What Do Soldiers Overseas REALLY Want in a Gift-package?

We were told nothing perishable, nothing alcoholic, nothing large as his pack is already big enough. He wants beef jerky and puzzle books.

Photos from home, if you are sending something to someone you know well might be appreciated. Baby wipes. Women often appreciate personal products. Get Via instant coffee from Starbucks - it tastes better and the small tubes can be stuffed in a pocket very easily.

I lived and taught in East Africa for 8 months--PRINGLES CHIPS! I reused the canister afterwards for almost everything!

When I was in the sand box I wanted:

small tube of toothpaste
good tooth brush
silly string - it helps on patrol to identify trip wires
lip balm
instant coffee packs that I could slip in my pocket
pictures
small travel size of mouthwash - for the times I couldn't brush my teeth
prepaid calling cards
small packages of tissues

and condoms or latex gloves - not for sex but for protecting our guns.

I adore the assumptions that you're only sending things to "him."

I'm a female Soldier. I've been deployed. There are women IN the combat zone too.

Sorry for that little rant.

Anyway...we'd love all of the things you mentioned. Some of my very favorite packages contained local newspapers, twinkies, small drink pouches that are for flavoring water bottles, a soft throw blanket (we aren't always rucking around...we have beds :-), snacks are great...but please, please send chewy granola bars and good, salted trail mixes.

Coffee is always happily accepted. Ground OR instant...like I said, we do get back to the FOB/COP on occasion to shower and relax. GOOD flavored creamer makes us very happy. I love hazelnut.

Cup o' Noodles soups, microwavable (non-perishable) meals, easy-mac, Dinty-Moore...we get really sick of MRE's, so any of these are VERY welcome.

Anything that will melt simply won't work. It's HOT over there. 120-140' hot at times.

Footcare kits. The kind with moleskin, little foldy scissors, big bandaids, maybe a self-adhereing ACE bandage in there. Foot powder. Deodorant. GOOD shave cream in a tube (can't ship the cans). Good sunscreen (unscented, SPF 50ish).

I'm sure I'll think of more later...

ETA: You didn't say "he." I was referencing a few answers down below...

OMG...and I nearly forgot. GIRL SCOUT COOKIES! We LOVE them!

Dad is Army and husband is Navy, so we've been through a lot of deployments. Many of the things you mentioned are perfect. My husband loved the wide variety of water flavorers that I sent him. Also, Rice Krispie treats. You can make them homemade or buy them. They survive the shipping better than chocolate.

Also, socks! The boots and the sand are very hard on socks. White socks with black tubes are best.

It is very nice of you and your church to do this.

My brother was in the Gulf war and along with much of what you already have, they also requested books and magazines, toothbrushes and paste, and small cheap puzzle boxes like you'd find at the dollar store. One of the favorites we sent was a remote controlled bug that our father found at some discount store. We got letters thanking us for that one. The most absurd, but apparently one of the most appreciated items was dry condoms. What for you say... to keep the sand out of the barrels of their weapons. But the best thing they can get is letters. Words of thanks and encouragement are a big deal. If you have a Sunday school class, ask them to make homemade cards, and maybe some of your teens would like to be pen-pals. They don't need to be to a specific person, just Dear Soldier will do, and those who want to will write back as long as they have an address to send letters to.

Books any kind-- they run out of stuff to read.

Socks, baby wipes, beef jerky, pads and tampons. Maybe combs and hairbrushes and hair tyes or hair bands.

There women serving over there also. A friend of mine is Morman and had daughter that went to Boliva for her mission and there were no pads or tampons sold anywhere there. We sent pads and tampons regulary.

Added: I'm not sure but I would think sewing kits would also come in handy. Dollar Tree had some nice ones that came in a little zipper bag that had needles, thread, sissors, buttons ect. They are small but have a lot of essentials in them.

Instant coffee is better than no coffee! My cousin just returned from his 2nd deployment for Aghanistan...he loves chocolate but it usually melts. Anything to pass the time like magazines are great; keep them light in content and non-political. His favorite things were the personal things from home....hand-written notes, pictures greeting cards. So anything local from Texas that would ship easily would be fun.

