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Peace-bwu
Guest
Never used this before but you might wanna check it out
militarycarepackages.net/
and
care4troops.com/
militarycarepackages.net/
and
care4troops.com/
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Princess_Abby
Guest
One of my other sisters called a funeral home and a hospital, and they both said how war time mortician work is different because bodies are generally so much more destroyed–something they rarely deal with. They didn’t carry those kind of gloves and didn’t have any ideas for us. But I’m wondering if she just wasn’t speaking to the right person, because I do find it hard to believe that surgeons don’t have those gloves available to them.
My brother is dealing with soldiers or insurgents who are sometimes barely even still a whole body…plus transporting these very broken men and women…sometimes recovering them in the midst of hostile fire from insurgents still in the area…so I think the tough part is just managing the mess despite the situations and minimizing any exposure…which is tough to do when gloves are only covering them up to their wrists. I won’t even describe some of what he’s told me about. I’m just grateful he’s talking about it even a little bit and not pushing it inside. The chaplain there is encouraging them to talk about it.
The worry is less about soldiers, who have generally all been innocculated before arrival, but the insurgents who may have God only knows what.
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maryjk
Guest
I use
adoptaplatoon.org/new/
They have lists of ideas of what to send and how to send it. I don’t have anyone over there, so I adopted a couple of guys.
I tend to use the flat rate boxes. I know they are small, but that way I can send more boxes. I haven’t had anyone ask for cheese or sausage, so I haven’t looked for it. Poptarts and toys seem to be what my guys want.
Princess Abby, I will keep your brother in my prayers. I also would like to send my thanks, through you, to him.
adoptaplatoon.org/new/
They have lists of ideas of what to send and how to send it. I don’t have anyone over there, so I adopted a couple of guys.
I tend to use the flat rate boxes. I know they are small, but that way I can send more boxes. I haven’t had anyone ask for cheese or sausage, so I haven’t looked for it. Poptarts and toys seem to be what my guys want.
Princess Abby, I will keep your brother in my prayers. I also would like to send my thanks, through you, to him.
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kp1
Guest
Princess Abby,
Having mailed many boxes in my hubby’s career thus far, I have a few ideas. If you know of an optimal time for them to recieve boxes, send it three days before via priority mail at the main post office in your area. We were in Hawaii, and I would mail boxes three days before the boat was scheduled to pull into port. The prority label gets it too the APO/AEO facility faster. Getting it there faster usually means first into the bag for the first drop to the port/base facility. I would bake brownies and Choc. Chip cookies, put them in ziplocks and pack as many as possible into the goodies boxes mailing companies make. I picked these boxes up at walmart. They are pretty sturdy. Then I would wrap the box in brown postal paper, Hawaii post office was very fussy about their boxes being readable, and take them to the post office before noon.
It worked everytime! The box was waitting for him, even when they only pulled into the port for one day.
Call Hickory farms, they wil be glad to help! They will usually do a special mailing during the holidays for military. If you know other people from his company, you could all go in together to get a special delivery from Hickory Farms for the whole group. Hormel makes some sausages too, but they are not as good as Hickory Farms! That is a quote from my hubby, a Hickory Farms groupie!
One thing I heard from a friend was what she sent her hubby while deployed for Thanksgiving. She sent him Turkey Jerky, Craisins, and pumpkin pie flavored snack cakes. It was his little US Thanksgiving meal while being very far from home.
Having mailed many boxes in my hubby’s career thus far, I have a few ideas. If you know of an optimal time for them to recieve boxes, send it three days before via priority mail at the main post office in your area. We were in Hawaii, and I would mail boxes three days before the boat was scheduled to pull into port. The prority label gets it too the APO/AEO facility faster. Getting it there faster usually means first into the bag for the first drop to the port/base facility. I would bake brownies and Choc. Chip cookies, put them in ziplocks and pack as many as possible into the goodies boxes mailing companies make. I picked these boxes up at walmart. They are pretty sturdy. Then I would wrap the box in brown postal paper, Hawaii post office was very fussy about their boxes being readable, and take them to the post office before noon.
It worked everytime! The box was waitting for him, even when they only pulled into the port for one day.
Call Hickory farms, they wil be glad to help! They will usually do a special mailing during the holidays for military. If you know other people from his company, you could all go in together to get a special delivery from Hickory Farms for the whole group. Hormel makes some sausages too, but they are not as good as Hickory Farms! That is a quote from my hubby, a Hickory Farms groupie!
