Care packages

[hoganshero]

At my current position my supervisor‘s son is heading over to Afghanistan. Our team is collecting items for care packages. If we are successful we may be able to convince management to allow us to roll it out centre wide (some 50-60 teams of 20 people each) which may make fo rquite a few care packages. However my question is what items did you guys need most while on deployment. So far we have come up with paperbacks, chocolate bars, spitz, candy, canisters of Tim hortons coffee. Any ideas for stuff that is small enough that people will actually bring it in or donate towards it and the guys would want?

 

[kurokaze]

Never been on deployment, but during field ex‘s
the things I most appreciated having/acquiring
(in addition to what was already mentioned) are
extra socks, baby wipes, pop, chips, extra
batteries, bug juice

Some things that I‘ve heard are gold in the field
but haven‘t tried myself: Beef jerky, granola
bars (or energy bars), LED flashlights

 

[Gunnar]

Interesting question....I‘d like to send a care package or two to the RCR, but I don‘t know any of them personally. I imagine packages labelled "‘a canadian soldier" are now routinely destroyed due to paranoia...err...security concerns.

 

[Doug VT]

When I checked with my buddies in 3VP, Gatorade was one of the things that helped a lot due to the crazy heat!

Hey, If someone wants to send me stuff I‘m not against it. Just PM or e-mail me and I‘ll send you the address.

 

[towhey]

Good for you for trying to orchestrate this!

First thing you will want to do, if you haven‘t already, is to speak with someone at the base or unit. While your support is always very much appreciated by troops in the field, air transport capacity, especially into a new mission, is normally at a premium.

For obvious reasons, cargo priority goes to ammunition, food, water, fuel and critical supplies. Unsolicited mail, especially bulky packages can pose a logistical challenge to the military. Unfortunately, it sometimes has had to be turned away.

Speak with someone in the military to help coordinate your efforts to make sure that your efforts are properly rewarded -- and are focused on assistance that will be the most helpful, delivered in a way that is easiest to facilitate.

Good luck and thank you, from one who has been on the receiving end of such packages in the past!

Mark Towhey

 

[Tpr.Orange]

baby wipes

deffinatley key!

I have heard throught the american soldiers also that baby wipes were golden out there used for everything from showers to cleaning rifles!

 

[Grunt_031]

My unit and myself were on the receiving end of many public sent care packages on our tour to Afganistan in 2002. They were very apprecciated by all. Some advice on sending things would be to keep the packages small, about a shoebox or slightly larger. A major problem that we encounter was the massive response from the Canadian Public and the larger boxes including cases on water that clogged the mail system. All the supplies and mail are and will be flown in by aircraft. As well the temperature will hit above 50 C so nothing that will melt such as chololate, it is intreseting trying to drink your 2 Kg Coco Bunny that your girlfriend sent you for Easter. Some item that would make great insertions are Baby wipes, 2 or 3 ply toilet paper, cans of tuna, and PORN!!(maybe a little politically incorrect but the boys will love you for it).

 

[Gunnar]

Dude, if it were any other country, I‘d cheerfully send you porn. But if you get caught with it in a Muslim country, don‘t they like, kill you or something? I‘d hate to be the care package guy that started your court martial/execution at the hands of an angry mob...

 

[deathwing5]

In Turkey porn is everywhere and that‘s a muslim country. Everybody loves porn. I dont know about afghanistan though. lol

 

[Gunnar]

Yup, everybody loves porn, particularly guys in Muslim countries. But due to the nature of Mankind‘s hypocrisy, there are always those in charge who may believe otherwise, and get medieval about it, particularly if the law is on their side. As I said, I wouldn‘t want to get on the wrong side of a true believer in authority, particularly in a country that isn‘t secular.

Another way of looking at it is "don‘t tick off the customs guy".

 

[Fishbone Jones]

AA & AAA batteries, soap, shampoo, baby wipes, Imodium, and anything else the NPF system is going to overcharge the guys for.
BTW, porn is allowed as long as it conforms to the Canadian legal standard.
As stated earlier, keep the packages small. If you wouldn‘t carry an item (chocolate bar) around in your pocket, plse don‘t send it.

 

[R_J]

Some of the things I‘ve enjoyed recieving overseas (adding to the above), KD and Mr Noodles (both cheap, and a welcome break from what‘s there), drink mixes (can only drink so much flavorless water), and (as above) porn.
Most units often have free shipping of care packages overseas (might be worth looking into).

 

[Spr.Earl]

Local newspaper‘s,never mind were they come from as everyone will read them.It‘s still a touch of home even if it‘s St.John‘s or Vancouver it‘s still from home.
Also ask them what they need as this help‘s alot and save‘s on the What the F#$%^ is this!

Video tape‘s of the new‘s and their fav. T.V program‘s as I‘m sure they will have a T.V. and video machine set up somewhere if they are lucky.

 

[hoganshero]

Chapter II in which corporate doublespeak rears its ugly head.....

Well this morning my girlfriend spoke to the centre manger as regards us asking other teams to pitch in. Was told what a great idea it was and to pass it along to all the supervisors. All of you who are happy at this can stop as you are about to learn the valuable life lesson the same way I did today about what corporate doublespeak is and how it can hurt you.
We most certainly rolled it out to our centre at 8:30 this morning by posting posters around the centre and was recieving a great reply from the centre in general. By noon calls to my supervisor rolled in asking him who we cleared it with. He let them know who (ie the centre head). By 3pm the center head had completely back-tracked and said we couldn‘t do it as it must be cleared by corporate head office. We were forced to remove all posters and.... not store them until we got corporate head office approval but destroy them.
Apparently good idea translates to good idea tell no-one and pass it along to all the sups means well I don‘t know what that means.
Well my team has decided to go ahead and are sending along $60 bucks worth of baby wipes and drink mix and snacks and books down for the guys to shove in their rucks as they ship off. We are gonna continue to send care packages to a couple of guys in the 2RCHA despite what corporate says.
What makes all this a bigger slap in the face is that not more than a month ago it was perfectly all-right for a small group of people to solicit me at my desk for money for some dumb-*** who didn‘t bother with home insurance at my job (we make a good wage... enough to get insurance at $20 a month). As you can tell I‘m a little steamed and disappointed right now. Sorry for the long rant.

 

[hoganshero]

On a more civil note thanks for all the input. We did our best to get most of that stuff together and the input on how to package and send it was great. Especially the info not to send chocolate bars we were all going for that one and no-one had pegged baby wipes as a good idea lol

 

[Spr.Earl]

Fine Canadian Co. you work for!!!

Be careful how name your employer here or in the press!
Don‘t want you to lose your job.