care package for my friend in the 82d Airborne Division, Iraq?

[TheReligiousLeft]

Would anyone like to send care packages to one of my friends?
I saw some of the DUers were sending care packages to troops in Iraq. I have a friend who is in Iraq. If any of you are interested in sending him stuff (non-political, stuff to keep him alive and kicking, and sane, in Iraq) email me.
If someone has done this before and has advice (what to send etc) feel free to post it and email me. Thank you very much.

[lcordero]

1. let me try

socks
flip flops
towel
soap
junk food
magazines, if you are going to send skin mags then make sure it's not playboy or penthouse.

[Maple]

3. I'd add

toilet paper, chocolate, newspaper clippings so he knows what's going on 'back home' and feels a connection.

Bag of cookies, toothpaste, deodorant...that kinda stuff.

[SoCalDem]

4. ix-nay on the chocolate.. It's a THOUSAND degrees

but you could send "Mother's Iced chocolate cookies".. They won't melt and they are yummy

and baby wipes
peanut butter in a squeeze tube too

[TheReligiousLeft]

5. Skin Mags, his wife would murder me, then he would come back and murder me

I'm thinking skin mags would be out, just knowing him, but yeah... I heard about socks, what's the deal? The army issue socks were bad for some reason right?

[CanuckAmok]

6. I loved getting magazines...

...I'd start there. They're not perishable, either, so in case they get held up in a depot for three months, they'll still be good, unlike most food. Light fare like "People", "Sports Illustrated", and "Hot Rod", and, maybe FHM and Maxim, if you think he'd like stuff like that.

Socks, decent toilet paper, CDs, unexposed rolls of film.

I liked getting "Harpers" and "The New Yorker", but I think I was an unusual case.

[TheReligiousLeft]

7. Harpers...

I'd love to get Harpers if I was "over there." I think it would broaden his horizons, but I'm not sure if he wants them broadened.

[Skittles]

15. socks wear out very quickly in those boots

and don't get replaced as often as needed.

[Twillig]

24. And so does underwear and T-shirts

I sure hope they have somewhere they can buy new stuff. No, they don't give it away.

Send some money.

[SoCalDem]

2. Please ask your friend for some other names too

I have several people's names in my inbox , who wanted to send stuff, but we had such a huge response, that I wanted to wait a bit so we did not overwhelm the 5 guys we had addresses for..

Don't post your addresses.. have people pm you and give them out that way

The boxes we sent should be there soon..

[AnnabelLee]

8. I've already "adopted" a soldier

courtesy of SoCalDem, but if people are looking for ideas of what to send, I remember reading on the MFSO site that athlete's foot is a big problem for some of the soldiers in Iraq.

Also, the most popular cigarettes are Marlboros & Newports. (I know, who wants to contribute to big tobacco--but cigs are apparently in demand). I sent lots of snacky foods, baby wipes, baby wash, shampoo, laundry detergent tablets, sunblock & chapstick, & bug repellent, among other things. I've also read that a lot of the soldiers have walkmans & other battery operated things, so AA batteries are much appreciated.

[TheReligiousLeft]

9. This sounds great

Hey, all of this sounds great. I'm going to spend some time finding stuff to send on the 'morrow. Thanks.

[MidwestMomma]

10. Just curious...how much did it cost to mail your package?

I thought about sending some stuff but money is kind of tight and was wondering how much the postage would be. Thanks.

[SoCalDem]

11. Someone told me they sent a shoebox sized box for around $7

I don't think it costs that much.. Mine were a bit bigger and were around $10.00..

[AnnabelLee]

17. My package weighed 18 lbs.

I sent it priority & it cost a little over $20.

[Skittles]

16. I'm not gonna nag the soldiers

about the dangers of big tobacco when they're in a frickin' war zone. I'll bite it and send some cigs.

[this_side_up]

12. Some ideas at this site.

http://www.usometrodc.org/care.html#what

Edit to add: https://www.operationuplink.org/donate.cfm


more suggestions: http://www.salts.navy.mil/main/troops /
(this is e-mail to ships?)

http://www.operationmilitarysupport.com /
(this site might not be giving out names. They used to
have suggestions)

This is the site with all of the suggestions.
http://operationmilitarypride.org/packages.html

[TheReligiousLeft]

13. Thanks

Thank you very much!

[Zephyrbird]

14. I will be working on this, TRL.

Folks at my law firm are anxious to send a little "home" to one of our guys overseas. What do you think he would like more than anything else? I hear gel inserts for the boots are going over big time. Any suggestions??

[SoCalDem]

18. How bout a note pad with "Wish List" at the top??

I wish I had thought of that when I sent mine off.. That way they could put their special requests..

[AnnabelLee]

19. I included paper & a self-addressed envelope

in the package I sent, & asked him to use that to let me know of anything else he needed, or if he just wanted to write. I'll be sure to post it if he sends me a list.