One thing I heard from a friend was what she sent her hubby while deployed for Thanksgiving. She sent him Turkey Jerky, Craisins, and pumpkin pie flavored snack cakes. It was his little US Thanksgiving meal while being very far from home.
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Princess_Abby
Guest
Thank you for the prayers and for recognition of all our men and women’s service.I use
adoptaplatoon.org/new/
They have lists of ideas of what to send and how to send it. I don’t have anyone over there, so I adopted a couple of guys.
I tend to use the flat rate boxes. I know they are small, but that way I can send more boxes. I haven’t had anyone ask for cheese or sausage, so I haven’t looked for it. Poptarts and toys seem to be what my guys want.
Princess Abby, I will keep your brother in my prayers. I also would like to send my thanks, through you, to him.
And you are so right about the toys! Poor guys and girls are maybe unable to get their minds off things at times when they’re off, so a little distraction is good.
We’ve sent over harmonicas and nerf footballs and handheld electronic “baseball” games, uno, card decks, fitness magazines, dvd miniplayers, novels, mini soccer balls, etc. My mother even sent a huge box of art supplies…surprisingly, that was a big hit for some of them.
God bless you for adopting soldiers! So many don’t have any family to remember them.
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Princess_Abby
Guest
That is such a good suggestion!!! Every single one of them!!! Thank you very much!!!
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OutinChgoburbs
Guest
FOR THE SURGICAL GLOVES: This is what you want, not exam gloves, which are the wrist-high ones- Do you have in your area a store or outlet that sells stuff for in-home assisted care, such as commodes, bath chairs and walkers? They should be able to order 3/4 or elbow surgical gloves for you in bulk. You might have to pitch in with family members, but those are the ones you want. Ask for Maxintel or Unimed, if possible, but be flexible.
Another choice is the local WalMart. See if they carry a house brand of household rubber gloves. These are thicker than the exam gloves, but not as thick as a band such as Playtex. They are also way cheaper. You will have to buy them a case at a time, but if the manager knws they are going to Iraq, he or she is usually willing to make a deal.
Another choice is the local WalMart. See if they carry a house brand of household rubber gloves. These are thicker than the exam gloves, but not as thick as a band such as Playtex. They are also way cheaper. You will have to buy them a case at a time, but if the manager knws they are going to Iraq, he or she is usually willing to make a deal.
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La_Chiara
Guest
Interestingly for this thread, the NYTimes has a front page article called “The Heavy Burden of Retrieving Fallen Americans in Iraq”.
nytimes.com/pages/world/worldspecial/index.html
The unit profiled is an Army battalion staffed primarily by National Guard soldiers from NJ an Delaware–and at least one National Guard soldier from Missouri. The unit is the 1st of the 150th in Iraq.
nytimes.com/pages/world/worldspecial/index.html
The unit profiled is an Army battalion staffed primarily by National Guard soldiers from NJ an Delaware–and at least one National Guard soldier from Missouri. The unit is the 1st of the 150th in Iraq.
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maryjk
Guest
I just found something at Wal-Mart that you might be interested in. I found something called All American Beef and Cheese. It is a single serving package with a beef stick and a cheese stick. It was about 80 cents and was not refridgerated. You might want to check it out.
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armywife
Guest
Ah, something wth which I have a lot of expierence. My husband is in Afghanistan and it takes approxamately ten days to two weeks get there, give or take.
As for the cookies, I use old formula cans to pack the cookies in and also try those cheap throw away “tupperware” that keeps them fresh. If not that, then wrap the cookies in groups of three in foil or seran wrap and put them in a big baggie.
You would be surprised how much you can fit in those flat rate boxes. I have saved a ton of money using them. Brownies are a big hit every time I send them and they are easier to mail, too.
As for the cookies, I use old formula cans to pack the cookies in and also try those cheap throw away “tupperware” that keeps them fresh. If not that, then wrap the cookies in groups of three in foil or seran wrap and put them in a big baggie.
You would be surprised how much you can fit in those flat rate boxes. I have saved a ton of money using them. Brownies are a big hit every time I send them and they are easier to mail, too.
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Princess_Abby
Guest
Thanks ladies! Great suggestions.
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