Veterans Share The Adorably Unhinged Letters They Received From Kids While Deployed
PeopleImages | Shutterstock It’s hard to be away from your family and friends at any time, but the holiday season is especially difficult. Some of the people hit hardest by this are those serving in the military, who have taken on the responsibility of protecting those at home while they very often serve overseas.
To ease the pain and loneliness of being away from home in a foreign country, there are many different programs that schools participate in that get kids involved in writing letters to members of the military. This sounds really nice, at least in theory. It’s easy to imagine sweet kids writing touching notes to service members. As some veterans have shared, that wasn’t quite the reality, though.
A TikTok video encouraged veterans to share some of the messages they received in letters from kids while deployed.
Corey Reiser shared one of those confessions that everyone knows is true deep down, but it still feels like you should never mention. “I’m sorry, but to all the kindergarteners who wrote letters to the troops in Afghanistan in 2013, y’all couldn’t draw,” he said.
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One commenter expressed their shock, saying, “Y’all actually got these?” Perhaps none of the kids who wrote those letters quite understood the reality that they would one day be in the hands of a soldier, because veterans were quick to chime in and share the most bizarre notes they received during their time overseas. Jessica Bailey Hassan shared some of the highlights in an Instagram reel.
“‘Thanks for dying for our sins,’ with a rainbow. We had that one hanging in our tent,” one vet said. “I got a Christmas card that said I hope you live until Christmas,” another said. A third veteran received one that read, “Thank you for dying so I can stay home and play.”
Some of the kids' letters were truly unhinged.
If you were thinking that surely there must be some kid out there who shared a message of hope with a soldier, you would be wrong. Or, at least, those weren’t entertaining enough to recount.
“I got one on my second deployment,” another vet said. “‘I like playing with my friends. Do you have friends? Probably not.’ Bro, I got roasted in the middle of the Pacific.”
Someone else shared a photo of a letter that “has floated around the internet.” “Dear sailor,” it read. “Thank you for defending our freedom and country. I appreciate you wasting your time to save us.” Another kid assured a service member, “I’ll be visiting your grave this summer.”
It turns out that some kids weren’t afraid to even take political stances in their letters. “My mom says it’s George Bush’s fault you have to fight. I’m sorry you can’t stay home,” one said.
These letters to soldiers hopefully brought smiles, even if they weren't the messages of hope they were intended to be.
Operation Care and Comfort, a nonprofit that sends care packages to troops, explained why it’s such a nice idea to write to soldiers deployed overseas.
“When writing letters to soldiers, expressing gratitude for their service and sacrifice can have a powerful impact,” they said. “It can help them feel recognized and valued for the sacrifices they have made for our country.”
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They continued, “This activity is for anyone, including kids. Soldiers enjoy these letters as it is a real connection back home. So make someone smile and write a letter. It will make you feel good, and it certainly will make them feel great.” This nonprofit might just not be aware of what kids are capable of.
It’s not a bad idea to make a family activity out of writing letters to soldiers this holiday season. You just might want to proofread your kids’ notes or provide them with some guidance. Chances are, troops are still receiving pretty unhinged letters, though. Hopefully, they’re at least getting a good chuckle out of them.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
