Any Soldier.com

[shaggist]

I want to introduce the members here to a cause that I have adopted as my 'goto' charity.

There is a website called http://www.anysoldier.com

It is basically a point of contact between our troops serving overseas and we here at home who want to try to make their lives a little nicer in the various 3rd world Hells in which they are serving.

A unit representative will post an email, asking for our help in getting items for his/her unit that are virtually unobtainable where they are. The email contains the number of members in the group that is being represented, their genders, where the unit is based here in CONUS, what country they are in now, the number of times their address has been requested, and a link to that address.

Many items are listed when you view a number of emails, giving you an idea of what you can send them to help them get through these assignments. Such things as: body wipes, Kotex, tampons, hard candy, beef jerky, drink powders, protein powder, trail mix, salted nuts, hot sauce, socks, T-shirts, flip-flops, shampoo, disposable razors, shaving cream, soap, ballpoint pens, stationary, games, playing cards, magazines, and reading material (no porn), and the list goes on and on. Try to imagine what you would like to have if you were in a country with no living green vegetation, high temperatures, wind, sand, and hostiles just over the next ridge or around the next corner, and no store of any sort to go get something to eat or read.

The USPS Post Office has a special, flat-rate box just for this purpose, which is free, and is marked APO/FPO. No matter how much you put in it, the cost is $13.45 to ship and you can get alot in one if you pack it right. Put your name, address, and email address inside, and seal it up very well. Then, wrap filament packing tape around the 3 circumferences, so that it will survive a long and treacherous journey. Fill out the custom forms (available at the PO) and send it off. You will feel very good about yourself for many days to come.

I buy most of my items at a Dollar Store, as that is the only way I can afford to send a package every month. It costs, on average, about $50 + shipping, but the fact that a total stranger took the time, expense, and trouble to send these young men and women a care package from home lets them know they are not forgotten and are appreciated for what they are having to do. Most of these units are in Afghanistan or Iraq and, if you haven't been there, or to any area similar, you can't even imagine how brutal the days and nights can be. And I'm just talking about the weather!

So, open your hearts and skip one meal a month out at a restaurant, and send these boys and girls a little something from home. I thank you now and they'll thank you forever.

Jack Young

[WILCO]

Thanks for the heads up Jack.

[Artful]

Excellent

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[Firebricker]

This is a great idea I'm going to get a package ready this weekend. FB

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[Bad Water Bill]

Moderators can we make this a stickey?

[Firebricker]

shaggist, I filled up a LFR box today it's ready to ship. FB

[elkhuntfever]

This is a terrific idea!!!My son did 2 tours in Iraq and we learned a few things. Chocolate is nice but this time of year when it hits 120 over there, remember the box may sit for a week. Magazines are great. I even sent the guys a dart board and it got wore out. I also sent decorations for holidays ie... July 4th, Cinco de Mayo etc.... Cans of peanuts, cashews, chap sick, gum, water flavoring, just use your imagination. Anything suspicious might just get detonated! Nephew (marine) served in Afgan and could never get enough socks. Almost a pair a day. You can't believe how much the soldiers will appreciate whatever you send!!!!

Jim (elkhuntfever)

[err.gray]

I've been on the recieving end of a couple of those to any soldier boxes. I will also attest that it really picks up your day, nothing goes to waste. If there's something sent that one soldier doesn't particularly want or need, it gets set in a platoon box or shop box. Visitors to your area root through your box and if there's anything in there that they need or want they help themselves. Crossword, Word find and Soduku puzzles are usually kept near the latrines (Porta Potties in our case on the flight line). I'll add a suggestion have a child drop a letter in there, I wrote letters back thanking a few of them.
I was lucky, COB Speicher and Balad airbase both were pretty well developed and had PX facilities. Some of the outlaying FOB's were pretty remote and had nothing. The folks there would prepare shopping lists and try to get someone out to a larger base periodically to lay in basic stuff like deodorant, shaving cream, soap and toothpaste.
We DO appreciate it
SSG Erwin Gray
D Co, 1/137th Avn Regt
Ohio Army National Guard

[2HighSpeed]

As the wife of a soldier I can not even come close to expressing how grateful our soldiers are for those that do this for them. It takes alot of courage, love and good in humanity for someone to spend thier hard earned cash and send a care package for someone they dont even know. A note with a return address should always be placed inside, I know alot of soldiers who have recieved these packages and they wish they had a point of contact for the giver. Alot of them, This is all they will ever recieve while deployed. Many spouses and family members do not send care packages because of the cost, greed, time, whatever. So these soldiers often have to do without.

