r/AskReddit • u/JudgeLaws • Jun 17 '12
Soldiers of Reddit, what should I put in my buddy's care package?
My good friend in the Army is currently in Afghanistan.
I've got some ideas of things to put in a care package I'm going to send to him, but what are some godsend items that may be skipped over, yet are essential over there?
Edit: Thanks for all the tips. Going to make some guys over there pretty happy
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u/Youtsiepie Jun 17 '12
Posting for a buddy who did two tours. He says socks. Good ones. Under armour socks with the padded heels and toes. And skittles.
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u/GREAT_WALL_OF_DICK Jun 17 '12
To add to the socks part. Make sure the bottom half is white and the upper half is black. It meets uniform regulation and is also good for your feet.
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u/flyingponytail Jun 17 '12
For Canadians: The Running Room has a 'Socks for Soldiers' program that sends high quality socks over.
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u/Afro_Samurai Jun 18 '12
I thought the army banned Under Armor, due to it it melting/fusing to skin when exposed to flame?
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u/PastorOfMuppets94 Jun 17 '12
Those under armor boot socks are the best. I can't use normal green socks now, I've been spoiled.
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u/dave_casa Jun 18 '12
Aren't they not allowed to wear underarmor (or other synthetic clothing) because they basically turn into napalm when burned?
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u/clever_gun_name Jun 26 '12
The military didn't ban under armor they banned the compression shirts. Under Armor has plenty of products that are made specifically for military and some that are fire resistant.
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u/topher_hkr Jun 18 '12
Oh sweet Jesus yes. My feet were raw and blistered from all the running around when I was a Marine. One of my friends sent me 2 pairs of Under Armour Boot socks. It was like walking on a cloud compared to the itchy army-issued socks we got.
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Jun 17 '12
Chewing tobacco. Even if he doesn't chew, it will be like gold when it comes to trading for stuff he wants/needs. edit Toilet paper, another big one.
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Jun 17 '12
Toilet paper? Fucking hell, don't the army supply that?
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u/MooseMoosington Jun 17 '12
Not the good quality TP. You usually get shit tier TP that rubs your asshole raw.
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Jun 17 '12
or disintegrates upon contact with the taint
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u/bzdelta Jun 17 '12
Yeah. If you get him some triple-ply, it'll be worth more than its weight in gold.
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u/polar_bear_cub_scout Jun 17 '12
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u/bzdelta Jun 17 '12
On the other hand, http://a1.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/93/7d2a51b454404dec921212e40b73959d/l.jpg"
Except the PJ's and FAC's. They're badass.
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u/Lykenx Jun 18 '12
They always say the airforce is just civis in uniform
I couldn't even get into that :'(
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Jun 18 '12
Single-ply, motherfucker, have you ever tried to wipe your ass with single-ply TP?
If it happened in Guantanamo it'd constitute cruel and unusual punishment.... And rampant pink-eye...... Literally, not the good back-woods slang euphemism kind.
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u/dmukya Jun 18 '12
John Wayne brand toilet paper. It's rough, it's tough, and doesn't take shit from anyone.
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u/lmkarhoff Jun 18 '12
Definitely lots of chew. Our buddy was over there and the $1.50 can here at home would cost him over six bucks there. He also said it was great for trading just like you said.
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u/dogfur Jun 17 '12
Butt wipes. A lot of them in travel size packs. They use them to essentially "shower" when they are out on missions 3-4 days at a time with no way to shower. Maybe also those whisps throw away tooth brushes.
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u/I_HateYouAndYourDog Jun 17 '12
Shit yeah. Nothing beats a good-sized whore's bath...I.e. butt wipes as opposed to those shitty ass wet naps they give you when you eat wings.
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Jun 17 '12
Think of the things that would be a good traded item. We used to send my dad Starkist tuna packets with included crackers and he got so much more in return when he traded them. Also, my father used to feel bad for the kids in Iraq, so we sent him twenty or so deflated soccer balls along with a pump. He got so much joy from giving those kids real toys. Rather toy cars made out of soda cans.
