One of the greatest things you can do for a soldier overseas is send him or her a care package. My husband can’t wait for “mail day” every Sunday or Monday, because every box reminds him how much our family and friends care about him and what he’s doing for our country. But after so long, I was struggling to think of new things to put in his care packages, so I came up with this list. There are general items that the soldiers really like and then a couple extra special things I thought I’d add.
Toiletries
Any Wal-Mart or smaller specialty store like CVS or Walgreens has those travel-friendly toiletries that are approved for flying on airplanes, since they are two ounces or less. These are also great to send to overseas. Here are the items I often send to my husband and sometimes to his friends:
Disposable razor blades
Goldbond’s Foot powder
Baby wipes (they can use these to clean lots of stuff, from theirselves to their guns)
Charmin toilet paper to-go
Dental care (toothpaste, toothbrush, mouthwash)
Deodorant
Bath stuff (shampoo, conditioner, bodywash)
Travel ziploc bags
The MRE’s (Meals, Ready to Eat) aren’t the greatest and sometimes the soldiers are on-the-go, so sending snacks are great. Here are a bunch of great ideas that are all approved for military care packages:
Cheese and cracker packages
100 calorie packs
Breakfast and granola bars
Pringles
Gum and candy (not really a snack food, but still tasty!)
Combos
Peanut butter-filled pretzels
Nuts and trail mix
Oreos (chocolate melts, but oreos don’t!)
Instant Drink Mixes
Individual packages of Gatorade, Powerade, etc. are great. The soldiers can simply pour them into a water bottle or their canteen and go. I also found these self-heating coffees and hot chocolates at Wal-Mart that come in their own plastic thermos. My husband loves these, especially when he is on post on a cold night and is exhausted. They come in a variety of flavors and only cost $2. Another way to give your soldier a burst of energy is to buy those little five-hour energy shots. I heard they work really well and are tiny enough to carry in their packs.
Sentiments of Home
The most important stuff to send in care packages are sentiments of home. This includes pictures of family and friends, newspaper clippings of events he or she might find interesting, and short letters that include memories of you and your soldier together. It’s extremely hard for them over there (in Iraq or Afghanistan); these things give your soldier something to be fight (and stay alive) for. If you have a child that your husband hasn’t seen since deployment, send a pair of baby booties or cute mementos.
Reading/Writing Material
A lot of the time, the soldiers are just sitting around with not much to do. Put lots of reading and writing materials in their care packages so they can pass the time. Magazines, books, local and nationwide newspapers, and letters are great. And even though it is much easier to call and e-mail loved ones back in the United States now, still send pens, notebooks, and envelopes for your soldier to write to family and friends. Letters are more personal and can be saved to look back on.
Entertainment
If your soldier has an iPod, send a fun new set of headphones. Or, if they have a portable DVD player, send movies. You can often find great older movies in the $5 bin at many superstores. Remember to send lots of batteries, too! They use AA’s and AAA’s for more than just their electronics. Other things to send that are entertaining are playing cards and Nerf balls.
Money/Reloadable Debit Cards
The soldiers overseas can use paper money over there, but reloadable debit cards are more practical and useful. If they need to buy calling cards or anything online, they can use these cards.
Work Out Gear
Instead of those teeny tiny, military issued shorts, send your soldier a couple pairs of gym shorts and shirts. You can either send them ones they had at home, or buy a couple cheap at a sports specialty store. My husband and I love West Virginia University football (we are both from West Virginia), so I sent him a couple Mountaineer football shirts for working out. These remind him of home and let him workout more comfortably.
For more care package ideas, try going online to MilitaryParents.com or Military.com!
