This is a question for all the military men out there.....?

Question

Ok, my granmother and I want to get a care package together and send it off to my cousin, Charlie, whos currently deployed in Iraq. What should we send to him? We were thinking shaving cream, toothpaste, a deck of cards, beef jerkey, gun magazines, and so on. Thanks for the advice! : ]

Answer 1

Baby Wipes - packets are better than tubs. Much better than baby wipes, per se, are the "Hoo Ahhs" brand of pre-moistened, alcohol-free, unscented Field Towels

Beef Jerky/Slim Jims

Energy Bars (Power Bar, etc. - Unless a specific brand is requested, much better than standard civilian energy bars are the "HOOAH!" brand energy bar based on the U.S. military's own specially formulated bar that better meets the soliers' needs)

Hot Sauce (Tabasco, Red Devil, etc.) - wrap glass bottle in duct tape and place in doubled zip-lock bags

Sunflower seeds

Peanuts

Seasoning Salt (Lawry's, etc.)

Atomic Fireballs / Jolly Rancher hard candy

Powdered Energy/Electrolyte Replacement Drink Mix (Gatorade, etc.)

Chewing Gum

Avon Skin So Soft - great for removing face paint and also reputed to be an effective bug repellant (the latter seems variable based on personal experience and reports)

AA-cell Alkaline Batteries

Personal Hygiene Gear: Disposable Razors, Toothbrush and Tooth Paste

Eye Wash / Drops (Visine, etc.) for flushing dust and sand out of the eyes

Zip-Lock style Plastic Storage Bags - assorted sizes, heavier freezer style are better

Copenhagen Snuff in a tin ("Even if the service member doesn't dip snuff, they will be a hero and have more power than the Commanding Officer if they have a 'log' (10 cans) of 'Hagen.' A large percentage of infantry use this stuff and it is hard to get. The stuff they do get comes in a plastic can and tastes terrible. The 'Stateside Hagen' is the most powerful bargaining tool in a field environment!")

Pre-paid Phone Card so service member can call home



DO NOT SEND:



Anything that melts (if you just must send chocolate, send M&Ms)

Waterless Hand Cleaner/Sanitizer - generally makes mud, wipes are preferred

Flashlights - Everybody has one and never gets to use it due to visible light discipline restrictions.

Compass - Everybody SHOULD already have one attached to their Load Bearing Vest/Harness

Sun Screen - already issued in mass quantities, drowning in the stuff

Liquor of any sort

Pornography of any sort. This includes "soft porn" such as Playboy magazines.

Answer 2

Unless he requests toiletries such as the shaving cream and stuff I would not send that. Its not very exciting and he should be able to get stuff like that even where he is using military resources. I say send personal items, such as recent pictures, videos, letters from friends and family wishing him well and letting him know he is missed. Also, sort of depends on what he is interested in, sounds like the magazies are a good idea. Consider portable DVD or gaming devices too. Those are great. Or a new CD of his favorite band. You guys would know more about what his interests are, but something he likes and enjoys over shaving cream.



I am a Navy Corpsman and served with the Marines. Whenever I deploy my wife and I send memory cards from our cameras to each other, each card can hold hours of videos and pictures providing the two cameras are compatible. Fortunately on my recent deployment, we had internet access so we would just send pics and vids by email. In that case care packages consisted of my favorite munchies (usually melted), new DVDs, and sometimes clothes.



Its nice of you to do that for him. I am sure it will mean a lot. I love getting apckages while I am away, makes me know I am missed. Hope he comes home soon and safe.

Answer 3

I'm sure he will appreciate everything you send him, but all of the things you mentioned are VERY available in Iraq. I still have shaving cream and toothpaste from my first two tours in Iraq - I got back from the last one about 15 months ago. And I never had to buy any while I was there.

I think a few better things would be: a set of dominoes; packets of kool-aid; if you insist on a deck of cards, throw in some poker chips; board games; AA batteries; soap; washcloths; sunscreen; aloe vera and other things of that nature.

Hope I could help.

Answer 4

Most of the creative men have an opportunity to be creative and invent things because of the military either training or because the military needs new things, plus I am not aware of any inventor being shoot at for our country so No they shouldn't get the same respect as the military man I didn't same no respect I said not the same kind of respect

Answer 5

Think of the little things he likes and send those.



It could be M&Ms or playboy (but don't tell Grandma).



Bake some cookies or brownies. A little touch of home is always good. Anything made by you instead of being bought at the store shows the extra love.



The kinds of books he likes. Everyone is always sending romance novels. Why do they think soldiers wanna read that?



A Vonage or Packet 8 phone with a domestic plan sent to your home, so that it has a local phone #. $25/month for all the calls he can make to the states.

Answer 6

There is nothing quite like Carmex Lip Balm when the air is hot and dry.



Send Silly String! This is used to detect trip wires on urban missions.



When you do send your package, put like items in Zip-Loc Bags. I once received a package where the suncreen and the Deep Woods Off! got all over the food products rendering the entire package useless.



Hope this helps!

Answer 7

Add some packages of "crazy string". The stuff you fire out of a can which makes a long string of gel material. Some of the troops use it to check for wires on booby traps and the like.

Answer 8

Think about the weather there first of all.

Its hot.

Send something that will not melt.

Brownies? They would melt byt he time he gets it, thats link sending popsicals.



Try jerky, Trail mix, gum, mints, gummy bears, sour gummy bears. Altoids, ouzo, A&W Root Beer Barrels (candy). life savers, Jaw busters.



Most of all check out some heatermeals!!!! Thos would make him go crazy!!!





http://www.heatermeals.com/

Answer 9

My Hubie is in the Army so i would send sunscreen,lip balm,soap,toothpaste,deodorant. AT&T phone cards, cookies,cakes what ever does not melt. Alot of them like sunflower seeds.drink mixes like the gatorade or kool aid.foot powder (they do get stinky feet),pillows.

Answer 10

all that stuff you listed isnt that important to send to guys out there anymore, due to all the PX's there. Good stuff to send are some of his favorite movies, or a portable DVD player, home made cookies and stuff are good choices!

Answer 11

leave the shaving cream out, and the toothpaste. jerky is good. candy that doesn't melt. car or motorcycle magazines. my stepson always wants babywipes.

Answer 12

Chap stick, calling cards, and things like hard candy he can share with the other guys in his unit. also no political stuff. just stuff he can forget the war with. most of all you will be sending him HOPE and LOVE

Answer 13

tobacco products, double A batteries, hard candy, hot sauce, matches, lighter, handi wipes

Answer 14

thats is perfict because when i served as a navy seal that was about all i needed because i was always training

Answer 15

usmcgals.com and www.myspace.com/thechainedones

these are ideas from the men who are there right now, they gave the lists to their wives... the wives posted it.

Answer 16

hand sanitizer or baby wipes, local newspapers