Sending a Military Care Package 101

Sending a deployed serviceman a care package is a great way to show your support and that you care. We military wives find ourselves at the post office on a regular basis. But I also have family and friends who are sending care packages to my husband, and also other guys he works with who are not receiving mail or packages.

No matter the reason for sending your package, the first one can be a little confusing. So I thought I’d offer a post on the basics, and hopefully answer any questions a newbie package sender might have.

One of the first questions I’m asked is, ‘What do I send?’ Here are some items that are always appreciated:
Shower gel/body wash
shampoo/conditioner
toothpaste
baby wipes
magazines (NO playboy/hustler : maxim would be OK)
-mens health, popular mechanics, time : pick something your husband or son would like to read
books
-if you’re not sure what to send, check out The Commandant’s Reading List below.
dry snacks
beef jerky
nuts/cashews/pistachios (I always send the yummy nuts)
various flavored chex mix
trail mix
crunch n munch (or bagged/boxed popcorn)
powdered drink mix (gatoraid/country time/tang)

This is a basic list to get you started. Get creative. Just make sure that whatever you send, it’s non-perishable.
Also, the one thing I ALWAYS recommend to people is that they wrap their items with plastic bags (this is where I reuse my plastic grocery bags) or line the box with a trash bag that you can seal around everything. Just in case one of your items breaks, or an item in someone elses box breaks, the contents in your box are protected. Or contained.

U.S. Marine Corps Professional Reading Program Reading List

Next most common question asked: ‘What kind of box do I send a care package in?’
EASY! You want the Priority Mail® APO/FPO/DPO Large Flat Rate Box.  And? You can have the boxes sent, for free, right to your door. They come in a minimum of 10 boxes, so you can easily share these with your neighbors or friends and get more than just yourself involved. Our military works as a team. So if you are sending to one person, more than likely that person has a few guys around him that aren’t getting a whole lot of mail. If your friends/family send boxes as well, your guy is going to share all the goods he’s getting with his brothers in arms. There’s no such thing as too much mail for our deployed military.
‘Do I have to do anything special with the address when sending overseas?’
Yes. You will have to fill out a customs form. Here’s what it looks like, and what the recipients address will look like on the form. Click the picture for step-by-step instructions, and if you’re still unsure ask your postal worker.

 

Have fun with your boxes. Get silly with them!! If there is a holiday coming up, grab some cheap wrapping paper and line the inside of your box with it. Or write some inspirational quotes or words of appreciation on the inside flaps of the box. On the last box I sent to my husband, I had my kids put their hand prints around the outside of the box. Remember, our deployed military is away from their friends and family for anywhere between 6 months to over a year. Any little personal touch you add, no matter how goofy it seems, will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for Supporting Our Troops!