Army - Care Package

[Equest94]

One of my close friends was deployed to Iraq almost a month ago. It is his first tour there. I have been keeping in touch with him; he tells me about how bad things have been getting there lately. It's either there's nothing for him to do or it's full-out hell.

Our last conversation left me feeling a little worried. Granted it's through email, I could tell he just didn't sound right. He seemed very homesick and slightly depressed (which I guess is to be expected), but still... he has always been the "Yeah, let's do this!" out-going type of guy. He use to be funny, liked to poke fun, etc... now.... not so much. He seems to have already lost that spark that made him so fun.

Anyways, I need a little help. I am not from a military family, I'm not sure about needs and protocols of Army life... but I want to send him a care package to cheer him up. I just have no idea what put in it...

I asked him is there is anything specific he needs like deodorant, toothpaste, sunblock, chapstick, OTC meds, etc. He said no... that it's about 40 degrees Fahrenheit there, get's much colder at night, that he has pretty much all that he needs - just for me to send him some snacks and goodies.... "idk, just surprise me."

Does anyone have ties to soldiers over in the middle east? What kind of stuff do you send? What kind of candy and goodies lasts (doesn't melt or go bad...).

[I found a care-package list of items online... but I'm hoping to find what soldiers really want/need and actually use]


Any suggestions will be very much appreciated. Thank you in advanced.

 

[saddina]

Good beef jerky
hard candies
packets of tacobell hot sauce (I mean it)
packets of arby's sauce

 

[Cetawin]

Jerky
phone cards that allow international calling
socks
books
hard candies
sauces and dips
magazines
decks of cards
card games like UNO, ROOK etc

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

If he is a coffee drinker fresh whole beans and a grinder (they have 110 outlets available, so what you buy will work there) non refrigerated creamers that come in the little cups that are french vanilla, etc. Good coffee is hard to come by for them. Make sure they have or need a coffee pot.
hand sanitizer and baby wipes are super useful for all the dust and germs hanging around
letters from friends from home
A Christmas tree filled with picture ornaments of special people in their life Maybe you could just do a scrapbook now that Christmas is almost over.
books are very limited at PX I would recommend getting something he is interested in.
Amazon or online store gift certificates for items so that they do not need to use their credit card online over Iraqi internet which isn't secure.
If they smoke, tobacco can be hard to get in the middle of now where BUT ask because its really cheap there IF available but it depends on where they are at.
A webcam if he does not have one to talk to you face to face over the internet.

Honestly they DO NOT NEED toiletries (unless he has told you that) they get them by the tons from other organizations.
Don't send movies they get them for 1.00 from the Iraqi stores.


All time well received is exercise equipment, they are bored and exercise will help with depression . Jump ropes, weights (use one rate boxes from post office) perfect pushups are awesome, bungy resistance type exercise (crossfit I think) it comes in a mesh bag, its light and its about the space of a soccer ball.

 

[DawnSuiter]

Flavor Packets for water bottles... like crystal light, or those little flavored tubes of powder that you pour into a bottle. Really breaks up the monotony for them. There are tons of flavors... teas, lemonades, fruity flavors... cheap, easily portable and stores forever in all conditions.

I use them at parties... makes the drinks portion SO MUCH EASIER!! and fun

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

Quote:
GOOD one I forgot about those, I sent probably 20 boxes for the year of all different flavors, Target has good clearance prices on these sometimes!

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

We sent jerky and various snacks, magazines. One comment we got back was when we sent a nerf football and a frisbee, they had a great time with that.

Steve in NC

 

[Krysstyllanthrox]

I've sent my Dad (he is in Afghanistan) the following, all of which were well received:

Pringles
Pudding cups
Regional spices that aren't carried everywhere
An electronic hand-held game, like solitare
Extra Batteries
Favorite candy
Ziploc bags (to keep dust out of things)

Mom has sent him 'dry' cookies. Moist/melty things won't make it very well.

They will have a BX where they can get the basics, so don't worry about those. Send things that are just that little bit of extra special. Dad's fav was the solitare game because that way he doesn't have to dig out his laptop or go somewhere to be entertained. He can just pull out the game and play for a little bit before bed to help wind down.

 

[The Chicken People]

We sent a care box to Iraq for Paul and we included homemade salsa and chips...I hear the bags of chips explode and are usually stale by the time they receive them...We included candy and summer sausage, cheese and crackers. Lots of other stuff he asked for...Wish he could come home to wife and three beautiful daughters! Not to mention I kinda miss the guy!

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

BBQ supplies and spices are a good one also, they make BBQ's out of 50 gallon barrels and turn boring meats into memories of home. Regional spices are a great suggestion.

*make sure if you send summer sausage it has no pork is a no-no to mail over there.