General

[Neurotic Hapi Snak]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye20

Note: My total budget would be $100--USPS can ship a priority weighing less than 40 pounds for $60 to Afghanistan, I assume Iraq would be similar. That leaves $40 for the contents.

Ask for the flat rate support our troops boxes. And you're also not sending it to Afghanistan, you're sending it to San Diego where it enters the Military mail system.
Here you go:
https://store.usps.com/store/browse/...S_PriorityMail
$13.45

Also, you have to address it to someone, you cannot send it any service member. Look up the unit Chaplain, they usually take care of giving out care packages.

But on contents, pretty much what has been said. Magazines, snacks, drink mix, and socks are a good idea. Also canned soup/stew, canned meat/tuna, freeze dried/dehydrated meals, ramen are good, helps to break up the monotony of MREs, FSRs and UGRs. Remember they are shipped in ISO containers, so what you send has to be able to withstand 120-160 degrees without melting. That means no chocolate.

[Hawkeye20]

Originally Posted by Neurotic Hapi Snak

Ask for the flat rate support our troops boxes. And you're also not sending it to Afghanistan, you're sending it to San Diego where it enters the Military mail system.
Here you go:
https://store.usps.com/store/browse/...S_PriorityMail
$13.45

Oh, hell. That means I can send four boxes for the same $60 budget....

[alpha434]

Squirt bottles.

If your friend is high-end, get him some of those phase-change cooling scarves.

[Bagels]

I always heard chapstick is a good thing to send. Gum might be a good one as well

[Hawkeye20]

By the way, I'm taking donations of a maximum of $15. I'd like to do this more than once and anything helps!

PM for my paypal!

[Grolli]

I'd send things like wet wipes(can never have enough),
+1.. you never know how much you miss a shower until there is no water...


reading materials (shooting and other sports mags are great morale boosters) lickeys and cheweys (hard candies, jerky, etc)also

good is koolaid powder,
Amen! koolaid power is the shizzle! Any water flavoring is helpful.

Chapstick.. Razors helped me, beef jerky.. and trail mix.

and thank you for your thoughts and the drive to send it over!

[punkncat]

Buddy of mine was over for a few years and absolutely loved those "Whoever" Farms gift baskets with the meats, cheeses, and crackers. He also mentioned that good booze could be hard to come by and expensive, but that receiving it could get you in hot water...and liquids are technically prohibited from shipping....

[Hawkeye20]

The list so far: Some good sunscreen, some ramen, assorted batteries, gum, a couple small squirt bottles or squirt guns, a deck of cards, and koolaid packets, Gold Bond extra strength body powder, trail mix, chap stick, a gun magazine or two, a bag of sunflower seeds.

[stolz]

im in afghanistan right now, best care package i got was from bootman he sent me a big arse box of cheif boy-r-d. At the time when I got it we were living in tents in the mountains in ghazi with no heat because of no fuel and 14 below weather in 4 feet of snow it was a life savor, the MRES we had were frozen like bricks. But we had a pan and started a fire inside an amo can and cooked up some bomb speghettis-os and mini ravolis for an entire week feed my entire squad.

But things I always like to get is baby wipes, you can never have too many of those. Really good lotion too, smaller outposts and fobs the water isnt treated and has fecal matter it. I will dry out your skin and you will smell like poop after you shower.

But if your mailing to a buddy send water bottles of clear booze the mail system doesnt track anything like that going into country, I found out about that trick from a few SF guys and seals I partied with on new years.

oh and like propel packets or water flavor packets are good ones too.

[Deuce]

Originally Posted by stolz

But if your mailing to a buddy send water bottles of clear booze the mail system doesnt track anything like that going into country, I found out about that trick from a few SF guys and seals I partied with on new years.

I had my wife send a gallon of Captain Morgan disguised in a large bottle of apple juice. It got there just fine. The same day my bro received a package from home with everything to make Irish Carbombs, none of it was disguised including the cans of Guiness.
We brought most of the squad in and killed it all off that night b/c there was always the threat of the unannounced "health and welfare". Were were supposed to have the next day off for vehicle maintenance so we thought we were solid. Wouldn't you know we ended up pulling an 18hr mounted OP with bubble guts and liquor ****s?