Quick answers needed! Military moms, wives, hubbies...what is allowed to be sent to Iraq?

Question

Hi,

My former husband was in Iraq several times but I can't remember what we are allowed to send there and I just received an email from my brother who says that his buddy is over there and receives no mail, no packages, no support or kind words from home.

So all of our family and friends want to know, besides letters, what are we allowed to send?

We're gonna flood this guy with love from home! Please help give me ideas of what is acceptable to send.

Like, can we bake anything (recipes would be helpful), can we send magazines like Maxim, Mens Health, etc.

What items would he need the most...socks, snacks, batteries, books, etc.

I cried when I read my brother's note saying that his buddy gets no mail. This kid is over there, far from everyone. It takes 3 weeks to get a pacakge there and I need to go out ASAP today to buy stuff to send him.

Thank you all in advance.

Keep them coming! Thanks so far. For the idiot who replied with "weeeeee" you are a complete waste of our time. There is a time and a place for smart aleck comments and right now isn't either. Reported. Everyone else, thank you so much. More replies are welcome.

Answer 1

yes you can send cookies, etc...but you have to be careful with packing them if you want them to get there in one piece. i got my husband a subscription to SI which i send every time one comes in....if he or someone he knows has a gaming console, i would suggest games (if you dont mind spending a little bit of money an Ipod would be good too) . dvd's, bath supplies (axe is my hubbies fav), shirts, socks, twin sheet sets, comforter, you can even order a microwave from walmart.com and they will ship it to him (if he doesnt already have one) other than that you can pretty much ship anything, other than alcohol, lol. i think its great that you are reaching out to a soldier the way you are. here is a recipe that i have, not cookies more like brownies....and they have always gotten there still moist ( i think it's because of the honey). i call em....
Iraqi Bars:
2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp banking soda
1 c margarine- room temp. (not low fat)
1 c packed brown sugar
1 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp honey
1 c M&Ms
1 c chopped pecans
combine flour,salt,baking soda (set aside). combine butter & both sugars- cream well- add eggs,honey &vanilla- beat until mixed. stir in flour mixture, add M&Ms and pecans. put in greased 9x15 jellyroll pan and bake @350 for about 30 min or until golden brown. cut into bars (makes 24)

im sure he would love pictures and letters from you as well! god bless you!

Answer 2

My husband is in the Army and he is leaving for his 3rd year-long tour in Iraq sometime later this year. His mother is a basket case when he leaves, even after doing it twice. The best thing to do is stay busy, write to him every chance you get, and don't watch the news. Also, send him care packages, but ask what he wants first. My MIL inundated my husband with packages he didn't need or want the first time he was gone - he got mad and she got her feelings hurt, so no need for that. Also, keep in mind that if he is married or has a serious girlfriend, she will probably be your best source of news about him. They do not always get to call often, and, no offense, but he will probably want to call her. Keep in touch with her, because it will help you both. Don't push her for every little thing he says when he calls though - my MIL does that and frankly, some of what we talk about is none of her business! If he's single, though, he'll probably be all yours when he gets phone calls, which is generally about once a week, more or less. You can also get in touch with his unit's family readiness group (FRG). They can keep you up-to-date with what is going on in the unit, and possibly provide some support from other families. The Army is family-oriented, and while that usually means the soldiers' spouses and children, if you look, you can find resources to help you as well. Good luck!

Answer 3

I'm sure you'll get plenty of answers from other users which will help you (socks, toothpaste, etc.), so I'll add something I recently heard to send which probably doesn't occur to a lot of people.

Blank CD's & DVD's. Many soldiers have, or have access to, a laptop and cameras. They can use these CD's to make either a still image collage of, if they have a video camera, can possible record a message to their family back home.

I saw this on a list which my dad broght home from his work asking people to contribute, and it's a very good idea. This way, the families get to see pictures and maybe video of their loved ones overseas, who can't be here this Christmas.

Answer 4

We sent a care package last Christmas and found out that Bibles and Christian prayer books are banned. If it's not Muslim, it's not allowed. That includes things as innocuous as a sausage, cheese, and cracker gift pack where the sausage may contain pork.

Also, many people were sending cases of wet wipes. These are not banned but the US Military discourages it. The plumbing there is really bad and they clog the pipes when flushed.

Socks and other clothing items are good. Those cold packs that go around your neck are good. Prepackaged food items that do not contain pork or do not require refrigeration are good.

Answer 5

Snacks, magazines, DVDs, CDs, video games, socks (white and green ones for his uniform if you have access to a military base and can buy them), batteries (all sizes), books, crossword/Sudoku books to keep busy, candy/gum, cookies, brownies, canned soups and stuff (esp the kind that can pop in the microwave - hubby was always asking for those).

Technically the only things you aren't allowed to send are porn and pork-by-products (because supposedly they offend the Iraqis). Also, you can't send anything liquid, fragile, perishable, or potentially hazardous (per the USPS regulations). Home made cookies are always appreciated, and he can never have too many as they can always be shared. Whatever you send will be well appreciated, esp if he hasn't been getting anything. I hate hearing about the guys who don't get mail, and I always try to send extra when DH is deployed so he can share it around.

Answer 6

You can send anything that you could normally mail in the US except pornography and alcohol. Bibles and religious material are not banned. As a matter of fact, the Chaplains hand out religious items in good quantities. Pork is another item that is not banned. Most of what is banned is pornography, alcohol, or an item that you would be unlikely to send (such as a personally owned pistol). Favorite things vary from person to person but cracker snacks, jerky, cookies, and snack bars. It is better to send several smaller boxes (diaper box size or smaller) than big boxes. Big boxes take longer for some reason.

Answer 7

You can pretty much send anything that isn't against Islamic law. We can't have any pronography or alcohol.

It's the little things that mean the most. One of my friends sent me a bracelet that she had made. I can't wear it here, but I carry it in my pocket.

Larger boxes take longer because once the box gets to NY, it goes space available. It's easier to find space for small stuff.

Answer 8

send him anything. he won't care if he gets a box full of packing peanuts he'll be excited that it had his name on it. when i was overthere i didn't care what was in the box as long as i got a box, and i normally didn't get to keep much as i had to share with my squad. just let him know that you are proud of him and keep the letters and packages coming

Answer 9

I've been telling everyone on here- send beef jerky! They love that stuff and it keeps really well. =)