Andrew - OT

[Susan]

I wanted to do something for the troops - like a care package. I was  considering having my office participate but i'm not sure how that will pan out, they get all riled up if you even put something in the breakroom trying to get them to buy something for a good cause. Of course i don't really know of how to tell if a site is legit other than it showing the APO addresses. One i was considering was Any Soldier

Seems that it's different these days in tha soldiers can log on the computer and watch dvd's so I really don't know what all they have over there or need. I'm assuming they get toiletries like deoderant. It seems when u search that site they list some items but i may end up picking up things as i go without any specific persons list in hand.

I'm on a tight budget and the last year has not been pretty for me, but i'd like to do what I can now that i'm a little ahead. I may have someone go in with me. The site above suggests the package will first go to the soldiers who don't get any or much mail (which i REALLY like that idea) or distributed and shared.

What would be some ideas to send in a care package besides the obvious ?



Post Edited (06-03-05 20:47)

[Andrew]

The Any Soldier site looks like a decent choice.  It is always so hard to tell with small, independent charity work.

One of the things about being out there is that things are limited.  We had a small PX (it was a little building at the old Iraqi base we were using) and it had soap, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.  This was great, so long as you liked Irish Spring, mint Crest, and Right Guard.  There was no variety.

One of the better packages we received was just a box full of different types of toothpaste.  The Marines all passed it around, each picking out the kind that they liked.  Since it is now summer (and temps over there will stay above 110 until October I bet), Gatorade mix is great.  We loved getting that too.

We all traded movies back and forth.  Lots of us did have a portable DVD player or laptop, but our selection of movies was limited.  Some of the MGM midnight movies could be cool, especially stuff like the Phibes films or such.  Good books also get traded around, with a fair number of the Marines reading military fiction, science fiction, and horror.

[Susan]

Yeah my concern was whether or not it would even arrive there, i don't how addressing a box to the attn: Any soldier would get by the post office. I know depending on where you are (and if you are lucky to be near a px) what you have varies. It was interesting to see how some soldiers on the site list their needs as sunblock, kevlar, blankets..etc while others would list stuff like super soakers, tv's and volleyball. Who's gonna send a whole tv? That obviously depends on their duties and locale

Altho i like the idea of sending dvd's for entertainment purposes I would be afraid of listing that on the box, insuring it might be one  way to at least deter theft.  Could you guys get in trouble for the content of movies or did anything go?

Thanks for the ideas, books are a great idea. Our library sells used books in good condition and they always have tons of sci fi stuff for a quarter a book and magazines are like 10cents. Our library gets donations from the hoity toity people in the city so it's always in good if not new condition.  So you guys also received packages from supporters (non-family)?

[Ken Begg]

I went through this site when Andrew was overseas and we did a care package drive in his honor:

http://www.opgratitude.com

I know some guys in Andrew's unit got packages from them, so he can probably tell you how good they were.  But I have nothing but good things to say about this site and the woman who founded and runs the organization.

[Andrew]

We received a bunch of packages from people we did not know.  When we first got there, almost anything was useful.  Look at it this way, suddenly we had 1500 new Marines in the area and all found items that they needed.  Sunblock was big at first, but after about a month the PX system caught up with the stuff we really needed (sunblock, insect repellent, etc).  

I can get you the address for the Marines who replaced my unit.  They are near Fallujah.  Besides that, many of the Marines I know were out there right before I arrived or while I was there.  This new group is mostly Camp Lejeune Marines.

We did not have any problems with mail theft in my company.  And several of us received DVDs that were listed as such on the customs slip.

[Master Blaster]

Junk food went over well for my friend and his unit. He was complaining about the lack of sweets so my wife, his wife, and I packaged up a bunch of cookies and such and sent it off to him.