r/AskReddit • u/party-shark • Sep 03 '13
Military men of Reddit, what is the best thing to send in a care package?
I have a friend stationed in Afghanistan, and I want to send him something really neat, but I want it to be a surprise, so I can't ask him directly. What are some of the best things you've ever received/want to receive in a care package?
EDIT: you guys have given me some really great ideas. I really appreciate it, and I will follow up with some pics of what i end up sending him, if you're interested. Thanks again!
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u/SKNK_Monk Sep 03 '13
The wife sent me some vacuum-sealed packages of homemade cookies. They were outstanding.
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u/sid_vicious91 Sep 03 '13
I did this for my husband also. He loved getting baked goods.
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u/I_Forgot_My_Pen Sep 03 '13
My brother-in-law keeps going back and all he ever wants is shampoo/body wash in one bottle. We sent him a DS and he traded it for shampoo/body wash
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u/Iggyhopper Sep 03 '13
We sent him a DS and he traded it for shampoo/body wash
Well yeah. Did you send him any games?!
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u/IBuildRobotsForFun Sep 03 '13
Baby wipes. They're like a shower in a box.
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u/minibabybuu Sep 03 '13
bf said the same thing, he also loves that foot spray stuff for his boots and purell
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Sep 03 '13
I sent my air force buddy a pack of those during his deployment in the middle east...he made fun of me because he said they were already stacked to the ceiling with those in the barracks.:-(
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Sep 03 '13
I sent my buddy hundreds of Taco Bell hot sauce packets...he said his buddies freaked the fuck out when he opened that box
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u/USMCPDNP Sep 03 '13
If you've ever eaten an MRE you appreciate what hot sauce will do to it!
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Sep 03 '13
This story makes me super happy for some reason, probably because I'm hispanic and I'm excited by anything having to do with tacos.
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u/forgetsalot Sep 03 '13
i sent my brother a sandcastle kit while he was deployed in Afghanistan. i though it was hilarious.
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u/garmachi Sep 03 '13 edited Sep 03 '13
Seriously, anything.
Just hearing your name during mail call is a major morale booster. A candy bar from the US, a simple note, a photo, anything at all.
Edit - since this is gaining visibility, and because a few people have PM'ed me asking - How can I send a gift to a soldier overseas if I don't know one?
Edit 2 - The first link was giving some people problems. Try this: http://www.adoptaussoldier.org/
If there's a better service, please let me know and I'll update the link.
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u/NecroGod Sep 03 '13
Just hearing your name during mail call is a major morale booster.
Strangely sad statement. Evokes a feeling of being forgotten while so far from people you know and love.
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u/UrethraFranklin13 Sep 03 '13 edited Jan 09 '25
Can confirm. My partner was in Afghanistan and my best mate is over there now. My mate suggested qtips to clean his rifle really well. Chocolate and letters were always well received. My partner said that hearing her name called and receiving a care package, regardless of the contents, was the best.
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u/BlizzyLizzie Sep 03 '13 edited Sep 03 '13
Oh oh, I have a story! When I was in fourth grade my father was deployed to Iraq. During any holiday my whole class would make cards and send them to his whole company. The boys in the class loved getting to draw helicopters and
shitother similar things on the Christmas cards and the girls always wrote these really long letters of thanks (We still have a few of them). The soldiers would always send back pictures of them reading the cards and smiling and had a big board in what I guess was a break room kind of thing(?) that they pinned all the cards on.→ More replies (32)186
u/UNC_Samurai Sep 03 '13
My sister's in Qatar flying on a J-STARS.
Yes, anything is wonderful. But that anything seems to begin and end with some form of wet wipes. My local dollar store sells packs that fit perfectly in most ACU pockets, and I've just about bough them out of stock in this town and the next one over.
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u/mkcawcutt Sep 03 '13 edited Sep 03 '13
Is there a service out there that pairs you with a deployed soldier? Your statement moved me enough to want to write and thank somebody or just brighten somebody's day with a care-basket. Not looking for karma or a pat on the back—but genuinely am curious if there's a service that would connect me with somebody to write to and say: "hi—thanks, here's a candy-bar." :D
edit: VERY COOL! Thanks to those who sent/suggested links! Appreciate it!
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u/catkillztank Sep 03 '13
Porn tobacco porn porn tobacco porn underwear porn porn porn tobacco baby wipes..... Porn...... Jolly ranchers for patrol to keep throats from drying out....
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u/WuggleLumps Sep 03 '13
Exactly what you said. I've gotten 4 packages this rotation and it really is the greatest feeling to hear your name and then open the package. I don't care what it is I will find a way to use it.
/u/garmachi is awesome for saying this.
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Sep 03 '13
Thanks for your service. I'm half tempted to start sending care packages to random soldiers now.
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Sep 03 '13
If you're going to send wet wipes, for all that's holy please send UNSCENTED wipes. The scent from scented wipes builds up over a few days into rank nastiness.
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Sep 03 '13
If baby wipes are sent... send corn-starch-based baby powder too. It's great for loosening dirt and sand and gives a "fresh" feeling when racking out.
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u/mollymarine17 Sep 03 '13
Is there a subreddit where active military redditors could post a wish list and other redditors could send them a care package? If not, that would be really cool and I would definitely participate.
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u/mslvr40 Sep 03 '13
i may be wrong but i heard that silly string was useful because they can easily detect trip wires
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u/Bushwookie07 Sep 03 '13
This is correct, you can spray it into doorways of potentially booby trapped houses.
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Sep 03 '13
Just a note for any would-be gifters: This was pretty big in Iraq during the invasion and early years, but this late in the game in Afghanistan, this isn't really a big enough thing that guys would carry around cans of silly string. Just letting you know.
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Sep 03 '13
my mom sent like 15lbs of homemade candy bars. when the guys finished these in an hour or so, she sent another box of them.
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u/desperate_coder Sep 03 '13
Given the time of year, chocolate will melt at one of the main mail depots.
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u/tedcase Sep 03 '13
Cigarrettes.
If the soldier smokes, it will be a godsend. if he doesn't he can trade them with people who do.
Yes, It's exactly like prison.
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u/csbob2010 Sep 03 '13
If everyone is down to smoking local cigarettes and you have Marlboro's... you are basically Al Capone.
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u/el_californio Sep 03 '13
Hi there, first of all the thought of sending someone deployed overseas alone is a great gesture. I am sure that anything that you send in good taste will be appreciated it, I am not sure what you will be sending but here are some tips for you in case you didn't know...
First of all go to the USPS site and learn up on what you can and cannot send to help you prepare your care package. Then get to your local Post Office and get yourself some Large Flat Rate Boxes, you can put up to 70lbs of stuff in them and they cost around $15 with no insurance. While there pick up some PS Form 2976-A which are the customs forms you need to fill out before sending anything overseas, you could fill it out online if you want. Also ask for the Priority Mail tape for putting together your box, they give all those materials for free so you don't have to go buy anything if you are using Priority Mail shipping. I should mention that you can request the boxes and the tapes to be delivered to your home by going here.
One last thing, if anything that you are sending is too big too fit in the Flat Rate Boxes but not too heavy, you could use a regular cardboard box from someplace like Uhaul and use SAM which stands for Space Available Mail. However DO NOT use the Priority Mail Address Labels or tape, otherwise you have to pay those rates. By using SAM you pay a whole lot less but it does take a few days longer to get there. For a U-Haul small box that was not too heavy I paid $19 to ship a box to an APO AE address, it was full of toys, games and some cooking ingredients not found overseas.