We send those mulit-pack snack packs...Cheez-Its, Teddy Grahams, Oreos...you know those things you get to eat everyday that you love. Those are the non perishable items we send. Talk to a local dentist office, they may donate tooth brushes and tooth paste. One of our moms in our Girl Scout troop works for one. We had asked for Christmas for ppl to donate...she brought tons for us

Playing cards, Farkle (you can get at Walmart in the toys section) it's small and lightweight.

I like the Via Starbucks too, and they just came out with new flavors so you can save space that way too.

DH served 2 tours over there and says seasonings! ESP things like Tony Cacheres, the food is extremely bland. And things to write home with (like a box of store bought cards for birthdays, anniversaries, etc).

Our 2nd grade class last year did this for the Navy soilders. They were on a boat for about 9 months or so. So the kids tied the fleece blankets and sent one per person along with some personal candy that they like, magazines, bathroom stuff, body spray, tooth brush, tooth paste. We had a question form that they picked 12 people to participate in and once we got those back and got to know them.... we were able to personalize each box. The blankets had their favorite team sports logo or it was a flag print or something like that.

When I sent a kit overseas to a squadron I sent:
personal products all types and absorbencies and non alcohol wipes
travel sized:
bandaids, dental floss, toothbrushes, eye drops, aspirin, tweezers, hair bands to tie back hair (women), handi-wipes. I made soap and body creams (special stuff for feet), plastic zip lock bags, small mirror, razors, mouthwash. Get the individuals crystal lites, tang, gatorade and lemon/lime aid drinks, batteries, calling cards and if you can find someone or a group to make the cool neckties for the heat. Add flip flops and dried fruit. Send stamps and writing paper and maybe holiday themed paper plates and napkins. Also send them the little containers for soap bubbles it makes the time go by.

Whatever you do when you pack things don't put the soaps and deodorants in with the food items -- the scent crosses over and they really can't eat them

In each kit I sent a thank you note and an artificial rose to the women to say thanks.

Thanks for your support to the troops.

The other S.

From the ones I know and have known personally ~ toiletries of all types, letters and hard candy to hand out to the children they encounter.

I would say magazines and paperback books.
I think they say no chocolate because it will melt!
What a great project :)

Hello, My brother in law is there for the second time. He said the number one thing to send is magazines! Both ladies and mens. I also regularly send DVDs. For some reason they are not allowed to get flavored coffee; they enjoy the powdered flavored coffee creamers. M&Ms are alway a hit too.

You have a great list so far. For my husband I include the tuna fish lunch-to-go packs. I also bake mini-bread loaves (usually banana or zucchini) and vacuum seal them for preservation. Makes a nice breakfast treat. My pkg once took 6-weeks to reach him and the bread was still good! Gum, hard candies, and almonds/nuts I also add. Mensa or puzzle workbooks, magazines, and books are great too.

I don't know that they'd particularly be interested in personal photos, but a handwritten note would be appreciated. Thanks for your support of our troops!

When my husband was in the Navy, our 1st patrol, I sent a 1/2 way package. This was opened 1/2 way through the patrol. I put in all those things I thought he'd run out of...chap-stick, deodorant, soap, etc. BUT what most of them wanted, besides that, was fun stuff like Hot Wheels, water guns, decks of cards, etc. So include fun stuff to, not just practical things.

I was in Iraq in 2004-2005, so I speak from experience. Soldiers are not provided with anything like toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, etc. There are (usually) little stores available that carry those products that they have some access to. DVD's are always popular, whatever the subject matter (animated, sci-fi, etc.). Small individually wrapped snack items are fantastic (beef jerky, trail mix, pouches of tuna, slim-jims), but understand that chocolate candy will melt in the heat - they will still eat it, but have to scrape it off the wrapper. I really liked it when someone sent me something specific to their part of the country and a letter introducing themselves. I had a box from a lovely couple in Arizona, and it had some salsa, nice moisturizing cream, and a Christmas ornament from Phoenix. I don't know if books are still as popular, as alot of people have a Kindle or Nook. Hope this helps!

My brother-in-law says personal hygiene is paramount. Wipes, sanitizers, etc. It is really, really dirty over there. My BIL said the minute he stepped off the plane there is an overcoming Poop smell that is always there. Their sewage sanitation basically runs through the street and it is walked in and carried everywhere. So germ killers and personal care items are great. Alot of fellas operate away from base so dinty moore dinners and chilis are good. Make sure the top just pops off. Beef jerky, gum. They do not need condoms as there isn't supposed to be fraternization.