Ideas for packages to send to Soldiers (or anyone really)

[Run-A-Muck Ranch]

So excited....
I just got an email from Jason with his mailing address for Iraq....
He's been there a bit now, but just got to the computer for the first time since being there...
Anyway
he sent me his mailing address so tomorrow I will be off to the post office to mail his boxes....
I actually have 5 boxes packed and ready to send to him....
2 have 'Father's Day' stuff in them...so with any luck he'll get them just before Father's Day!!!! I know last time the first couple months of mailing boxes it took about 4 weeks to get to him...then towards the middle to end of that deployment things were getting to him in about 2 weeks...

(Oh yeah, did everyone know postage stamps are going up AGAIN...not sure on the new price, but I think it's either May 10th or 11th they are going up...Hope they don't jack the flat rate boxes back up...AGAIN)

 

[horsejody]

This is a great website for anybody that wants to send care packages.


http://www.anysoldier.com/

The tell you what you need. In the past, when I have sent items, the people in need said to not forget to add feminine hygeine products to care packages being sent to units with women in them. One nice Marine even asked people to send old boots so they could give them to their new Afghani military friends that go on patrols with them.

 

[turney31]

Good leather gloves!

 

[Majestic Lane Poultry]

My brothers squadron loves jerky and peanuts! They also sponsor an orphanage in the village so it is fun to send them stuff to give to the kids.

 

[Calebs Acre]

I hope this isn't considered hijacking, but someone here recommended Soldier's Angels to me and I signed up. My soldier is a 24 year old in Afghanistan. He can call me via Skype and can email too, so we have gotten to know each other very well and he calls me Mom because his parents are very old fashioned in the deep south of Texas and they do not speak English nor do they have a computer, etc.

I have gotten subscriptions to magazines he likes and send them to him and I sent a PlayStation 2 with games and movies. BTW, I LOVE the crockpot idea!. He loves anything to eat....snacks. He is pretty health conscious, but he STILL misses sweets. I've done all of the personal hygiene stuff, but I think he most enjoys that pampering things.

Unfortunately, he has had quite a few behavioral issues and even ended up in military prison for three weeks for being insubordinate. I never had children, so it's kind of difficult for me to know what to say to him, but I try my best to be supportive and loving however possible. My mom always said that she couldn't wait for me to have kids of my own so she could see how they treated me. I thought I'd fooled her by not having kids. LOL. Now, I get an "adopted" kid...and I bet my Mom is nodding her head up there is heaven.

I love all of the extra suggestions. I have to put a package together for him this week.

Thanks,
N

 

[ruthie]

When my kids were over there I would also send zip lock bags is different sizes. They used them to store personal items in, to help keep out sand/bugs etc. I would send a lot of pictures kids/pets/vehicle etc already in small photo albums. They also liked the picture post cards of the lake, local tourist attractions said it reminded them of home.