So good luck getting your package to your friend and I hope this helps guide you a bit in sending it over there...
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Sep 03 '13
Homemade baked goods are always a winner, cigarettes if he's a smoker, toiletries, porn. Not a lot of room for "stuff" but anything that will boost his morale. Maybe some pictures of this family would be nice. Things like that.
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Sep 03 '13
My mom sent baked goods every month. Every month I would get baked goods that were roughly 3-4 weeks old, and horribly stale and unedible.
I gave her an A for effort though, I still liked seeing the package.
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u/caindaddy Sep 03 '13
Send cigarettes even if they are not a smoker, you can sell those for a fortune when everyone runs out.
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Sep 03 '13
Best things I ever got...
Nyquil - Because by the end of my fourth tour I wasn't sleeping well. And the Q took care of that.
Twizzlers - Because they are twizzlers.
Two baseball gloves and a couple baseballs - You would not believe how amusing a few minutes throwing the baseball with your buddy is while deployed.
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u/jackandpepsi Sep 03 '13
The glove and ball combo works wonders. It's a great way to take the rank off and just hang out.
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u/tohigherheights Sep 03 '13
Send a bunch of magazines--playboy, mens health, cosmo, time. Send a tub of peanut butter and a tub of nutella. Send a water balloon launcher with extra balloons. Send shampoo and conditioner, body wash, crocs in his size, a cd with new music he hasn't heard that he can download to to his computer and ipod. Send some posters he can put on his wall. Send some sheets or a pillow. Send some extra white socks. This is stuff I have gotten that I really appreciated while in Afghanistan.
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u/Pope4thDimension Sep 03 '13
We sent my cousin a pair of warm convertible gloves. The ones that go from fingerless to mittens. He said he wore the shit out of those at night.
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Sep 03 '13
Replace "CD" with multi-GB thumb drive so that it can have movies and music and porn.
Consider laundry detergent too
Replace the white socks with Merino Wool socks (wicks moisture better.)
Add cornstarch based baby powder (loosens dirt, absorbs moisture and oil, makes a good "dry bath," especially in sandy areas.
Add Non-Gatorade drink powder.
Add Condoms (if s/he is single.)
Add water-based personal lubricant (I'm serious.)
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u/caindaddy Sep 03 '13
On the subject of magazines and reading material, my cousin got sent the newspaper from his hometown a lot and he really appreciated that, said it kept him connected to home.
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Sep 03 '13
A lot of comments have said to send playboy/other porn periodicals but... Where do you... uuuhhh... read them?
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u/hamburglar_ Sep 03 '13
On my first deployment we got a care package that had cards from a first grade class in the States. One of the cards said, in your traditional misshapen yet loving first-grader crayon-writing, "3 ways I think of the military: Heroes, Savers, Awesome." That card became the centerpiece of the squadron.
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u/ryanaldred Sep 03 '13
A friend in the 'Stan asked for healthy snack foods. Apparently the mess is like a four-year-old's birthday party - all the hot dogs and french fries you can eat. We sent dried cranberries, cashews, almonds, trail mix, and so forth. Perhaps throw in a new book or two, as well.
I will add a second to - 'Seriously, anything.'
Also, send e-mails - assuming they have interwebs. Otherwise, write.
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u/vatoslocos Sep 03 '13
yup, that was pretty much my experience while eating at the Fort Irwin mess halls........ the stuff was delicious though
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u/eatsox117 Sep 03 '13
My friend is deployed and currently pays $100 a month for shitty internet. It's insane.
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u/samanthais Sep 03 '13
What about the military ladies? When I was deployed my girlfriend sent me erotica (because we weren't allowed porn). She was a graphic artist, so she switched out the covers with books from classical novels. That way I could go around base reading smut while everyone thought it was Jane Austin by the fake cover.
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u/Dodger31 Sep 03 '13
Had a little water boiler thing sent to me and a package full of ramen noodles and tea. Probably the best thing I could get moral was set for awhile.
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u/angevelon Sep 03 '13 edited Sep 06 '13
This is a comment repost that i made on another thread, but seemed very relevant.
Not speaking for myself because i don't dip,, but for many of the guys, DIP and SNUFF. we can buy smokes, even really bad ones, everywhere we go, but not dip or snuff. Also consider anything that can get damaged buy prolonged heat or cold during each season. melted chocolate anyone? And there are bibles and religious stuff everywhere so don't waste the space. here is a list of my favorites and wishes while deployed in no preferred order:
baby wipes( the big refill bag that zip-locks) and TP( the good stuff, please seal in a ziplock bag).
2. rechargeable batteries w charger or USB rechargeable battery pack.
3. duct tape(matte black or grey), zip-ties, and super glue.
4. flash lights and mini flashlight and headlamps( must have red filter lens so we don't get shot at at night) .
5. books, magazines,DVDs of new just released movies.
6. headphones.
7. deodorant, toothbrushes(only one per box) toothpaste( 3-5 travel sized).
8. feminine products( sometime hard to come buy for females and sometimes you keep them in your personal first aid kit because well, you know, they absorb blood.).
9. zip-lock bags! BIGGER IS BETTER!.
10. dehydrated fruits are amazing! any dry snack that won't melt!.
11. small envelopes( small pack) paper sized to fit(small pack) and pens and pencils( huge pack!).
12. small hard drives or thumb drives filled to the brim with music and movies and...(porn).
13. re-loadable phone cards. i had one that lasted 2 deployments, and was thrown away after the first by accident, but the number still work as long as you remember them, and you will.
15. MIO, sqwincher packs or any similar water flavoring that doesn't require sugar( pack in ziplocks).
16. Melatonin, its available at any drugstore in the vitamin section, and sometimes its a better alternative to the sleep aids that are prescribed over there.
17. air mattress(twin only) with battery operated blower (include batteries,they will be D or C cells so no rechargeables on this one, send regular batteries).
18. small fleece throw blankets and small pillows( dark colors only).
19. mole skin( you can find it at sporting good stores).
20. cut to size shoe inserts like doctor Scholls(gel is awesome).
21. any kind of antifungal foot powder, cream or spray( travel sized please).
22. lotion of any kind but in small containers.
23. body wash, luffa's, fingernail scrubbers, shampoo, razors( the good disposable ones) and bar soap(no Irish Spring!, no matter what you do, it makes everything in the box smell and taste like it, also any of these items should be packed in their own zip-lock bags for obvious reasons.
update 1: updates and edits from borrowed from some wise posters on this thread:
24. Lube and condoms(you know why).
25. Real porn( like magazines and erotica books,put a different cover on them so they can be hidden).
26. Dip, snuff and cigarettes.
27. SMALL pocket knives( no throwing knives, kitchen knives, throwing axes, swords or anything like that, just utility knives please.).
28. USB travel hubs(sounds odd but very useful).
29. universal cell phone chargers.
30. some soldiers like getting booze but... it must be really well disguised( people get demoted for that, which is bad).
31. handwritten letters( cursive handwriting is a dying art form, and some people cannot even read it, please be aware of that.) that talk about anything.
32. Games( all kinds... electronic, board games, card games, dice games, sports games, paper games(like madlibs or sudoku)).
33. No-doze or something similar.
34. NyQuil, both liquid and gel caps.
35. cheap digital wrist watches.
36. toys( transformers and ironman are awesome!).
37. Pictures of anything.
38. small wireless routers( preferably the travel variety, we like to play lan games with laptops or portables)
39. physical brain puzzles( like those bent ring thins that you have to try and separate.).
