you or for them?

My plan is to be the best parent I can for my daughter during her military tenure. Well, of course always. I plan to be there for every promotion, and visit her at every duty station providing support. I am excited for her journey. Her plan is to take one enlistment at a time, learn all that she can and be the best Airman she could be.