NationStates Jolt Archive

We had this talk in class about maybe sending holiday care packages to to troops as a school project, and while I might hate the idea of praising them in a note on a holiday card (which I had to do before, ugh.), I do like putting care packages together. They're fun and nifty at times.

I don't know, maybe it's the fact that it's unexpected that makes it so enjoyable for me. Who cares? *shrugs*

Having never made a package that might have restrictions, I ask you for suggestions of what they might like or could use.

And what would you send them? Nekid pix? A map with an escape rout on it?

porn, wet wipes and some tasty treats

also your Girlfriends email

Given that they're in a Muslim country, avoid porn and pork.

When I was over there people sent us all kinds of crap. Cassette tapes, VHS tapes, chocolate (with the predictably dire consequences), toilet paper, etc. Lots of crap we didn't need. Don't get me wrong, we appreciated the thought, but we threw lots of crap away every day.

I'd suggest sending books or cheap DVDs. They're bored. Extremely bored. Even if they're going out of the wire almost every day, they're bored.

Powdered Iced Tea mix. The kind with nutrasweet or splenda.

It travels well, keeps well in heat, is light, and is probably a very welcome change from water, coffee and non-alcoholic beer(shudder).

Given that they're in a Muslim country, avoid porn and pork.

Hah. I don't think they're forced to observe Muslim dietary rules. :p

Anyway: candy, cigarettes, cd/mp3 players, any other kind of electronics, maybe harmonicas or other small musical instruments. I'm guessing stuff like that would be good.

A plane ticket.

Speaking from personal experience, having been deployed away from home before, write them; they like to hear from people back home, and baked goods always go over well... Make sure it's enough for everyone....

We had this talk in class about maybe sending holiday care packages to to troops as a school project, and while I might hate the idea of praising them in a note on a holiday card (which I had to do before, ugh.), I do like putting care packages together. They're fun and nifty at times.

I don't know, maybe it's the fact that it's unexpected that makes it so enjoyable for me. Who cares? *shrugs*

Having never made a package that might have restrictions, I ask you for suggestions of what they might like or could use.

And what would you send them? Nekid pix? A map with an escape rout on it?


At my former place of employment we adopted a soldier (Lt. Rivera) and his platoon. We asked him for suggestions and he gave us the following:

Books
Magazines
Games (decks of cards and the like)
toiletries - sunscreen, powder, deodorant, soap, moisterizer, moistened towelettes, toothbrushes - some of the women in his area requested more "feminine" things - all of these things were in short supply in Iraq.
Write them letters.
Gum
Any food item that will travel, like beef jerky, trail mix (not chocolate because it melts).
Hometown newspapers.
Pens, Pencils, paper, crossword puzzles.

My daughter, who was in the Middle East during the Gulf War, confirms this partial list.

My daughter, who was in the Middle East during the Gulf War, confirms this partial list.

I dunno, by the time I left Iraq in the spring of 2004 there were PXs at every single base with all of that. True, it's nice to get it for free, but it's not hard to get.

We had this talk in class about maybe sending holiday care packages to to troops as a school project, and while I might hate the idea of praising them in a note on a holiday card (which I had to do before, ugh.), I do like putting care packages together. They're fun and nifty at times.

I don't know, maybe it's the fact that it's unexpected that makes it so enjoyable for me. Who cares? *shrugs*

Having never made a package that might have restrictions, I ask you for suggestions of what they might like or could use.

And what would you send them? Nekid pix? A map with an escape rout on it?
...

Treats from your area/hometown. Snackbags and what not.

and items from Anti-Social Darwinism's list. granted they could get those at the PX, but it's also nice to get such things from people from home.

I dunno, by the time I left Iraq in the spring of 2004 there were PXs at every single base with all of that. True, it's nice to get it for free, but it's not hard to get.

Unfortunately, being a submariner, I did not have the benefit of a PX or its equivalent... There was no such thing as a "ship's store" as it's called usually, aboard my ship... Part of it may depend on who exactly this package is going to.

Unfortunately, being a submariner, I did not have the benefit of a PX or its equivalent... There was no such thing as a "ship's store" as it's called usually, aboard my ship... Part of it may depend on who exactly this package is going to.

Very much so. If they're on some forgotten FOB in the middle of the Afghan mountains, they need anything they can get. If they're living in Camp Victory (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Victory) there's not much they really need.

Check before you send this one out, but a copy of Halo 3 would not be disliked, from what I've heard.

Yes, I would, and have, for my uncle.

I have never agreed with war in either Iraq, or Afghanistan; I hold both to be exemplars of pernicious interventionist, democratic evangelising. However, my respect for what the British army consistently deals with, and the response with which their endeavours are met domestically and internationally, is immense.

Gay porn with 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' across the covers.

We had this talk in class about maybe sending holiday care packages to to troops as a school project, and while I might hate the idea of praising them in a note on a holiday card (which I had to do before, ugh.), I do like putting care packages together. They're fun and nifty at times.

I don't know, maybe it's the fact that it's unexpected that makes it so enjoyable for me. Who cares? *shrugs*

Having never made a package that might have restrictions, I ask you for suggestions of what they might like or could use.

And what would you send them? Nekid pix? A map with an escape rout on it?

TP, wet wipes, drink mixes (like iced tea, lemonade, etc), hard candies (probably not chocolate if they're in the desert, due to meltyness), magazines, etc. I'm not certain, but I don't think they're allowed to receive porn. Baked goods might not be the best idea either, as it may take a week or 2 to get to the soldiers.

