How to send a Care Package (vanity)

me | 6/17/2002 | myself

[Britton J Wingfield]

While I was packing for a recent exercise, I was thinking about what kind of things would be best to send in a care package. 99% of the packages my buddies and I have gotten over the years consist of cookies, brownies, and more cookies. Here are a few hints on what will really make life more bearable for your loved one overseas.

• Socks: Kids hate getting socks for presents, but I love getting these when I'm deployed. Ditto for underwear and t-shirts.
• Food: Everyone gets cookies and brownies, which is great, but real food is better:
  • gift sampler packages, like Pepperidge Farms type stuff
  • bricks of ramen noodles
  • beef jerky, summer sausage, etc.
  • energy bars. Cliff Bars are best, imho.
  • cracker, tricuits, etc
  • tobasco sauce, garlic salt, etc to put on your government issue food.
  • Peanut butter or cheese spread.
• Playing Cards: or board games like chess, risk, or battleship. Getting a nice crisp pack of cards to replace the frayed, floppy ones you've been using is wonderful.
• Tobacco: I don't use tobacco, but I always take some cans of copenhagen with me. These are worth their weight in gold when the addicts run out, heh.
• Crossword Puzzles: these are great while standing by to stand by
• Books: anything to read will be appreciated by your GI and his buddies
• Pens, Paper, Envelopes: Pens all get lost and stolen, and all of this can be hard to come by
• Drugs: I take plenty of motrin, allergy pills, immodium, gas pills, etc because just getting an aspirin can be a royal pain in the butt. Add antacid to that, as well. It all gets mooched or eaten eventually.
• Disposable Cameras are great, and you get to see the results when Johnny comes marching home.

Most of all, just ask what they would like to get.

[jwalsh07]

Thanks, some good ideas.

[firewalk]

bttt

[RummyChick]

does anyone have a soldier who has no family to send him anything from Illinois? I may have a small business that might be interested in doing an employee item donation .

[FRMAG]

Back around 78/79 I was stationed at Fort Hood. We had troops being sent to the hospital right and left with symptoms quite close to those of poisoning by nerve gas. It turned out that those troops had been wearing flea collars next to their bare skin at ankles and wrists.

Turns out that what a dog or cat can tolerate is basicaly a neurotoxin to a human. Check out the packaging when you use one of these collars and you'll find it advises that you use gloves when handling them and handwashing afterward.

End item was that looping around the boots (outside) worked too just not as well. Please tell your soldiers if you send these items of the risks and safeguards actually best not to send them at all.

The issue repellents work well.

[FRMAG]

HAving served actively in the Army for 26 years I can tell you that the only way to go is with tube type over the calf cotton socks. You need the over the calf as the shorter athletic sox are too short and the boot top chafes against your leg.

Gold Bond powder isn't such a bad idea either.

[KantianBurke]

big bump!

[Sparta]

bookmarked

[Cyber Liberty]

Thanks! The gys I knew who used the collars didn't have the problem because they used clothing as barriers.

I had hoped we'd not having to be looking at that bit of advice again, though.

[MarketR]

Bump for later.

[Britton J Wingfield]

ping

[foreshadowed at waco]

I have a care package ready to go out--tried the link but was warned about sending out an anonymous package--don't want to inundate the Marine at Camp LeJuene--how can I get a specific name to send to someone "in country"?

[Lurker]

"anonymous" means they can't identify the sender.

Click on the links in this thread, and send your package to:"Any Soldier (or Marine, my preference) at the address, or you can adopt a unit.

All they want is to be able to track the sender.

L

[Britton J Wingfield]

ping