Edited subject line to say "a" instead of "an". Keyboard-challenged today.

[Zephyrbird]

20. excellent idea!

Thanks!

[TheReligiousLeft]

21. Hey, thanks everyone

I'm getting my care package ready. I'm sending some books, a hack, socks, batteries, munchies etc.
This whole thing has got an idea into my head. I'm the PR guy for the College Dems in Eugene. I think I'm going to start out a "Hate the war, Love the Warrior" campeign to send out lots of care packages from the Dems to the troops "over there."

[Zephyrbird]

22. Great idea

"Hate the war, Love the warrior"

It's funny, the woman at work who will help me collect, package and mail to your buddy is right-wing conservative, I am left wing liberal. Love of grunts makes for funny bedmates, doesn't it??

Just because I opposed the war, think Bush is a liar and panderer of corporate interests at the expense of the American taxpayer doesn't mean I hate the grunts who are serving overseas. Au contraire, I--and many others like me--are extremely concerned over the health and welfare of our guys and gals. Mental health is of great concern too.

My friend and I were comparing notes that all the firebrand, Bush-loving protestor-bashing right wingers are giving us nothing, nor are they mailing anything to the troops. They sure as heck love to go on the websites with messages to the troops saying how we're troop haters, freedom haters, and a bunch of long haired hippes. God forbid they should spend any money or make any effort! snarf!

My best wishes to your buddy. Our first package will go out around the first week of September, then probably a second one two weeks after that. If you hear in the meantime something he would like to have, send me an email via DU.

Hey, about those socks. What kind are you sending? Impregnated with stuff to keep your feet nice and sweet? Heavy duty socks? Gold toes?

[Zephyrbird]

23. P.S. WHAT SIZE SOCKS??

Send me the size!

[TheReligiousLeft]

26. I just grabbed a pair off the shelf

I just got plain white tube socks. I hope they work out for him.

[CRK7376]

25. As a trooper recently returned from

Afghanistan, the stuff our guys and gals need are simple:
-Diaper wipes, diaper wipes, diaper wipes
-gator ade or lemonade drink mix, pre sweetened! Makes hot, bottled water drinkable
-recent issues of time, newsweek, maxium, SI, recent reading material ages quickly over there.
-hard candies, not soft gooey stuff that melts.
-chap stick, sun screen, and heavy duty OFF or bug spray
-diaper wipes, diaper wipes, diaper
-wipes-gator ade or lemonade drink mix, pre sweetened! Makes hot, bottled water drinkable
-puzzle books, word search books etc...
-pens and pencils, surprizing how fast they get used up or lost
-disposable razors, toothbrushes
-diaper wipes, diaper wipes, diaper wipes....
-gator ade or lemonade drink mix, pre sweetened! Makes hot, bottled water drinkable
-Batteries, especially AA & AAA

You might notice that I emphasize diaper wipes and drink mix. Those were the things that were the most important to me that came in care packages. In a country that is a huge hot, dustbowl it's real hard to bath or stay clean. Every solider I know uses diaper wipes...Hydrate or die. Simple enough, easier if you have flavored drink mix to add to the water. Batteries, AA & AAA are great to get also. Most troops have cd players, radios or gameboy devices to occupy down time so having a stash of extra batteries is critical. Not to mention a letter or two in the package. Generic letters are great. Please include a return address as many troopers will write back thank you notes or just letters to school kids....You have to have the return address. You would be surprised at how many letters and cards come in that say great things for the troopers and the kid will ask that you write them back only to not include their address or their schools address....I replied to over 100 cards and letters while deployed. Lots of other letters would have been responded to but the addresses were missing.....Thought that counts. Thanks for supporting our troops!

[CanuckAmok]

29. Welcome home!

[solinvictus]

27. Some Suggestions...

1) A Camelback Water container. This will allow him to carry extra water on his back rather than having to rely on those little canteens.
2) Sunscreen, the real civilian stuff rather than the contract lotion that wouldn't protect your skin from a light bulb.
3) If you have the $$, a Pure Hiker water filter with an extra ceramic insert could save him some health problems.
4) Hell, I have to say it, if I were in his shoes, Hustler. If he isn't into skin, then a good selection of hobby mags.
5) Socks are nice as I doubt he is getting regular laundry call over there.
6) Home related food would cure (and cause) some homesickness.
7) A Leatherman Multi-Tool. Word I hear from Iraq is that these things are prized.
8) Octagon Soap, scent free and can be used for shower, laundry, mess kit, etc.
I hate to be so practical, but a lot of these guys are shelling out their meager earnings for these supplies that should be basic. I guess if they were with Halliburton they would get more.

[TheReligiousLeft]

28. 4. I sent him newsweek instead

No Hustler for him, but I did send him a copy of the latest Newsweek, along with a few good books, including Night and Ender's Game.