Care Packages for the Troops: Ideas

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Ideas and Suggestions for things to go into care packages
Snacks Candy (heat resistant) Chocolate Candy (December-April only) Snack cakes Fruit Breezes (throat drops) Cookies (heat proof) Bars (heat proof, like granola) Gum (no sticks) Beef jerky Twizzlers Trail mix Nuts Correspondence Writing Paper and Envelopes Pens/Pencils Drink Coffee (instant) Tea bags Coffee creamer Tea mixes (powdered, sweet) Gatorade (powdered) Powdered drink mixes Coffee flavorings (powdered) Food Sugar packets Condiments packages (ketchup, taco bell sauce, etc) Specialty canned food (olives, tamalies, etc) Canned fruit (pop top cans-seal in platic bags some have poped in transit) Cereal (in small boxes) Oatmeal (instant) Ravioli (pop top cans-seal in platic bags some have poped in transit) Tuna Kits Music/Enteratainment Action Movie DVDs CDs Tapes CD carriers Printed Materials Books (paper back novels, short stories) Joke books Writing paper Newspapers (local) Magazines Tobacco Products Cigaretts Snuff Chewing tobacco Pipe tobacco and cleaners Cigars	Toiletries (much needed) Baby wipes Cold water wash soap (Woolite) Eye Drops Femine hygiene products (for female soldiers) Chapstick Foot powder Floss Mouthwash Toothbrushes Deodorant Toothpaste Hairbrushes Toilet paper (including travel size) Hand sanitizers (waterless) Nail clippers Razors (disposable) Soap Sunscreen Q-Tips Tissues (heavy duty - i.e. Puffs) Hand Lotion Shampoo Tylenol (individual packets) Wash Rags Other American flags (small) Ziplock type bags Batteries all sizes (AA's can be used in night vision goggles) Small brushes for cleaning guns Bug spray (put in zip-lock bag) Duct tape Short coils of rope Miniature tool kits Pocket knives Flashlights (mini/mag lite, extra bulbs, batteries) Small battery powered fans (batteries) Pre paid phone cards (International AT&T PrePaid Phone Card) Shoe insole cushions Board games (travel size) Crossword puzzles Playing cards Socks (cushioned) Sunglasses (black) Sweatbands (for use in helmets) Fly strips Fly swatters Seasonal Canned turkey and canned Thanksgiving food items Small unbreakable holiday decorations Christmas stockings Holliday cards made by kids

Ideas and Suggestions for things to go into care packages

Snacks

Candy (heat resistant)
Chocolate Candy (December-April only)
Snack cakes
Fruit Breezes (throat drops)
Cookies (heat proof)
Bars (heat proof, like granola)
Gum (no sticks)
Beef jerky
Twizzlers
Trail mix
Nuts

Correspondence

Writing Paper and Envelopes
Pens/Pencils

Drink

Coffee (instant)
Tea bags
Coffee creamer
Tea mixes (powdered, sweet)
Gatorade (powdered)
Powdered drink mixes
Coffee flavorings (powdered)

Food

Sugar packets
Condiments packages (ketchup, taco bell sauce, etc)
Specialty canned food (olives, tamalies, etc)
Canned fruit (pop top cans-seal in platic bags some have poped in transit)
Cereal (in small boxes)
Oatmeal (instant)
Ravioli (pop top cans-seal in platic bags some have poped in transit)
Tuna Kits

Music/Enteratainment

Action Movie DVDs
CDs
Tapes
CD carriers

Printed Materials

Books (paper back novels, short stories)
Joke books
Writing paper
Newspapers (local)
Magazines

Tobacco Products

Cigaretts
Snuff
Chewing tobacco
Pipe tobacco and cleaners
Cigars

Toiletries (much needed)

Baby wipes
Cold water wash soap (Woolite)
Eye Drops
Femine hygiene products (for female soldiers)
Chapstick
Foot powder
Floss
Mouthwash
Toothbrushes
Deodorant
Toothpaste
Hairbrushes
Toilet paper (including travel size)
Hand sanitizers (waterless)
Nail clippers
Razors (disposable)
Soap
Sunscreen
Q-Tips
Tissues (heavy duty - i.e. Puffs)
Hand Lotion
Shampoo
Tylenol (individual packets)
Wash Rags

Other

American flags (small)
Ziplock type bags
Batteries all sizes (AA's can be used in night vision goggles)
Small brushes for cleaning guns
Bug spray (put in zip-lock bag)
Duct tape
Short coils of rope
Miniature tool kits
Pocket knives
Flashlights (mini/mag lite, extra bulbs, batteries)
Small battery powered fans (batteries)
Pre paid phone cards (International AT&T PrePaid Phone Card)
Shoe insole cushions
Board games (travel size)
Crossword puzzles
Playing cards
Socks (cushioned)
Sunglasses (black)
Sweatbands (for use in helmets)
Fly strips
Fly swatters

Seasonal

Canned turkey and canned Thanksgiving food items
Small unbreakable holiday decorations
Christmas stockings
Holliday cards made by kids

Notes:

The United States Post Office offers two boxes which make ideal sized care packages – the flat rate “shoe-box" size, and the flat rate 11 7/8" by 3 3/8" by 13 5/8" box.
Although you have to pay the shipping, its usualy not that much as you are only paying to get it to the closest base, not all the way overseas. The above mentioned boxes are fllat rate regardless of weight.
You should place a note in your package, this is a great way to ask for specifics about what would be most usefull to them (in your next package).
Post cards are also great to send in the packages. You can pre-address the postcard to yourself or your organization and ask the service member to please let you know if they received the package. You DO NOT have to put a stamp on the post cards as the service member can mail them for free back to the states.
Do not mail any item that exceeds 70 pounds.

Prohibited Items
Aerosol Cans Firearms and Pyrotechnics Flammable Liquids or lighters Any matter depicting nude or semi-nude persons, pornographic, or sexual items Alcoholic beverages or materials used in the production of alcoholic beverages (distilling material, hops, malts, yeast, etc.) Any matter containing nonauthorized political material. This refers to material that could be used to impose our political view on the host country. It does not prohibit mailing a US flag or a picture containing a flag to a service member. Religious Material contrary to Islamic faith. This refers to material that speaks out negatively against Islam and material sent in bulk in an effort to convert or evangelize. It is acceptable to send a Bible or religious tapes or books to a service member.

Prohibited Items

Aerosol Cans
Firearms and Pyrotechnics
Flammable Liquids or lighters
Any matter depicting nude or semi-nude persons, pornographic, or sexual items
Alcoholic beverages or materials used in the production of alcoholic beverages (distilling material, hops, malts, yeast, etc.)
Any matter containing nonauthorized political material. This refers to material that could be used to impose our political view on the host country. It does not prohibit mailing a US flag or a picture containing a flag to a service member.
Religious Material contrary to Islamic faith. This refers to material that speaks out negatively against Islam and material sent in bulk in an effort to convert or evangelize. It is acceptable to send a Bible or religious tapes or books to a service member.

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