I'd suggest sending books or cheap DVDs. They're bored. Extremely bored. Even if they're going out of the wire almost every day, they're bored.

Probably the best idea. Books, especially.

Books and some pints of lager in Capri-sun packets.

cans of green chile and cds of new mexico music

verrrrry hard to get in iraq.

A hooker.

A plane ticket home would be the greatest thing you could give them...unfortunately you can't.

Clowns. Oodles and oodles of clowns.

Clowns. Oodles and oodles of clowns.

We've got an overabundance of those in Washington...maybe we could even ship them via Air Force 1.

We've got an overabundance of those in Washington...maybe we could even ship them via Air Force 1.

Good idea, but make sure you donate wigs. What is a clown without a wig?

And what would you send them? Nekid pix? A map with an escape rout on it?

A plane ticket with a false passport hidden inside a cake if I was feeling generous, but I'm saving those for myself for when my super-secret devious plan goes tits-up. And I just can't bring myself to give away a good cake.

Porn is another good suggestion.

In reality, though, I wouldn't send them a thing. They get paid a lot more than I do, they can buy their own stuff.

Clowns. Oodles and oodles of clowns.

/kidnaps LG and sticks him in a box. :D

/kidnaps LG and sticks him in a box. :D

*suddenly appears next to the box*

What? I think, therefore I am... and I always think outside the box. :)

Anysoldier.com has a list of specific requests sent in from the field: http://www.anysoldier.com/WhereToSend/

They also have general advice:
http://www.anysoldier.com/WhatToSend.cfm


Make sure you mail it to someone specific, preferably someone you know already.

Due to some security concerns, the armed forces no longer allow mail that is not addressed to a specific soldier to be sent to troops deployed overseas. You will need an address for a specific soldier functioning as a contact person for his or her unit in order to send "any soldier" or "unit support" mail.
http://www.campdoha.org/supporters/writing.htm

(The first link above provides this info.)

/kidnaps LG and sticks him in a box. :D

Oh dear. This won't end well... Poor GM.... Heheheheheh. :D

I have a friend who is deployed and he always welcomes TP (good brand) hard candy (like mints) and a toothbrush (it's hard to keep his clean and in good order)

Anysoldier.com has a list of specific requests sent in from the field: http://www.anysoldier.com/WhereToSend/

They also have general advice:
http://www.anysoldier.com/WhatToSend.cfm


Make sure you mail it to someone specific, preferably someone you know already.


http://www.campdoha.org/supporters/writing.htm

(The first link above provides this info.)



Oh dear. This won't end well... Poor GM.... Heheheheheh. :D

Their are programs that allow citizens back home to "adopt" a specific soldier... This is generally the best way to go as far as wanting to get involved in such a manner... You're more or less "assigned" a deployed soldier/sailor who has submitted a request.

Signed autographs?

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h153/IlieNS/Aug07PhillyMeetup/2007-8-25006.jpg

Their are programs that allow citizens back home to "adopt" a specific soldier... This is generally the best way to go as far as wanting to get involved in such a manner... You're more or less "assigned" a deployed soldier/sailor who has submitted a request.

Yep. You can adopt a platoon or company as well: http://adoptaplatoon.org/new/howtosupport.html has details.

Yep. You can adopt a platoon or company as well: http://adoptaplatoon.org/new/howtosupport.html has details.

At first glance, I thought it said "adoptaballoon". Which is at least as intriguing.

At first glance, I thought it said "adoptaballoon". Which is at least as intriguing.

This, combined with the previous post about sending you over there and a post I just made about Larry Waters in another thread results in the image of you now beinmg in a box strapped to a lawnchair being floated away on weather balloons. :eek:

Yep. You can adopt a platoon or company as well: http://adoptaplatoon.org/new/howtosupport.html has details.

And it's always nice getting a letter to help you stay connected in some manner to the world back home (especially when you're submerged in some undisclosed location for 50 or so days straight)....

Fudge. Everyone loves fudge!

*suddenly appears next to the box*

What? I think, therefore I am... and I always think outside the box. :)

*puts LG in a spheroid*

Hah!

Unfortunately, being a submariner, I did not have the benefit of a PX or its equivalent... There was no such thing as a "ship's store" as it's called usually, aboard my ship... Part of it may depend on who exactly this package is going to.


Yeah. My daughter was on the U.S.S. Shenandoah, a destroyer tender. Even though they had a ship's store, they ran out of things when they were under way and couldn't replenish them easily - things like deodorant, shampoo, tp, soap and the like. They'll bend over backwards to make sure mail from home gets to soldiers and sailors, but sometimes they're a little backwards about getting other necessities to them.

*puts LG in a spheroid*

Hah!

:eek:

Shit!

We had this talk in class about maybe sending holiday care packages to to troops as a school project, and while I might hate the idea of praising them in a note on a holiday card (which I had to do before, ugh.), I do like putting care packages together. They're fun and nifty at times.

I don't know, maybe it's the fact that it's unexpected that makes it so enjoyable for me. Who cares? *shrugs*

Having never made a package that might have restrictions, I ask you for suggestions of what they might like or could use.

And what would you send them? Nekid pix? A map with an escape rout on it?

Legal advise on how to quit the organistation fast and easily.

What would you send to the troops?Porn + Kleenex.





and I would send it to the Iraqi Freedom Fighters too... unless it was against their religion/social/traditions/etc.

Fudge. Everyone loves fudge!

... but it's far too busy being delicious!