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Jana sent us the following email and list from her husband, an officer with 2-8 FA. Her husband asked his soldiers what items they like to receive in care packages. Since this is such a popular question, we thought it would be helpful to post the answers here. Also, if you're interested, Jana's husband has agreed to distribute any Christmas packages that people would like to send.
Link to Article
By Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 23, 2004 -- With so many military families scrambling to ship holiday care packages to their loved ones deployed around the world, the U.S. Postal Service is stepping in to make things a bit easier.
It's offering a package of free packing materials, including 10 boxes, 10 customs forms with envelopes, 10 "Mili-Pac" shipping envelopes, which are specially printed to reflect the complexities of military mailing addresses, and a roll of Priority Mail tape.
[Link to Full Article]
By Steven Field
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Nov. 15, 2004) -- ’Tis the season to be giving, but people sending holiday cards and packages to Soldiers serving overseas should send them early and follow the rules for mail distribution, said a military postal official.
“To ensure delivery…to military [Army Post Office/Fleet Post Office] addresses overseas and to international addresses, we suggest mail be sent by the recommended dates provided by the U.S. Postal service,” said Mark DeDomenic, the assistant deputy director and chief of operations for the Military Postal Service Agency.
Susan Sutter gets a brief mention in the following article.
[Link to Full Article]
By ETTA WALSH
CHICOPEE - Over the weekend, Mabel Charron of Ludlow played hostess to her brothers and sisters for a packaging event in which the group prepared boxes of items requested by troops stationed in Iraq.
Charron and sister Donna Goodreau, an advertising manager at The Republican, had already sent some items to great-nephew Army Pfc. Justin R. Colby, 20, a medic with the 2nd Infantry in Iraq.
Colby had asked his parents, Tammy and Butch Colby of Ludlow, to send some routine items that would make life a little easier.
Susan Sutter gets a brief mention in the following article.
[Link to Full Article]
By ETTA WALSH
CHICOPEE - Over the weekend, Mabel Charron of Ludlow played hostess to her brothers and sisters for a packaging event in which the group prepared boxes of items requested by troops stationed in Iraq.
Charron and sister Donna Goodreau, an advertising manager at The Republican, had already sent some items to great-nephew Army Pfc. Justin R. Colby, 20, a medic with the 2nd Infantry in Iraq.
Colby had asked his parents, Tammy and Butch Colby of Ludlow, to send some routine items that would make life a little easier.
Mailing a Christmas package to Iraq? Read the DoD recommendations here.
Liz Jackson of Patriotic Pastime has organized a Washington State Stomp this weekend to promote the Hero to Hero project. Follow the link to read more and see how you might be able to help. The 3-2 SBCT received many of the t-shirts from last year's campaign - be sure to check out the photos from the soldiers in Iraq.
There seems to be a constant question about which calling card is best to use from Iraq. While it porbably depends quite a bit on where your soldier is located, the following article provides some useful information.
UPDATE: Some good information in the comments. Bottom line - find out from your soldier what facilities are available before you buy anything.
[Link to Article]
By Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2004 -- Looking to buy a prepaid phone card for a servicemember deployed to Southwest Asia, but confused about which one to buy?
Take comfort in knowing you're not alone. With so many competing companies offering different calling cards, picking the best one can be a tough call.
Here's a recent press release from a local organization that is sending Christmas packages to deployed soldiers.
KIRKLAND, WA (PRWEB) September 30, 2004 -- A can-do attitude by a core group of volunteers means thousands of U.S. troops in Iraq are likely to receive holiday gift boxes this year from Kirkland’s “Operation Iraq: The Spirit of Christmas” project.
Kirkland retailer Ruth Ann Young, who organized last year’s undertaking that generated more than 6,000 parcels, said volunteers who wanted to repeat the effort this year had to overcome a number of obstacles that until last week left the prospects in doubt.
Shane sent us a link to an organization called Operation Air Conditioner. The group has many projects to benefit the troops, but the primary mission is to send A/C units to Iraq and Afghanistan. If you are a deployed servicemember, a family member of a deployed servicemember, or someone who is interested in donating to this cause, take minute to visit the link above.
The following articles describe the efforts of two groups to provide care packages to deployed soldiers. We will add the groups' websites to our links page, where we list a number of other organizations offering similar services.
Dog Sitter linked to an article last weekend that mentioned the upcoming effort to collect donations at a local Safeway supermarket. The items collected will be included in care packages for Jake Herring's 5-20 INF platoon. If you recall, Jake was killed on April 28. Susan Sutter, Jake's mom, came up with the idea as a way to recognize the soldiers in his platoon.
I provided additional details on the bulletin board, but thought it would be useful to include them here as well. If you live in the Puget Sound region you can visit the Rose Hill Safeway (map & driving directions) this Saturday, July 3rd from 9 AM to 5 PM and make a donation. If you don't live in the area, but would like to help out, Susan has agreed to accept monetary donations via snail mail. Monetary donations will purchase Safeway gift cards for families to use for parties or BBQs when the platoon returns. Send me an email (todd at strykernews.com) and I can provide you with a mailing address.
Albertsons Brings 4th of July Closer to Home for Thousands of Deployed Americans
185 Computers Sent to Camp Anaconda Improves Troops' Access to Email
BOISE, Idaho, June 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Albertson's, Inc.
announced today that it is shipping 185 computers to Camp Anaconda in Central
Iraq to connect family and friends with deployed loved ones in a contribution
linked to celebration of 4th of July weekend. The donation comes in response
to the US Army's concern that too few computers were available at Camp
Anaconda, the main Army base camp in Iraq. This situation has resulting in
limited Internet access and hundreds of troops in line, at any given time,
waiting to communicate home.
