Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Care Packages For Your Soldier

Military wife; a title that would accurately describe me. Confused as to why our men and women are stationed in the middle of a desert is how I'm feeling. Nun; Not yet, but for how long I've been celibate, I have a feeling it wont be long until I'm a virgin again. That last sentence wasn't really relevant but it doesn't matter. For you military wives who have gone through a deployment, you should have a general idea of what I'm talking about. For those of you who have not yet, you're in for a surprise (and you may want to get yourself a B.O.B. in the meantime. Just to prepare).

Aside from the previous paragraph, this blog entry is directed toward anybody who has friends or family in the military and is interested in sending care packages. I know there are other blogs out there and websites which list items to send via care package, but for those of you who stumble upon this first, it saves you the trouble of looking for another (I also know I blogged a small list before, but this includes more with better descriptions and fancy links).

Here is a list of things which would be good to send to your soldier:

  • Jerky
  • Popcorn (pre-popped and can be flavored; Cheese, caramel, herb infused, whatever: you get the point. There are many companies out there like Fritolay with Smart Food as well as other brands.)
  • Ramen
  • Ketchup (Just don't be a cheapass when buying and sending ketchup, nobody likes bad ketchup.)
  • Peanut Butter
  • Jam/Jelly (Plastic container recommended)
  • Crackers
  • Cookies (Whether it be freshly baked at home, Chips Ahoy!, Keebler, Mothers. Most cookies should be safe to send, although I would steer away from obvious kinds that would melt en route.)
  • Headphones (In ear or even a good set of Deejays.)
  • Empty Spray Bottles
  • Personal Battery Operated Mini Fan
  • Colgate wisps (Some locations these are not necessary, but if your soldier does not have continuous access to a bathroom these are a godsend.)
  • Granola bars
  • Oatmeal
  • Blankets (Although many of our soldiers are stationed in the desert, do not be mistaken that it's boiling hot there all the time, it gets pretty freakin cold there in the winter.)
  • Pictures (Not all soldiers have access to electricity or the internet all the time. Facebook is not a guarentee. Print out some hard copies and send them. Walgreens and CVS have generally cheap prices on prints.)
  • Deodorant
  • Razer Blades (For shaving.)
  • Boots (Extra pair of military grade combat boots can come in handy, especially if your soldier is an unusual size)
  • Pens
  • Highlighters
  • Sharpies
  • Fabric softener sheets
  • M&Ms
  • Console Games (XBOX, PS3, Wii. Some companies like Gamefly will send games directly to your soldier at their FOB.)
  • Handheld Device Games (PSP, Gameboy Advance)
  • Lithium Rechargeable Battery (For handheld devices: iPOD, cell phones, PSP. Lenmar Battery, or similiar devices.)
  • Poptarts
  • Canned Soup
  • Instant Soup Mix
  • Ready Mixers (Made by Healthy Choice)
  • Homestyle Creations ( Marie Callendars)
  • Instant Coffee
  • Trail Mix
  • Nuts
  • Holiday Themed Items (I would avoid real pumpkins, real Christmas trees, rabbits, chicks or any other living things)
  • Letters
  • Books
  • Magazines
  • Tooth Brushes
  • Rice Crispy Treats (Individually packaged recommended)
  • Portable Hard Drives (With music, movies and pictures stored on it)
  • Extra bags (Sandwich size, quart size, gallon. I'm sure they come in handy.)
  • Qtips
  • .5"-1" Paint Brushes (To clean guns)
  • Hard Candy (Life Savers, Jolly Ranchers, etc.)
  • Chapstick
  • Soap
  • Gum
  • Hot Chocolate Packages
  • Easymac


There are many locations where you can pick up these items: Walmart, Target, local supermarket. And it is unnecessary to send all the items in one box. Most of these items are not needed, but they do make the stay over seas a little more comfortable on our soldiers.

It is recommended to bag your items in a trash bag before you slip them into the box you are sending just to avoid leaks and water/fluid damage to your own parcel. Otherwise, your soldier has an extra bag to store personal items, trash or can even use it as a fashion item.

When sending packages from the USA, the best and cheapest way to send your packages is via USPS Flat Rate Box which ships anywhere domestic or APO/AE for one flat rate, more if you'd like to put insurance on it.

There are other obviously other things you can send, these are just things listed for those of you who haven't the vaguest clue on what to send.

For those of you who don't want to go to the trouble of putting together your own care package, you can go to different websites which package and ship variety of care packages. Troop Care Pack, Military Care Packages dot Net, I'm sure you can google more.

To see other items and restrictions based on your soldiers location, you can go to

I hope the list and links help!