40. Multi tools( think leathermans but not a gerber, everyone has one of those, in the army, they issue them to soldiers, i still have mine but sometimes, a leatherman or a jeep or anything else is better or works for what you need better than a gerber.).
41. walmart plastic grocery bags in one small compressed bundle( these things are beyond useful).
42. collapsible fabric mesh laundry baskets.
43. powdered detergent in small packs( a bunch of singles are amazing).
44. travel sized shaving cream( if you can find it, shaving cream powder).
45. nix( like for lice).
46. realy good tweezers.
47. fleshlights(you know why)thats for you(AgentP_23).
48. band aids in a tin or zip lock( the really good ones that last).
49. Airborne immunity enhancing tablets.
50. hand sanitizers( travel sized) in ziplock.
51. small knife sharpening whetstone.
52. eye drops(like visine)and nasal sprays.
53. Q-tips( please seal in ziplock).
54. allergy medicine.
55. backpacks( black only, small and with compression straps if possible.).
56. canned goods that can be tastily eaten straight out of the can like chef boyardee or dinty moore.(ziplock).
57. a can opener( people love to send the tin keychain type, but a compact standard fit-to-hand- type is required when sending canned goods like chef boyardee or dinty moore).
this list is incomplete, but hopefully gives an idea about what to send. remember whatever you send might not make it in good conditions, might get wet, might bake or freeze( liquids separate or bottles explode) in shipping containers for weeks or be stolen by dirt bags along the way. The following is are good guidelines when sending stuff:
G1. try to use boxes that don't already have printing on them( like reusing the box your XBOX came in, it would make it a target for theft).
G2. try and make the boxes look as generics as possible( no old shipping labels).
G3. servicemen have to remove all labels with addresses and names on them and destroy the labels to protect the sender, so make sure you're labels are confined to one place for easy removal.
G4. put a SEPARATE SMALL piece of packing tap over the labels as a poor mans lamination( this does two things, 1. protects the label from the elements and 2. when confined to the label itself, maybe a a little bit around the label, it actually makes it supper easy to remove the entire label.)
G5. insulate the box before you start fitting items in it, use newspaper or packing paper so that your items are more likely to survive impacts and adverse temperature changes.
G6. Isolate everything you put in the box with some type of ziplock or plastic bag sealed with rubber bands and be sure to remove as much air as possible from each item( this means that shampoo and toothpaste might be salvageable if they are compressed..impacted..heated..frozen to the point of expanding and exploding. As a bonus, it means the servicemen get extra rubber bands and ziplocks, which is great, like a G6! LOL.)
G7. use small boxes, servicemen don't have a lot of space to begin with and many of them are always on the move, so nothing bigger than say a briefcase or 8 quarts in liquid volume like two gallons of milk placed side by side(for the love of god don't send two gallons of milk! or any liquid)
G8. try to use the flat rate boxes at USPS for a box that conforms to all of the above and for better rates.
G9. try to use printed labels to make them more readable and generic.
Thing not to send:
DON'T 1. send un disguised porn( we can get into a lot of trouble for it).
DON'T 2. send undisguised booze( if you must send booze, research and test disguises and durability and pack in small amounts because we can really get into a lot of trouble over booze, so think about the person your sending it too, if they don't normally have a mature head on their shoulders, just don't send it, you will be doing them a favor)
DON'T 3. send a box of nothing but one type of item unless instructed to do so, because there is nothing worse then getting a 5 lbs box of irish spring,
DON'T 4. send irish spring or any other super strong scented bar soaps, even if they are individually ziplocked, its just bad, everything will smell and taste like it .
DON'T 5. send big knives, brass knuckles, improvised weapons...shanks, firearms or ammunition( we have guns and ammo and lots of both and, sending such items is probably illegal.. seriously.. ILLEGAL so nothing outside of utility knives and multitools in this category please.
DON'T 6. send sex dolls or big dildos or undisguised boxes of condoms( we can get into trouble for this over there and as someone else on this thread pointed out its funny for the sender, to necessarily for the recipient)
DON'T 7. large volumes of liquid or gels as no amount of preparation can stop them from exploding...leaking all over everything else in the package, and it really sucks to get a package like that.
DON'T 8. send canned goods without a can opener unless you have previously sent the person a can opener.
DON'T 9. send personal items like flashlights, porn, booze, vibrators to a care package list or generic( soldier of unit blah blah blah) its just weird, it gets confiscated or gets people into trouble.
DON'T 10. don't send perishable foods like trying to send fast food( i've seen it and its gross and a big let down)
Always pack with care and forethought and you will always get positive feedback and a demand for an encore. Proper packing of the right types and sizes and amounts of items means the world to the men and women over there and is often the one thing many look forward too weekly. packing the wrong thing in the wrong way can be devastating if and when the mail arrives and is the last thing anyone wants to send or receive. When sending care packages, do yourself, and the recipient over there, a favor, and research your methods, consult blogs and website just like this one and put together your own set of information from these sources to ensure the maximum amount of happiness-in-a-box arrives safely to to your intended recipient. Patience and preparation can and will lift spirits and help the men and women serving overseas be calmer, safer and more likely to come home in one piece and this point I cannot stress enough. Care packages SAVE LIVES and SOULS!
hope this helps!
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u/JLBate Sep 03 '13
Just a story a bit off topic - We Brits didn't get too many things from random civilians whilst I was in Afghanistan; I don't think the war is as supported at home. However, we worked with the US Marines when I was on tour and WOW do US Citizens like their soldiers! They had so many things sent to them that we Brits had unopened boxes given to us. Candy, beef jerky (amazing stuff), clothing, pictures and best of all, the nicest hand-written letter, signed at the bottom 'thank you for all that you do' with the persons name, rank, number and Vietnam veteran written afterwards. It was an honour to receive it.
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u/ChainsawSam Sep 03 '13 edited Sep 03 '13
Drink mix (not gatorade), food that won't spoil, jerky that isn't jack links, and fruity candy.
Soldiers can get just about anything else in country. They'll have so much gatorade and jack links that they'll be fucking sick of it.
Especially consider milder drink mixes as you have to drink a LOT of water and the gatorade's overpowering taste wears on you after a bit.
For jerky consider a moister, softer jerky like pemmican. Guys get a LOT of jerky. It gets dull as hell sitting there mechanically chewing on dry salty beef. The pemmican doesn't hold up as well long term, but it'll be gone soon anyway and it is a nice change of pace.
When I was there Jack Links was pushing their gross ass chicken nugget jerky shit hard. Shit was fucking everywhere. Sure it was free, but damn was it disgusting. I wouldn't recommend sending any of this stuff. Gir Scout cookies hold up remarkably well and give most people a nice shot of nostalgia. I had got a couple boxes of Tagalongs while over there and was pretty stoked.
Any food that is nonperishable and easy to eat. Bonus points if it doesn't require heating. Dinty Moore makes these little single serving meals that are palatable enough cold. Bumblebee Tuna makes precooked chicken breasts in little pouches; those were a big hit. Even guys in the worst environments will have access to spoons, and very few units have microwaves.
We did have a microwave. One of the most uplifting meals I had my last tour was just a couple of those Easy Mac things. Came in after a mission ran late. Only 15 minutes left for midnight chow and I had some paperwork to take care of. Damn those things hit the spot.
My last deployment was 2009 though, so all of this could be out of date.
