Basic items, such as socks and underwear, are greatly appreciated in military care packages.
When you send a care package to someone in the military, you are improving morale and showing much needed support, while also giving soldiers a few small comforts and reminders from home. Sending letters, photos, snacks and goodies reminds soldiers that their loved ones are thinking of them while they are far from home. There are restrictions on what you can include in care packages, depending on where the soldier you are sending to has been deployed.
Personal Message Book
Create a personal message book, similar to a hotel guest book, by buying a blank journal or scrapbook and asking all of the soldier's friends and family to write a message. Have each person use one page and include photos if you have extra space. Receiving the book will be like a package of letters, except your soldier will be able to keep them all together for safekeeping.
Digital Photo Album
Instead of sending one or two photographs, send a digital photo album packed with photos of your soldier's friends, family and loved ones. Be sure to include extra batteries with the digital photo frame, so that your soldier can continue to enjoy the gift.
Favorite Packaged Food Items
You can send certain packaged food items from home, such as candy, chips, snack mix, nuts, dry soup, trail mix, gum, granola, cookies, energy bars and beef jerky. Do not send canned foods, home-baked goods, tobacco or anything in glass bottles. The military also does not recommend sending chocolate products during summer months because they melt in transit.
Music
While it is against policy to send music in a hard CD cover, you can send a small MP3 player stocked with your soldier's favorite music. Take the MP3 player out of the packaging, import CDs and MP3s on your computer, then gift wrap the MP3 player. Some tunes from home will be sure to lift your soldier's spirit.
Basics and Essentials
They might not be fun or exciting, but basics and essentials such as socks, underwear, shampoo, conditioner, razors, soap and antiseptic wipes are greatly appreciated in military care packages. Lotion with SPF, feminine products for female soldiers, deodorant, lip balm, bandages and bug spray are also useful, approved items that you can include in military care packages. Do not send compressed items, such as canned shaving cream.
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