Military Care Packages? Military Personnel opinions plz?

Question

We have adopted a new soldier (Afganistan) & his men through anysoldier.com. He lists basic needs which we have sent. We have not had any correspondence with him

Would it be silly just to send a fun package with cards, magazines, silly putty, barrell of monkeys, small games to play for Christmas or should we stick to basic neccesaties?

Answer 1

you have the right idea. over the holiday's the are lonely. cheer them up with the things you mentioned. international calling cards is a good one, when they have a chance to call home. they are expensive, but they can talk to family.

Answer 2

I would recommend getting involved with Soldiers Angels.

http://www.soldiersangels.org/heroes/ind...

You can each adopt a soldier (or two) with whom you correspond and send care packages.

I had two Soldiers Angels while I was deployed and it was about the best thing in the world. Getting a care package once a month with snacks, books, DVDs, and other things from someone you have never met before but is willing to go out of their way for you is just a humbling experience.

I strongly recommend you becoming Soldiers Angels

Answer 3

Magazines, games, playing cards, DVD's, maybe even poker chips to go along with it would be good. Barrell of monkeys I think is a bit too silly.

The best thing that you can send them is snack foods. MRE's are horrible and something home made is always a HUGE hit (home made cookies, banana bread, pumpkin bread, etc, etc,) I would recommend doing things like that, that especially people have only around the holidays.

Beef Jerky
Pringles in single packs
Peanuts'
Candy
Kool-Aid Singles
Propel singles (any kind of drink flavoring you can easily put into a water bottle)
Any kind of snack that is non pershiable.

Magazines of all kinds (cars, motorcycles, sports, etc... dont get something like family circle LOL!)

Honestly, American cigarettes even if the soldier you adopted doesnt smoke. I know they are expensive, but they are a luxury and even if you dont support smoking, imagine if you were in that place, you may just smoke to calm your self. Plus its not the time to be judgemental and tell them to stop LOL!

I tried to send uplifting DVD's like comedies instead of a war movie, they are already in war, they dont want to watch it on TV too im sure.

A card, short and sweet and to the point.

Good luck.

Answer 4

I've sent care packages to anysoldier and I think it's best to stick with the basics.. Afterall, the soldiers aren't there for fun/frollick they are soldiers fighting a war.. So, little games/toys are NOT what a solder necessarily needs or want. You could maybe send some magazines or puzzlebooks something of that nature but, I would forgo any novelties or things that are useless ! I adopted a group of woman soldiers and sent them feminine hygiene supplies, nice feminine smelling soaps/shampoos.. All of which I had from cleaning out my toiletries in my own home and friends home... Little sample sizes of things... I got an e-mail/letter a short time later... It's a fun project for children to help someone else out...

Answer 5

I know what I liked to get. Things that BX's and PX's don't carry. Like Tasty Cake brand items for instance. Can't go wrong with candy and junkfood. If he doesn't eat it, someone will and will be appreciative.

I know one thing that everybody wants over there. More clips (magazines) for .223 ammo. They only issue two or three. If you have another one or two it makes you have a warm fuzzy feeling inside when you're laying down cover fire.

Also: Easy Mac, lottery scratch off's (i know a guy that hit for 5,000 bucks), also any type of higher end coffee or even a small espresso/cappucino machine.

Answer 6

Never silly...I sent my husband fun stuff all the time... he loved it ...I sent him water balloons, slinky, silly putty, a finger bowling game...go to the dollar stores they always have great little fun things to send them. My favorite thing to send him and his soldiers were gummy candy Army men... they got a kick out that. Heres the link to the gummy army men
http://www.baronbob.com/gummyarmyguys.htm

Answer 7

My son has been serving with the Army's 1st Cav in Iraq for over a year and his favorite things, which he share with his buddies, are:

Little Debbie Fudgecakes (absolute favorite)
Beef Jerky
Slim Jims
Cookies (home baked and store bought)
Gum

Thank you for supporting our troops!

Chief Petty Officer
U.S. Navy, Retired

Answer 8

i would defiantly throw in some card games and magazines... remember it's really expensive to send things out of the country so think light weight!!!! and you can only ship using the USPS. what a nice thing to do!! bless you!!!

Answer 9

Basics, the closest necessity of the silly things are silly string. They use it to identify trip wires connected to explosives.

Answer 10

THey loooove that stuff, also some crowd favorites are....
Beef Jerky
Sunflower seeds
Nesquick
Easy Mac