What to send a soldier in Afghanistan?

Tom · #1 10-01-2010, 10:38 AM

Hey guys,

Long time buddy of mine was deployed to Afghan and his company is asking for items to send as a Christmas package. They are requesting items in bulk to be distributed among the soldiers, but I can also bring specific things for my buddy. So I come to you guys for advice as I have no idea what to give.

He says he doesn't really need anything and his wife says he doesn't ask for anything because they have a PX over there.

Some info on my buddy:
- Young
- Officer
- Newly wed (right before his deployment)
- Spends most of his time on a forward operating base or out in the field

He says he is usually busy, with lots of paperwork and missions. He went over there with like 100 movies on a USB drive and says he has only watched a few.

So I ask:
1) Any suggestions on what to send the company? I was thinking peanuts, trail mix, beef jerky, etc.
2) Any suggestions on what to send my buddy to boost his moral?

bud0810 · #2 10-01-2010, 10:46 AM

for sure beef jerky my buddy loved that when he was over there hand warmers lol i know its wierd but thats what he wanted and for your buddy buy a 2 litter of coke dump half out and fill it back up with jd and secure the lid back on lol my buddy was pretty shocked about that one but he loved it!!!

smakes · #3 10-01-2010, 10:52 AM

couple issues of playboy or hustler. lol

FireRanger · #4 10-01-2010, 11:02 AM

Booze, porn, and bootleg movies. I think we've covered it all now.

SPless · #5 10-01-2010, 11:06 AM

agree with all of the above, but I've heard before that socks are a highly wanted item over there...if you think about it, it makes sense

01_ranger_4x4 · #6 10-01-2010, 11:08 AM

beef jerky! that was my favorite when i was in Iraq. any snack food that wont melt in the heat and can be carried easily in a backpack or ruck. energy drinks, gatorade, batterys are always good because they are hard to get over there sometimes, AA and AAA are the most common. magazines, and one cool thing my parents sent me was a mini Christmas tree that i set up in our MWR. really, any package from home is a moral booster, its nice to know the people back home havent forgotten about you.

merlin215 · #7 10-01-2010, 11:09 AM

CVS kinda stuff , snacks , books & magazines , doughnuts , gadgets , Local papers , Songs - IPOd Music etc .

Tom · #8 10-01-2010, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bud0810

for sure beef jerky my buddy loved that when he was over there hand warmers lol i know its wierd but thats what he wanted and for your buddy buy a 2 litter of coke dump half out and fill it back up with jd and secure the lid back on lol my buddy was pretty shocked about that one but he loved it!!!

Thoughts crossed my mind but him being a young officer that's interested in making a career out of it, I know he wouldn't want to jeopardize anything. He knows he is there to do what hes got to do, and to do it correctly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPless

agree with all of the above, but I've heard before that socks are a highly wanted item over there...if you think about it, it makes sense

Good idea, thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 01_ranger_4x4

beef jerky! that was my favorite when i was in Iraq. any snack food that wont melt in the heat and can be carried easily in a backpack or ruck. energy drinks, gatorade, batterys are always good because they are hard to get over there sometimes, AA and AAA are the most common. magazines, and one cool thing my parents sent me was a mini Christmas tree that i set up in our MWR. really, any package from home is a moral booster, its nice to know the people back home havent forgotten about you.

Thanks for the ideas. One thing I'm curious about with the snack food idea is it just to get in a variety? Almost everyone I've talked to about being overseas mentions how they take food from the cafeterias and hand it out to the locals.

Quote:

Originally Posted by merlin215

CVS kinda stuff , snacks , books & magazines , doughnuts , gadgets , Local papers , Songs - IPOd Music etc .

Local papers, I'm liking that idea. He asks me all the time about what is going on over here. Thanks.

smakes · #9 10-01-2010, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 01_ranger_4x4

marble walls? were you set up in sadams palace or what lol.

Clinton · #10 10-01-2010, 11:42 AM

If you send food jerky is one of the best. We used to send my bro jerky, corn nuts and stuff that wouldnt melt from the heat while shipping. We also emptied out listerine bottles and filled them with whiskey. Slice the wrapper off the top with a razor empty and rinse the bottle, jim beam and jack daniels were a hit there! Put the wrapper back on, either tape it or melt the plastic seal back together. Pat is right about jerky being a hit. My bro's company was only allowed to eat once a day but he made the jerky last in between his MRE's so they would appreciate that.

TurdFX4 · #11 10-01-2010, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smakes

marble walls? were you set up in sadams palace or what lol.

a guy I work with took a piss in one of saddam's golden toilets

01_ranger_4x4 · #12 10-01-2010, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smakes

marble walls? were you set up in sadams palace or what lol.

lol far from it, its cheap paneling on the wall. our MWR was just a trailer, but i did visit one of his palaces on one of our missions to bagdad. golden toilets really do exist. ive got pics ill post some day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clinton

We also emptied out listerine bottles and filled them with whiskey. Slice the wrapper off the top with a razor empty and rinse the bottle, jim beam and jack daniels were a hit there! .

ha ha my friends did that for me too but it doesnt matter how well you rinse the bottle, the listerine taste is always there, but we didnt complain. lol i dont recommend doing that though, if you get caught with that its bad news bears.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom

Thanks for the ideas. One thing I'm curious about with the snack food idea is it just to get in a variety? Almost everyone I've talked to about being overseas mentions how they take food from the cafeterias and hand it out to the locals.

yeah stuff like skittles, (they dont melt) corn nuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, (another favorite, local kids loved them too) combos, twizzlers ect. we started asking for beanie babies that everyone wanted to get rid of and we'd toss them to the kids from our trucks.

vapiper · #13 10-01-2010, 05:26 PM

when a buddy of mine was over..he loved getting handy wipes (sometimes there are no toilets with toilet paper LOL ) Jerky, and they (if they are coffee drinkers) Love the starbucks instant coffee...I think there are other brands being made as well (small easy to carry packets)

Grizzly · #14 10-01-2010, 07:38 PM

Socks, some real socks would be good. Beef jurkey, peanuts, books or magazines, if he smokes or chews then send him alot of ciggaretes or chew. And if he doesnt smoke or chew, send him some anyways.

Ranger Sport · #15 10-01-2010, 08:39 PM

A picture of as many close family and friends you can gather in, then you make them sign their names, and if the photo is big enough, some words of ecouragement.

I know it sounds cheezy, but that would help me a lot if i were abroad.