I want to introduce the members here to a cause that I have adopted as my 'goto' charity.

There is a website called http://www.anysoldier.com

It is basically a point of contact between our troops serving overseas and we here at home who want to try to make their lives a little nicer in the various 3rd world Hells in which they are serving.

A unit representative will post an email, asking for our help in getting items for his/her unit that are virtually unobtainable where they are. The email contains the number of members in the group that is being represented, their genders, where the unit is based here in CONUS, what country they are in now, the number of times their address has been requested, and a link to that address.

Many items are listed when you view a number of emails, giving you an idea of what you can send them to help them get through these assignments. Such things as: body wipes, Kotex, tampons, hard candy, beef jerky, drink powders, protein powder, trail mix, salted nuts, hot sauce, socks, T-shirts, flip-flops, shampoo, disposable razors, shaving cream, soap, ballpoint pens, stationary, games, playing cards, magazines, and reading material (no porn), and the list goes on and on. Try to imagine what you would like to have if you were in a country with no living green vegetation, high temperatures, wind, sand, and hostiles just over the next ridge or around the next corner, and no store of any sort to go get something to eat or read.

The USPS Post Office has a special, flat-rate box just for this purpose, which is free, and is marked APO/FPO. No matter how much you put in it, the cost is $13.45 to ship and you can get alot in one if you pack it right. Put your name, address, and email address inside, and seal it up very well. Then, wrap filament packing tape around the 3 circumferences, so that it will survive a long and treacherous journey. Fill out the custom forms (available at the PO) and send it off. You will feel very good about yourself for many days to come.

I buy most of my items at a Dollar Store, as that is the only way I can afford to send a package every month. It costs, on average, about $50 + shipping, but the fact that a total stranger took the time, expense, and trouble to send these young men and women a care package from home lets them know they are not forgotten and are appreciated for what they are having to do. Most of these units are in Afghanistan or Iraq and, if you haven't been there, or to any area similar, you can't even imagine how brutal the days and nights can be. And I'm just talking about the weather!

So, open your hearts and skip one meal a month out at a restaurant, and send these boys and girls a little something from home. I thank you now and they'll thank you forever.

Jack Young

[pls1911]

What a great post...
I'm going to include duct tape or gorilla tape.
And don't kid yourself... Lots of first aid needs can be addressed with components from Kotex or tampons and duct tape. It's not about a products intended use, it's about clean packaging and reliable function in time of need.
I knew a corpsman who regularly carried those items because of the versatility.
Bless them all, each and every one.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
A local gunshop south of Danville has been shipping boxes for well over two years. They do about 30 every 3 months. Many donations come from ex military fellers that have been somewhere years past and wondered if anyone really cared. Maybe you never faced that.. but there are a bunch of younger uniforms out there today who have already asked that question many times.
Mike in Peru

[Bad Water Bill]

Mike how about putting a name to that shop so folks in that area can stop by and perhaps help out a little.

[pretzelxx]

I'll suggest my favorite thing while deployed from packages, water flavor packets. Like iced tea, Hawaiian punch flavored ones and stuff like that. The great value ones from walmart are what I looked forward to every month from my wife. I've sent a few to the unit that replaced me, and they lived it. I'll be keeping up with this and sending some more often now.

[wrongway]

jack I am a Vietnam veteran and a AmericanLegion Rider about 2 months ago we hard a package drive and mailed off 47 packages to our troops all over we do this twice a year.It's not hard for people to give a little something. Appreciate what you are doing.