Edit: Honestly the best package I received, both deployments, was from my Dad. He'd send some red vines, a calendar with Asian women, and some smuggled rum once each deployment. Red Vines do NOT like the environment, but the few good ones I'd get made me feel good. Also he isn't into Asian women so to a connoisseur like me his taste isn't great, but still. The rum was also a really nice touch, though I wouldn't recommend it if your pal is the kind of guy to over drink or get caught.
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u/JustAnAvgJoe Sep 03 '13
Baby wipes. Hand sanitizer. Cards. Letters.
but most of all, baby wipes.
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u/mklieber Sep 03 '13
AC130
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u/ESPguitarist Sep 03 '13
Oh man. I can't stop laughing. All the MW2 memories are rushing back to me now.
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Sep 03 '13
Yeesh, I had to scroll this far down to see a CoD joke, and it's an outdated one at that! Give me a Lodestar instead.
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u/opiate46 Sep 03 '13
The last time I sent a buddy a care package it included:
Listerine bottle filled with whiskey
Porn
Large, purple, double-headed dildo
Dick straws (Straws shaped like dicks)
Snacks
Hopefully he'll read this and remember how awesome I am.
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u/JaydenPope Sep 03 '13
A large purple dildo ? I can only imagine the discussion when that came outta the box
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u/veul Sep 03 '13
My uncle sent me stacks of magazines and I would read every one, even the ultraconservative political ones.
Along those lines good books. Go to a library sale and ship a box of books.
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u/justinwatt Sep 03 '13 edited Sep 03 '13
Listen to me very carefully. This is very important.
most valuable item. Porn. Not that weak ass softcore shit either. Penthouse or worse. This is like gold. Not only is it a valuable resource for obvious reasons - but it can be used as currency with the local jundis to trade for local food, souvenirs etc. You might hear a bunch of people here being like " WAHH PORN IS ILLEGAL". Fuck that shit. Get covert. Get creative. Be the friend that your friend needs you to be. Get a home and garden magazine cover and put that shit over the porn or whatever. Roll that shit up and put it in a pringles can. I dont give a fuck what you have to do - just get the job done and send us porn.
Tobacco products. Real american cigs and dip. Coppenhagen long cut, skoal wintergreen longcut, skoal apple dip pouches. This is not only for personal consumption, but once again, acts as currency. Dip, smokes and the like can get you out of guard shifts, buy you more sleep etc. Also, if you smoke, you need a option for night time. If your friend is a combat MOS, he probably dips at night versus smokes, as he does not want to get shot in the face. If you dont think he smokes - he does now or will. If he is a mormon or something, he can still use the dip and or smokes to give to his friends, who probably beat him on a routine basis for being a slack jawed faggot who does not smoke/dip.
Good hiking socks. Im semi hard right now just thinking about what it was like to get a pair of new socks on my feet once the mail started coming in.
Why? If hes out in the boonies, laundry comes by every like, 20 days or hes washing his own shit. New socks are awesome, and allow you to throw away your biohazard old socks, which at this point can probably stand up on their own from salt and other biological material.
Hand sanitizer. You never really get clean over there. Ever. I prefer chemically nuking everything on my hands before I eat, rather than sitting for 45 minutes washing my hands, trying to figure out if Im THAT tan, or if the dirt has become a new layer of my skin. This is important. I learned the hard way. There are crazy bugs you can catch over there that give you like, a 104 degree fever and cause you to projectile vomit/shit at the same time. You pray for death - but you are a sensitive item on someones list. They wont let you die. Its horrible. Use hand sanitizer.
Lube. I once heard a story about a guy who jerked off with bottled deet. This is not advisable. Also, my platoon jerked its way out of all the surgical lube we had in our CLS bags. Impressive, but not reccomended practice.
Pictures of home.
It helps. Really, really, really helps.
Good books.
A good headlamp w. red lens cover. Batteries for said headlamp. Ever try to take a shit in a 300 degree portashitter in the dark, surrounded by tent straps that can literally clothesline you, thus causing you to piss and or shit your pants? Its a dangerous world. Wear a headlamp. Red lens so the SGT MAJOR, who is probably masturbating in a nearby portashitter wont see the white light and destroy you for breaking light discipline.
Long letters - about anything. Honestly, even if its you just bitching about the problems in your life, or your job, or your kids - the disconnect we get to have reading about your life makes us happy. IT reminds us where were from and who we are. It helps a lot.
New toothbrushes etc. Any bullshit you can send us that gets us out of having to go and buy shit for ourselves with the limited free time we have is awesome. IE - I could go to mobile px right now and wait in line so I can get a god damned toothbrush - OR I could go beat my dick in the latrine and pass out for 45 minutes, because my awesome friend already sent me that shit.
If you are feeling really generous - send him a bitchin electrical razor. Mother of god I really loved not having to wet shave every day.
Do not send girl scout cookies. Do not send beef jerky. Also, do not send tomahawks or throwing knives. I dont care who your friend is, or what covert ninja unit hes a part of. Nobody in the history of this conflict has ever needed a tomahawk or a throwing knife. As far as the girlscout cookie thing goes - just listen. Your friend probably ate MREs fora week straight at the TCPs hes probably pulling guard at. Then some asshole sent a metric fuckton of girlscout cookies. He was excited - so excited he probably ate nothing but girlscout cookies for a week. Now he cant look at girlscout cookies without crying. He never wants to see them again. Beef jerky is sent by everybody. I never want to eat/smell/touch/feel/see beef jerky ever again.
Above all - thank you for caring enough to send us stuff. Mail is literally the only thing that can keep you sane.
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u/justinwatt Sep 03 '13 edited Sep 03 '13
Oh, and like, underarmor boxer briefs. New drawers are the HEAT.
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u/mustlovebacon Sep 03 '13
I'd like to send someone a care package but none of my friends are currently deployed.
Anyone interested in receiving one? shoot me a message with your mailing address and name.
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Sep 03 '13
I think the winner here is wet wipes.
Totally agree though; shower in a box.
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u/Swany4287 Sep 03 '13 edited Sep 03 '13
Empty a bottle of Listerine, and fill it with vodka and blue food coloring. Tape cap to resemble a seal
Magazines are always nice, they get passed around a bunch, and often times the adult themed reading materials were appreciated
A USB drive with current updated television shows and movies. Lots of guys bring laptops but are without internet connection.
Find some gourmet jerky that is sealed. Mmmmm.
Batteries are not always easy to come by and are often handy. Lots of guys and gals use the Surefire flashlights and devices that use the CR123A style batteries.
Simple things like a tennis ball, frisbee, or football are a great way to unwind. The nerf vortex was a huge hit.
Handwritten letters and notes. Even a few words can show how much extra love and care went into the package.
There are many more, but these are just a few i could think of right now. Also pornography and alcohol are generally not allowed, so be sure to let you recipient know ahead of time so they don't open the package in front of superiors who may care.
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u/mehvet Sep 03 '13
Just as a heads up, if you do send booze it can get somebody in serious trouble, e.g. demoted. Be very very careful about this. I know some good guys who got busted on this and paid a big price. Also absolutely don't send it to anyone you don't know personally.
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u/dinosaurbombshelter Sep 03 '13
Actually with Listerine you have to rinse the bottle with vinegar so that the mouthwash doesn't affect the taste of the alcohol you send. Easiest thing to do is get the mouthwash that's the same colour as a spiced rum or a light scotch, that's what we did. You have to get the shrink wrap off in one piece and then re-shrinkwrap it. You also want to reseal the cap because it will leak otherwise.
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u/doskraut Sep 03 '13
viet-nam vet here,i enjoyed receiving cassette tape's every week.they had weed inside.