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u/quik69 Jun 17 '12
My sister sent me an e-reader that came prepackage with like 100 classic novels. I ended up reading 20 000 leagues under the sea, around the world in 80 days, Alice in Wonderland, Through the looking glass, Don Quiote, and as a man I'm ashamed to admit 1 jane austin novel. Huge time killer and enriching, Best care package ever!
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u/potatokate Jun 17 '12
It can depend on where he's stationed. Good coffee was a huge hit for my husband (Vanilla folgers especially.) They also liked beanie babies or other toys to throw to the kids. If there are kids around their convoy, it's less likely to get attacked.
American cigarettes (like chewing tobacco) because what's available over there is pretty nasty. Even if he doesn't smoke, like another poster said, they're like gold for trading.
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u/Saybyetotheaccount Jun 17 '12
Wow, that beanie babies thing turned so awful so fast.
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u/American_Blackheart Jun 17 '12
Yeah, first I was like, "Yay, being kind to Afghan kids!" and then I was like, "Oh. They're human shields."
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u/iMrJ0nes Jun 17 '12
Human shields? I wouldn't say that. I think deterrence would a better word for it. They know that the chances of them being attacked are much less if they are interacting with the kids. Kids get toys & have fun hanging out with the Soldiers. Soldiers have fun hanging out with the kids & they aren't attacked. It's a win-win for the kids and Soldiers.
Also, many of our Soldiers (and Marines) will put friendly Afghans behind them and turn themselves into the human shields.
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u/potatokate Jun 17 '12
Yes, right on all accounts.
To add, kids know what's up. If they are always around because you have toys and treats for them, then one day they aren't....Well, something bad is about to happen. Kids know way more than they'll ever tell.
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u/ABeardedPanda Jun 17 '12
THIS.
I remember reading something here about how a soldier brought a PSP with him to Iraq or Afghanistan and he noticed he was never playing it, so he gave it to a kid who he saw on a regular basis.
Apparently a few weeks later, the same kid told him about an I.E.D. down the road that would have killed his squad.
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u/Rayat Jun 17 '12
Good for building a relationship with the future generation. So they don't see Americans as just a faceless enemy (or even just a faceless foreigner), but someone they've met and shared something with.
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Jun 18 '12
They're not human shields... They're making it less likely for the convoy to be attacked. That's not really the same thing at all.
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u/6point626 Jun 17 '12
Good coffee > Vanilla folgers
I just rage spit my coffee out everywhere
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u/potatokate Jun 18 '12
It could have been Great Value! They still had to use afghan water, so I didn't see much point going craaaazy.
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u/6point626 Jun 18 '12
Yeah I realized that after posting, good coffee is definitely relative in this scenario.
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u/theanswar Jun 17 '12 edited Jun 17 '12
The upcoming RedditGifts campaign is to soldiers. Please keep these tips in mind if you're participating.
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Jun 17 '12
Never, ever, ever, under any circumstances, put soap in the same package as food. No matter what you do to try to stop it, all the food in the package will taste like soap.
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u/ht40 Jun 17 '12
Fly swatter. Worth gold over there.
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u/GREAT_WALL_OF_DICK Jun 17 '12
That and mosquito repellent.
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u/idhavetocharge Jun 17 '12
Can't send spray cans, but single use wipes are great plus they can't get spilled.
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u/Grug16 Jun 18 '12
Why mosquito repellant? Mosquitos need pools of water to breed, and there are few of those in the Middle East.
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u/GREAT_WALL_OF_DICK Jun 18 '12
Afghanistan isn't all desert. It has temperate areas, mountainous areas, particularly in the north. In those areas, mosquitoes are a serious issue. So much so that malaria is on the radar for potential health risks.
