It's not too early for christmas

[lindalongfin]

No I haven't gone senile. Now is the time to start thinking about some nice treats for the boys and girls serving out in The Middle East.

By the time the parcels are assembled, packed and shipped another 8 weeks may have gone by, then they have to be shipped out and distributed.

From my list of things to put in packages, toiletries, gum, batteries, phone cards, jerky, powdered hot drinks (like chocolate) Boiled candies (no chocolate),white socks and t shirts.

Perhaps Will with his first hand experience can add to my list.

I will be starting next week on about a thousand christmas cards to send out both to the UK and USA Troops.

Thanks for reading this

[Will]

Nicorette or nicotine lozenges - infantry soldiers onb patrol can't smoke, and you know how much going without can affect nerves that should not be frazzled. Who knows? Someone might even quit!

AAA batteries. The military will issue AA's, but many useful electronics run on AAA's, and they can be difficult to come by.

Small amounts of cash would be very appreciated, there are no ATM's anywhere but the biggest city and the big air base at Baghram.

Little flavor packets to put in bottled water, often, bottled water is all you get out front.

If I can think of more, I'll put it here, but that is quite a bit, anyway.

Oh, yeah, sealed packs of American cigarettes, if they don't smoke, those are awesome trade items! Might be frowned upon, but you'd be the most popular sender, with combat personnel, anyway.

I don't know about white socks, never had a chance to wear them, myself.

[lindalongfin]

Some of the folks that send pacrels out here, send white socks and white T shirts

[Will]

Not sure why, though, maybe the REMF's use them for something. Just not a good idea on a FOB or a COP to dress in white.

[Will]

(snipers can target white easy)

[lindalongfin]

I never put anything with glitter on my cards, because it can fall off and stick to uniforms therefore making a target for snipers

[Kntry]

Can you give us an address to send them to? I'd love to do this but have no clue how.

[lindalongfin]

Sandy, have you a local VFW or American Legion, they send parcels out to troops as do a lot of church organisations. In Oregon we have a Military Families association who send parcels out every month.

[Kntry]

Do you pay the shipping? If so, how do you know how much to put?

[lindalongfin]

The priority mail boxes go a lot cheaper if they are going overseas to the Military. I Think the largest box goes for about $12.00 and you can put up to 70-lbs of weight in them.