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Sep 03 '13
My father was deployed for a while. I was talking on Skype with him and asked what he wanted me to send him. Homemade cookies. I think I baked about ten different kinds for him, vacuum sealed them, and shipped them out. Over 400 cookies.
He said that when the boxes arrived, he was suddenly incredibly popular. And a lot of the guys reporting to him asked him for my hand in marriage.
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u/WhiteFlour77 Sep 03 '13
I'm guessing the answer is NOT girl scout cookies.
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u/Bushwookie07 Sep 03 '13
These are the best, we got like two fifty pound boxes of girl scout cookies sent to us in Germany.
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Sep 03 '13
best idea: anything. failing "anything", it really depends on where your buddy is located and what its like there. different services have different accommodations (the air force generally has showers for instance). comfortable civilian clothes for their limited downtime, nice, new socks because those things wear out like nothing.
field rats: tobacco, especially if they're in an isolated location. if they don't use tobacco they can usually trade it. coffee and alcohol also fall into this spectrum of comfort items for field rats. seasonings and spices can help bring back a taste of home when you're eating from MREs or an MKT where everything tastes vaguely the same. porn, either from someone special or just in general, the format should really depend on what electronics they have available. wet wipes (especially strong ones that don't leave much fiber), cotton swabs, pipe cleaners, tooth brushes, and dental picks are great for cleaning weapons as well as hygiene. baked goods are awesome and some recipes like cake in a jar or vacuum sealed cookies work really well. if you're doing baked goods consider replacing some of your oil with palm kernel oil if you have it available as it can make them feel more moist while minimizing the risk of spoilage. batteries, especially the high speed ones that go into your surefire, but also double a or other sizes depending on what your buddy keeps on hand, and bonus points if you manage to send double a's with one of those fancy altoids box chargers or one from monoprice that'll let them charge their gear. photos and multimedia are great, especially if they have something that'll take a thumb drive or dvd. send personal ones, or if you don't have something that'll give them warm and fuzzies you can always just save a ton of memes that you think that they'd find funny from reddit, or recent movies and tv episodes because its more difficult to get them in an OP in 'stan than it was on a big cob in iraq. card games, portable board games, because its tough learning to play euchre. razors with extra blades, because chances to go out and purchase them are rather limited and nothing makes a wake up worse than catching your face on fire from the friction of a dull blade.
fobbit: dvds, shit tons of dvds because its still difficult to get satisfactory seasons of movies to watch while you're overseas sometimes. this gets bonus points if its in a format that they can use at work as many of the computers are locked down for SIPR. throw in there actual photos because really anyone who is on a cob/fob can probably get it all on facebook but might still want something to look at. adult materials, because they might even have their own chu or at least a privacy poncho. seasonings and sauces in individual servings or small bottles because KBR/contractor-of-the-moment's food really doesn't taste the way that it should. food items that you'd normally see them munching on for snacks, as these are a lot easier to accumulate and hold onto when you're not living out of an OP. board games, if they're into that. nice razor/blades, or failing that get a few different free promotional razors so that way whatever's on hand as far as blades will work. comfortable clothes because they can just send them home after via post instead of toting them around.
personal favorites: french press coffee maker out of durable material, coffee, hand grinder. small folding stool. cigarette case, metal (i sweat a lot and could turn a pack into mush standing still.) dental picks for cleaning weapons. soldering kit because my s6 was terrible. books (learned basics of other languages). external hd's with various media (took the time to set up web-based system to automatically download things while overseas with minimal interaction and left instructions to mail out one usb key/hd every two months.)
sorry, may be lacking a little but those are what we've enjoyed in the past as generally as possible.
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u/boxercar12 Sep 03 '13
As someone currently deployed... US food is the best. The food we get here sucks. I always ask for snacks. Also: baby wipes, gum, US cigs/dip (if they dip that's also huge).
Definitely no porn... great way to get someone in trouble.
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Sep 03 '13
Jerky, protein powders, movies. Letters can trump all of those though.
edit: movies are not that big of a deal now that I think back. Everyone has hard drives and virtually any movie is available
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Sep 03 '13
A letter. I'm in Afghanistan right now and I get care packages from family and friends on a regular basis. However its always kind of a bummer when someone sends a care package or something with no note. The stuff is nice, espeically if they're edible goodies, but there's nothing like knowing you haven't been forgotten about with a heartfelt letter. Even though I can semi-regularly access Facebook and email, nothing compares to a good letter, especially for those on built up FOBs where they can buy almost anything they need that you'd send them anyway.
Let the record show that ANYTHING is a good thing to send. There's no bigger womp womp than when the mail comes in and everybody's got stuff from loved ones except for you.
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u/kfields_5 Sep 03 '13
I really like getting personal notes and things of that sort. Just to let him know people are still thinking of him.
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u/minibabybuu Sep 03 '13
bf said wet wipes(preferably a pack you could get from costco or sams club) and purell. and his own set of blankets. also doctor choles foot spray. other than that favorate stuffed animal, pictures, baked goods, any bath supplies, dvds magazines international phone card.
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Sep 03 '13
That soy chocolate milk that you don't have to refridgerate. My friends mom sent me some and I think that was my favorite thing to recieve. I really like chocolate milk though, so I'm not sure anyone else would appreciate it as much.
Other than that, meh. I don't like baked goods but I'd give them out to everyone else. I really just liked getting cards from people. I thought it was cool getting cards from schools or organizations. A nursing home sent us all a bunch of beanies for Christmas, everyone loved that.
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u/zacher89 Sep 03 '13 edited Sep 03 '13
I'm currently in need of a shit ton of movies and tv series... bored as hell.
Edit oh and also some dog treats. We have two dogs on our base that are super cool. They are just a little skinny and sad.
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u/RedBanana99 Sep 03 '13
Someone said £15 up to 70kg in a Royal Mail big box, I have just spent the best part of 2 hours collating all my chilli sauces, unperfumed posh washes (baby wipes) toiletries I nicked from hotels (body cream, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel) nail files, tommy K, earbuds, toothpicks, tampons, marmite, a flashlight, seeds (hunters mix) raisins and any other bits and bobs like hair bobbles and soaps.
On my shopping list is Listerine and chapstick.
Random girl hero, you are also getting a handwritten letter from a stranger and some photos of some grateful girl you don't know.
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u/Rtstevie Sep 03 '13
After deploying to Afghanistan, let me say: the unit recieves tons, and tons, and tons of care packages. Usually just addressed to the unit so they are handed out and everyone shares them.
99% of them are filled with useless shit. Not to sound condescending, because they are always uplifting and appreciated no matter what they have, but most of them contain stuff guys just do not need. Tons and tons and tons of candy (not that the candy is always bad). But you end up with more stuff than you even want, and a lot therefore gets burned. Or just other random stuff- we seriously got one with a camo-cowboy hat, and a scream mask.
So, in my opinion, if you really want to stand out, send a care package of useful items that are hard for them to get in theater:
-toothpaste -toothbrushes -antibacterial body soap -deodorant -foot powder -cold and cough medicine, cough drops -coffee (they might not have a coffee machine, so instant would be boss) -pens and paper -cheap headphones -BABY WIPES -hand sanitizer -SHOELACES (often need replacing over there, but no where to buy them) -moisturizer
and for females: tampons/pads and other female hygeine products. Seriously, talk about needing something but no where to buy it.
I guarantee if you send a care package with this kind of stuff, people will remember your package as standing out for having good, usefull stuff.