[Link to Full Article]
By Fred Zimmerman, Stars and Stripes
QATAR — For troops throughout Central Command’s area of operations, staying in touch with loved ones can be tough. Often there are no phones to pick up or computers with Internet access to fire off e-mails.
Marilyn wanted to let everyone know about a group organizing an adoption program for Stryker soldiers. Click on over to Adopt-A-Stryker Soldier for more information if you're interested in adopting a soldier, or want to submit a soldier's name to be adopted.
A couple weeks ago we linked to an article about a VFW post in Michigan that, along with a project manager for the Stryker Brigade Combat Team, decided to adopt the Stryker Brigade. Keith Whitten, the project manager, sent us an email yesterday to give us an update on the group's progress. To date Support Our Troops has shipped 1,848 pounds of goods, which are now en route to the brigade from Germany. Keith said he would forward photos of the donations arriving in Iraq.
This is an ongoing effort so if you happen to live near St. Clair Shores or Warren, Michigan and would like to get involved, we've provided contact information below. Thank you Support Our Troops for your efforts, they are much appreciated.
NEWINGTON, CT, May 7, 2004--Fourteen large boxes filled with school supplies, books and toys are on their way to needy schoolchildren in Northern Iraq, thanks to the generous spirit of ARRL Headquarters staff members.
Liz Jackson is busy with another great project.
By MIKE BARBER
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
Karen Leming of the Tacoma Fire Department's Engine 10 is giving U.S. troops in Iraq the shirt off her back.
So are Stacy Waterworth, Bruce Bouyer and scores of fellow firefighters, police and other public-safety officers around the region at the one-year anniversary of the start of war in Iraq...
I meant to post this last week.
Thursday, February 5, 2004
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER STAFF
KIRKLAND -- Ruth Ann Young was honored yesterday with an "Everyday Hero Award" for coordinating a Christmas drive of 6,000 gift packages for U.S. military personnel in Iraq.
I've found two separate volunteer groups sending books to soldiers abroad. If you have any extra books, DVDs or supplies, stop by Books for Soldiers or Operation Paperback (thanks Melody) for more information about how you can help.
Patti, whose son is currently serving in Iraq, maintains two websites you might like to visit. A Soldier's Blog is dedicated to providing news from Iraq, while Soldier's Angels aims, "to provide aid and comfort to any and all armed forces and their families." Keep up the great work Patti!
We'll add these to our links page for future reference.
Patti, whose son is currently serving in Iraq, maintains two websites you might like to visit. A Soldier's Blog is dedicated to providing news from Iraq, while Soldier's Angels aims, "to provide aid and comfort to any and all armed forces and their families." Keep up the great work Patti!
We'll add these to our links page for future reference.
Molly sent a link to AAFES's "Gifts From the Homefront" program, which allows you to purchade a military exchange gift certificate for soldiers serving overseas. If you don't know a soldier personally, there are a number of other services available that match you with a soldier in need.
Thanks for the link.
Reading this entry by Sgt. Hook at his blog reminded me of the conversations on the bulletin board regarding care package items (steaks, lawn chairs etc.). Hook will be deploying to Afghanistan this spring and has decided to stockpile charcoal so he can host weekly BBQs for his troops while they are over there.
(via Robert Prather)
I didn't even get the name of the woman who sent this to me, but it's kind of funny so I'll pass it along. Apparently a friend sent this nifty tourist map of Iraq to her husband serving with 3-2.
When you follow the link, make sure you enlarge the photo of the map. In the upper-left corner it reads, "Map for Businessmen & Tourists." I guess they are taking care of business.
Victoria wrote to let me know that she talked to received an email from her husband and apparently 5-20 received a large shipment of mail and packages yesterday. Maybe yours got through?
I thought I would pass along a couple unconventional care package possibilities that I found via Joe Katzman at Winds of Change. If your soldier has contact with the locals over there, consider the book, "Modern Iraqi Arabic: A Textbook," which includes audio CDs as well. A cheaper alternative is, "Your First 100 Words in Arabic," which comes with tear-out flashcards. For what it's worth.
Also, there has been some good care package advice on the bulletin board. Stop by if you haven't registered already.
Greetings everyone.
Annie has been gracious enough to offer some assistance to the members of our Stryker Brigade web site. If you are close to Fort Lewis and plan on sending a letter in the next few days, (January 3rd deadline) send her an email at:
wishlist772@msn.com
Annie can give you some of the particulars via email. No packages, just letters.
Greetings everyone.
Annie has been gracious enough to offer some assistance to the members of our Stryker Brigade web site. If you are close to Fort Lewis and plan on sending a letter in the next few days, (January 3rd deadline) send her an email at:
wishlist772@msn.com
Annie can give you some of the particulars via email. No packages, just letters.
Sara sent a good link to the USPS website that provides guidelines and answers questions about sending mail to the troops.
There's also an article in a local Indiana paper that describes what one Stryker mom is sending her son - baby wipes, lots of them.
There still seems to be confusion about the zip code for sending mail. Some people have been told to use a different one, others have been told that the original is correct. My only advice is to use the one you were given until you've been told otherwise.
I know a number of people are wondering what to send in care packages. A Gerber 600 tool and Coffeemate Dairy Creamer have been mentioned in the comments to other entries. Can any of you provide more information? You can pass along ideas, or perhaps the address of a website with more info in the comments.
Maybe we can catalogue the items on the new site for future reference.
Thanks.
UPDATE: There are many good suggestions in the comments section. Lynn Diaz also sent a list she compiled from a number of different websites. There may be a few repeat items, but I don't have the patience to scour the list. Just click below to read the expanded entry.