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u/dinosaurbombshelter Sep 03 '13
I used to send coffee over to my friend in Iraq. They brew coffee differently there and getting your hands on some American coffee that isn't utter crap is rather hard in certain parts of the world. For Thanksgiving I shipped 42lbs of coffee for the entire base. Gone in two days. They loved it. Another thing I hear are great to send over are 100% cotton tees as the t-shirts that they are issued are a blend and also flammable. Gatorade, powerade, or Propel in individual packets for on the go needs, U.S. candy bars, and movies that were released on DVD in the last year that your friend may or may not have seen. If it's a really popular movie they'll do a movie night in the mess or rec hall.
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u/mjomark Sep 03 '13
Cigars and Cheez Doodles made my deployment more fun. But yes, anything at all is a moral booster.
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Sep 03 '13
Baby wipes, high protein snacks, powdered drinks, and SD card of... pretty ladies. A video game/movie they may have wanted.
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u/R1CHARDCRANIUM Sep 03 '13
Anything, really. Just getting mail was awesome. My favortite thing to get was baby wipes. Seriously. I could trade baby wipes for almost anything. Plus, baby wipes are so exquisite when compared to MRE toilet paper.
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u/KillerBeeTX Sep 03 '13
Honestly, just the daily essentials. Some baby wipes, good soap/shampoo (especially if they are sporting a deployment beard), magazines/books, gum/candy, make a "mix-tape" CD of their favorite music, DVD's, if they have a computer send them a portable hard drive with movies/pictures/music.
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Sep 03 '13 edited Sep 03 '13
Febreeze
Baby wipes
GOOD toilet paper
Candy bars
Magazines (like Road & Track or Popular Science)
A gag gift (like a squirt gun, he-man mask, or something like that) This kind of shit relieves the tension.
Was deployed to Iraq for a year. These are the things I wanted the most.
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u/why_drink_water Sep 03 '13
Sent my buddy a blow up Jenna Jameson doll. He was pissed at first because he opened it infront of a bunch of people. He rolled with it though, and put a uniform on her and introduced Private Jenna, their newest squadmate. Wasn't my idea, I was just continuing the tradition.
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u/asynine13 Sep 03 '13
I made the mistake of throwing it out when it was sent to me while I was in Iraq. Send a bottle of liquid such as Listerine or Scope but remove the listerine and fill it with liquor of VERY SIMILAR color. Don't break seal, make a pin hole in bottom and reseal w superglue or hot glue gun. Fellow Marines sent me huge bottle of "Listerine" while I was stuck out there but i discarded it cause it was almost a full gallon. Was asked when i got home, "Did you enjoy the Bourbon?" I immediately understood what they were talking about. SMH!
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u/Erikt360 Sep 03 '13
Letters - you don't have to write much. It doesn't have to be profound either. For me, just getting letters and knowing people out there care was what kept me sane.
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u/williafx Sep 03 '13
1) Booze - just send booze any way you can. Little airplane bottles, disguised in mouthwash, anything.
2) Porn. Magazines are good. Personal photos are even better!
3) Hot Sauce, or anything that can make chow taste better.
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u/jsimkus Sep 03 '13
The list I usually send to my friends who are still in/deployed currently:
Siracha Hot Sauce- Make MREs actually edible.
BabyWipes- you can wipe the tar-shit off your brown eye with these after eating MREs, shower, or clean your weapon with these.
Dental Picks and Barbers Brush- especially if they're in a combat platoon. They're the best tools for cleaning an m4 on a day to day basis.
Vacuum sealed packages of tuna- I for one loved them while in Afghanistan. They're small enough to throw in an assault pack and avoid having to eat MREs on patrol.
Body wash deoderant and shampoo, preferably unscented- gotta stay clean but most people I deployed with didn't like to smell like anything but rage and sexual frustration.
Cigarettes and dip- they're hard to come by in most of the cops and fobs, even if the recipient isn't a smoker/dipper they can usually trade for what they want.
Doritos- You don't know what you got till its thousands of miles away.
Flash drive with the most recent season of breaking bad, game of thrones, or whatever shows just finished here- they're probably not caught up.
Letters knowing what's going on here, also note at no point should you actually ask them details like "did you kill anyone yet", because they're either lying or struggling with that (based on personal observations)
Nintendo DS- my girlfriend sent me hers while I was deployed and it came in handy during the large lulls in action.
Candy and Cheap ball point pens- the local kids fucking LOVE pens. It's usually the only word of English they know. Also, candy, but mainly pens.
That's all I can think of. I'd like to promote soldiersangels.com or anysoldier.com, they sent me more packages then I was able to store, but everything got rationed out and every little bit helps.
Also, porn.
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u/reallyjustawful Sep 03 '13
porn, magic the gathering cards, junk food
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Sep 03 '13
+1 on MtG cards. IT's a nerdy game but it requires critical thinking and passes the time well.
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u/Crafty2006 Sep 03 '13
Depends on the branch....
The Marines might like all the standard stuff like Deodorant, baby wipes and silly string because they may be at bare bone bases but the Air Force might prefer junk food (beef Jerky) and snacks... It really depends on the "mission" of who you are sending it to.
Yes, I do know some AF personal are deployed w/ Army/Marines I was just using that as an example.... Historically speaking we (The Air Force) have way better living conditions/Quality of Life when deployed/at home VS other branches.
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u/Idrinkdishwater Sep 03 '13
Candy, jerky, anything with my team on it (coffee mug, t-shirt, hat, etc.), crossword/sudoku, magazines, photos, a hand writen note that says you haven't forgot about me.
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u/Biomortia Sep 03 '13
Anyone know of someone who would like a package? I made a post on r/sandboxxit but from the looks of things lots of people have posted but not a lot of replies! (Which is understandable due to limited internet.)
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Sep 03 '13
New white socks are nice. The laundry will just boil wash his washing and everything fades to the same shade of grey/beige after a while. A random magazine that he won't have read before.. My mum used to send me the local newspaper after my dad had finished reading it. Sometimes ring marks from the bottom of his cup of tea would be there if he had spilt a bit when using the paper instead of a place mat. I didn't mind at all seeing that it was his old copy.
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u/sid_vicious91 Sep 03 '13
If he likes to work out, which a lot of them do in their free time, you can send him some protein powder.
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u/AngryPuhtato Sep 03 '13
Porn, Tobacco, Beer, Baby Wipes, Batteries, Mechanical Lubricant. This is the most honest answer you'll get and it applies to 1 in every 1 marines.
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u/Beeenjo Sep 03 '13
I'm not saying that this ever happened or anything, but if you take a bottle of Listerine, dump it out and fill it with vodka and food coloring to match the original color, it's something. No but seriously, tobacco products if they use them, books/magazines, and favorite snack foods (for me it was sour skittles. That shit's amazing) are always nice. But yeah in all honesty it just feels good to get something period.
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Sep 03 '13
Empty listerine bottle. Fill listerine bottle with clear liquor. Add green / blue food coloring. Mail bottle.
Source: iama Marine
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u/TheBigRedSD4 Sep 03 '13
Tunafish in those plastic bags. Monster energy drinks (packed very carefully). Magazines. Sunday newspapers from the last couple weeks. nicotine in various forms. Porn. Lots of porn.
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u/Mustaka Sep 03 '13
If you know his family some old pictures for a laugh. Even some pictures of you guys together.
A role of decent toilet paper.
Kraft Dinner - Take the KD out of the box and put in a zip lock bag with the flavouring.
Magazines on topics he like.
Some gay porn for shits and giggles.
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Sep 03 '13
Things people actually make/bake themselves are extra special. My grandmother sent me a fruit cake for Christmas when I was in Iraq. Though it took two months to find me, it held up exceptionally well and I savored it for some time. It was nice to be remembered by loved ones. I got some other random stuff, but for some reason, that cake is what stands out in my memory 10 years later.
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Sep 03 '13
Razor blades.
You have to be clean shaven, and a shitty, rusty razor just sucks.
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u/recentlybearded Sep 03 '13
The best things I got when I was in Afghanistan was porn, tobacco, coffee (the Starbucks via packets are the best) and beef jerky....moms are the best aren't they?
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u/nodinjason Sep 03 '13
Anything is great but to have essentials is better.
Toiletries like razors, soap, shampoo, body wash, and tooth paste
Candy any kind really but be wary of some chocolate because it melts. M&Ms do not. Especially the peanut M&Ms.
Cigarettes or chewing tobacco. A carton or a sleeve. These are like gold.
BABY WIPES AND LOTS OF THEM!
A photo of family, friends and if its a SO make a sexy one too so they won't forget what they are missing.
A good old fashion letter is great to have too. Can always read it over again.
Lastly, when labeling the package if you are sending high value items like an iPod or something valuable do not label it on the packing slip. It WILL get stolen by the mail handlers. Seen it happen to people before.
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Sep 03 '13
Whatever you do end up sending, make sure you also include a seductive erotic photo of yourself.
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u/SuperManIey Sep 03 '13
Best thing I ever got was a portable tv, an xbox 360 and a couple games.
Don't bother sending canned food, girl scout cookies, or toothpaste. Most charities send that kind of stuff in bulk care packages anyways. If your friend is stationed at a well established base, then chances are he will have halfway decent food, and maybe even a store. I heard some bases even had stuff like Pizza Hut and Burger King.
If you find out he is eating mostly MRE's maybe send some good hot sauce and barbecue sauce. Spices are always welcome to add a little flavor to the rations.
Baby wipes have already been said, but if you can find some dry shampoo, that stuff is amazing. Especially if you find out your friend is building up a new firebase without running water.
He will probably be spending some time at the gym passing the time. Send some Gold Standard Whey Protein powder. You can't go wrong with chocolate flavor.
If this is his first deployment, he probably didn't think to bring a power inverter. If you are feeling really generous you should go to Home Depot and pick up a good-solid American made 220V to 110V power inverter and an indernational plug adapter.
One last thing. When you send this stuff off, spread the load. Try to send a package every week. Nothing feels better than getting a package from home. You don't need to send a super huge box of stuff. So maybe put one or two really useful things in it and fill the rest with current magazines and candy or granola bars. Get a flat rate box and see if the post office gives discounts for packages for overseas troops.
Your friend will be home safely before you know it. Just give him the support he needs now and he'll thank you for it over a beer later. Trust me.
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u/SethAndBeans Sep 03 '13
Beef jerky.
Maxim.
Hard candies.
Baby wipes.
Stupid toys. Nerf guns, etc.
Good hand lotion.
Lip balm.
Flashdrive filled with movies or tv shows. Everyone brings their laptops, but getting new stuff is rough with lack of internet.
Shoe inserts.
Board games.
Insect repellent.
Just stupid shit basically, the kind of thing (s)he might have on their desk at home or next to the couch. Shit (s)he can fiddle with.
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u/Mr_Monster Sep 03 '13
Wet wipes
Foot powder
Mole skin
Cotton balls
Beef Jerky
Stuff to keep their mind busy
Stuff to keep their hands busy
A letter or a note just updating them on the good things that have happened. Tell them how much you look forward to seeing them again. Never ever put anything in the notes that is negative or something they will worry about. Just help them feel connected to something back home.
Married/Dating people: Don't tell them about how much fun you had going out to the bar/club with the girls/guys. Don't tell them how you've reconnected with some guy/girl friends from school.
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u/brueapilsner Sep 03 '13 edited Sep 03 '13
While my friend was deployed last year, I sent several packages of random shit.
His favorite overall package was the one I sent for his birthday. It was basically everything needed to have a mini Star Trek themed birthday party. Star Trek paper plates and cups, Spock ears and balloons. Plus other party essentials, like a clown nose, balloon animal kit, freeze dried ice cream, one of those Betty Crocker microwaveable warm delights, some cake candles, and a few party favors/goodie bags for his buddies. He still talks about it.
Aside from that, a few of the random items that he really enjoyed: Fake mustaches, magazines of his favorite hobbies, some DVD's I made of Cubs games, double stuffed oreos, a small coloring book and crayons, and some brain teasers. Also, since his access to internet was rather limited, I printed out a ton of the latest memes and funny pictures (mostly found on here) and put them in a container and told him to pull one out whenever he was having a bad day. I also threw in a few little notes of encouragement for him to randomly find.
I hope this helps!
EDIT: I forgot to add BBQ Sauce packets and queso! They'll find something to eat them with..
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u/The_lady_is_trouble Sep 03 '13
I've sent homemade cake cooked in mason jars, and as long as you seal it so it creates a seal (as if you were canning) it will last a few months and therefore ship well to remote areas. I put it in a package with candles, a happy birthday banner, a jar of frosting (don't frost the cake-it'll go bad), etc.
Also, generic SNES
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u/topgun966 Sep 04 '13
Most of these are great ideas. Me, personally I would have given my paychecks for real heartfelt letters from home. Not just the Hey hope things are good blah blah.... but real letters. That was worth everything to me that I rarely got.
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u/Austanyo Sep 04 '13 edited Jun 14 '23
oi bro otriu boi atea. Doa iie tretli ta ikii a ga. A di bigiku oda a? Kri puba pagepu kepu klatebi gegiubuo. E bropa bu kipobe pia o. Kitidapru utloki o kotraagu pate grokibroude. Ta de kepi aglotebei ipli kotibetla. Okotuabri tlokugia gai pruplapegi drepudeo abedi dopei tu beklei? Plogukopeo akli edlidopa keplabo uitee o. Peotaika apadebli klogui plu dediieko dokia ibedi pikoko uekluti i. Bli kobe ibre peoiu klatu kopru kibrabue? Upo iba ogokupi tipoaprei pueta ki. Driokeube puekoe pouble duaepa plakli tlipribi tudrabo. Boko probri kreu dika dripu bi? Pu brodri u pikaoka a obrekikregu! Ao toogo iu kepipu. Ikri poki grepepiea troteiu tetegibe abu? Kru topegrodi bli piga klubli ie? Pletu o tle toke peti dotukubo. Bui gigleka i glote dou tagi? Gabi? Ii po uki tieti te e dopla. Kepi pugike tlei putiga budapu. Klatrigudegu blipipoble pega. Treideepo itl
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Sep 03 '13
Is there anyway to get a name/address of a soldier to send something to? I don't know anyone in the military.
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u/xereous Sep 03 '13
http://www.anysoldier.com/index.cfm http://www.operationgratitude.com
I've received a package from the second one. Soldiers can go online and make specific requests and you can fill them! Great stuff!
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Sep 03 '13
This is total garbage. All the top posts in this are what everyone always recommends and was probably great when we were fighting in the trenches. Now most people are on bases of some kind (even if they're expeditionary) and even more importantly, everyone thinks to send things like socks and wet naps so that's all you end up with. Also, because we know that socks in particular are important, we bring them with us in large quantities when we leave. Same for most of the essentials since, you know, we're going to war and that's simply what you do. If you really want to send something great in a care package send items that would seem like luxuries if you did the same thing every day. Good food items, hot sauces that can overpower the taste of terrible MREs, magazines that are easy to read, a small portable gaming system that you can tuck under your rack, or with so many servicemembers having computers overseas, send a thumb drive or external hard drive filled with movies. Perhaps most importantly, send a note, a long note, with as much written as you can think of. It doesn't have to be handwritten but getting something personal from home can be everything and you can read them over and over. But for god sakes, don't send socks or toiletries. We had giant bins filled with these items and we ended up having to give it away to Afghans or throw them out. Finally, sending money isn't a terrible idea since you can use it to buy things in the villages from candy to fruits to goats.
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u/Papandrou Sep 03 '13
Is there any way to send a package to a random soldier? Or even better a way to send a package to one specific soldier who I do not know? I have found some websites that have seemed to have gone inactive but looked to previously do such a thing.
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u/xereous Sep 03 '13
http://www.anysoldier.com/index.cfm http://www.operationgratitude.com
I've received a package from the second one. Soldiers can go online and make specific requests and you can fill them! Great stuff!
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u/murphy1210 Sep 03 '13
I just want to think everyone In they military for what they do for us. My brother is going In the Air Force in a month or so, I'm gonna miss him a lot , and ill make sure to send him some of these suggestions !
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u/Toenail_Clipper Sep 03 '13
McDonald's BBQ sauce, GOOD toothpaste, and baby wipes
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u/cornbreadcasserole Sep 03 '13
Don't do my mistake and send water balloons
I sent a USB key filled with movies and books. He seemed to appreciate that. It's boring there and the Internet generally sucks.
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u/fumblesmcstupid Sep 03 '13
My brother was in the Marines and was stationed in Afghanistan. The only things he asked for were Easy Mac and baby wipes.
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u/Gentleman_Anarchist Sep 03 '13
Good coffee, a coffee press, and one of those hot water heater deals.
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u/Maj_LeeAwesome Sep 03 '13
I've sent a few to friends serving overseas. The ones that got the best receptions were just crammed full of random stuff either from the childhood nostalgia camp or the stuff-you-secretly-covet-but-would-never-buy-yourself: pop rocks, baseball cards, fun dip, candy necklaces, paddle balls, big league chew, poopatroopers, National Enquirer (or some other checkout aisle smut rag), wax lips, jawbreakers, water pistols, ring pops, nerds, sugar daddies, UFO frisbee guns, sling rockets. Take a stroll through Five Below and jsut grab a bunch of random goodies. Good times.
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Sep 03 '13 edited Sep 03 '13
Baby wipes, favorite candies, potato chips that aren't ketchup flavored, books or magazines to pass the time, and a hand written letter.
Edit: Oh! And toilet paper that doesn't cause anal bleeding!
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u/andrewiknowyou Sep 03 '13
In addition to all the good stuff like photos, candy (more candy and more candy though chocolate can melt so pick you packaging well), beef jerky, games and books, the boyfriend asked for pantyhose and tampons. I was starting to get worried that he has some secret fetish, but it turns out the panty hose was to keep the spider camels out of his boots and the tampons cleaned everything.
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Sep 03 '13
I send my cousin rolls of chew or cartons of cigarettes - he then trades them for whatever he wants.
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u/benryhond Sep 03 '13
Vodka in a Listerine container....whiskey in an apple juice contrainer.
Yes, this is against the rules. Only do it if you know everyone can manage.
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Sep 03 '13
My most common care package requests when deployed were liquid coffee creamer and gummy bears. Gummy bears were like currency, and the coffee creamer made that MRE coffee not so bad. The creamer can ship, there's no dairy in it. We checked.
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u/mehvet Sep 03 '13
Two very practical, not comfort, things I always loved having are badger hair barber brushes and bore snakes. These are both used for weapons cleaning and work phenomenally well, but can wear out fairly fast and be hard to replace. Link to an example of a bore snake if you've never heard of it: http://www.primaryarms.com/Hoppe-s-Viper-BoreSnake-22-223-5-56mm-p/24011v.htm
If you do order one make sure it's either 5.56mm or 7.62mm (those are the NATO calibers), you can find them at gun stores or a decent surplus store. Barber brushes are usually on the bottom shelf of a grocery store shaving aisle.
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Sep 03 '13
A1 Sauce, ketchup, mustard and other condiments. We always run out of stuff like that at the DFAC. Anything that will make the chow taste better.
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u/DeweyCheatem Sep 03 '13
My friends all say the best gift they got was a softball bat, gloves and ball.
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Sep 03 '13
Naked pictures of my wife.
Seriously though for me she sent 10 bags of my favourite sunflower seeds and I was in heaven.
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Sep 03 '13
beef jerky
sriracha
socks
underpants (both of these get so manky after a while that it isn't even worth trying to wash them. It's just better to have new ones)
baby wipes
chocolate
batteries
q-tips
playing cards
purell
unscented moisturizer
baby powder
chewing tobacco
tweezers
nail clippers
visine
motherfucking PENS and those pocket-sized paper pads
IBUPROFEN (go with the 400mg extra strength kind for SURE)
dental floss and those tiny travel sewing kits
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u/Otter_Actual Sep 03 '13
Ramen, its expensive or impossible to get.
Christmas lights
beef jerky
External hard drives Loaded with movies/games
EASY MAC
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u/Shinbiku Sep 03 '13
I loved the packets of propel flavoring for water. You drink so much water overseas, its nice to get something that can change it up in a matter of seconds and you can carry like 100 of them in your cargo pocket, just in case you and your team get stuck outside the wire. Anything edible on the go is nice also.
Edit: You drink so much water in the military period. Its their answer to everything. I've literally seen a guy collapsed on the ground next to our barracks holding his stomach and his sergeant was yelling at him because he needed to drink more water. His appendix had burst.
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u/cam18_2000 Sep 03 '13
I was just in afghanistan a few months ago. Water bottles are plentiful at most FOBs and those single use drink mix packages, especially lemonade went like crazy. Good beef jerkey, q tips, wet wipes, a nice pillow, comfortable sheets or towels (brown or dark green), and most importantly something personal, family pictures, thank you cards, letters, all of that stuff is awesome. I had a cat named Snicklefritz(just passed away last month) that reminded me of the gopher from caddy shack. My wife bought one of those singing cards of Kenny Loggins "I'm alright" with a picture of Snicks being forced to dance inside. I unknowingly opened it at like 11pm to have that song flood through a room with 7 other guys trying to sleep. It was awesome.
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u/themokeesluvr15 Sep 03 '13
As someone who sends happy boxes over seas, to afghanistan i would suggest baby wipes lots of baby wipes, candy not chocolate, it will get there melted, ciggaretts if he smokes, toilettries, online you can find things they might like, playing cards etc.
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u/incrimiNET Sep 03 '13
Empty a mouth wash bottle out, fill it with vodka and color it with food coloring.
A hand written and thoughtful letter.
A photo of you and some of his mates.
Some packs of haribo or other sweeties that he can share with his friends.
Some condiments, like tobasco sauce or sweet shilli sauce.
Nuts, or Zoo or other interesting mens magazine. Something with tits in it.
Alternatively - Porno mags.
Shit food - like crisps, sweets, biscuits, cookies.
sun cream and chapstick
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u/RekkaRekkaRekka Sep 03 '13
I just came back from the field, your answer is baby wipes. I am thankful I remembered mine.
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u/SnipeyMcSnipe Sep 03 '13
Socks and snacks. But really...some nice socks. It makes a huge difference.