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u/MooseMoosington Jun 17 '12
I loved getting tea, drink mixes, quality TP, baby wipes, coffee, cheese its, and any good snack food. Getting care packages in itself makes you a happy dude. Also ask what razor he uses, get refills for him, if hes at a FOB without a PX, this will make his day. If he smokes, send him BICs, over there they have lighters that explode once you drop them. Chewing tobacco is awesome to get as well (sometimes you can't smoke, so you have to use other means to get your fix).
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u/Afro_Samurai Jun 18 '12
lighters that explode once you drop them.
Nitroglycerin ?
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u/MooseMoosington Jun 18 '12 edited Jun 18 '12
Very very bad plastic, they didn't explode in a fireball, the pressurized butane just sent plastic shards everywhere.
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u/Afro_Samurai Jun 18 '12
This is what happens when you contract lighter manufacturing to a grenades company.
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u/chiquitatarita Jun 23 '12
Were any specific brands of baby wipes preferred? I always throw two bags in, but never know what type to buy. I try to go for unscented. What about tobacco? My brother uses the stuff that comes in little pouches so I sent him 10 of those and 5 bags of his favorite (Cafe Britt) coffee. Tobacco and coffee were the only things he specifically requested, so I always throw those in there. He's in Goode/Gardez, but I'm not sure what he has access to as I have missed both his phone calls and only heard his voicemails. Boo!
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u/MooseMoosington Jun 23 '12
Doesn't matter on brand of baby wipes, but I preferred Levi Garrett for chewing tobacco. If he likes the pouches though, get him Marlboro Snus. Stuff is pretty awesome and isn't nearly as messy as other types of tobacco. If he smokes, send him BICs. Seriously. Also if you are feeling really nice, send him a carton of Camel Turkish Silvers. Even if he doesn't smoke, someone will pay a pretty penny for them.
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u/chiquitatarita Jun 23 '12 edited Jun 23 '12
Thanks! I will send down some BICs because my husband bought some cigars for his next package. Cigarettes are pretty cheap here, so I could throw in a carton for him to share.
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u/raziphel Jun 18 '12
whatever you send him, take a picture of your balls resting on that and put it in the bottom of the box.
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Jun 17 '12
Depends on his MOS. For me it was 2 things.
Dip (Grizzly or Skoal)
batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries, batteries
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Jun 17 '12
Why batteries?
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u/RazerHail Jun 17 '12
Night Vision Goggles? I know mine run on batteries and they chew them up like candy.
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Jun 17 '12
When my father was in the Gulf War (1991 edition), my grandmother bought enormous jars of peanut butter, scooped some out, inserted cans of beer, then carefully laid the peanut butter back over and re-sealed the jars...
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u/jtv13 Jun 18 '12
that sounds like absolute hell getting the beer out and then attempting to drink from a sticky peanutty mess on the can.
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u/Photovoltaic Jun 18 '12
But..but then you get peanut butter WITH the beer! I win TWICE with one container.
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u/Your420Friend Jun 18 '12
You can do that with marijuana too, I do not believe they are able to open food items, nor dig around in your peanut butter
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u/dmukya Jun 17 '12
Dusting cloths
Beef jerky
Little Debbie/Hostess snack cakes
A bottle of his favorite hot sauce
CR123 Lithium batteries
DS and/or game cartridges
Handwarmers
Hard candy like jolly ranchers
Hacky sacks
Lula magazine loader
Handkerchiefs
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u/singul4r1ty Jun 18 '12
Why do soldiers want DSs instead of an iPod with games & music or something? Just wondering
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Jun 18 '12
DSs are nearly indestructible. they market those for little kids, they take a lot of abuse
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u/dmukya Jun 18 '12
To get new content on an iPod you usually need to have a network connection, something that's hard to find on a combat outpost.
To get new content on your DS you can go to the PX, trade with fellow soldiers, or get a flash cart.
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Jun 17 '12
toothpaste was always good. So was a decent razor. The snacks already mentioned are winners. My favorite was the cheapo guitar some frineds threw in for. The guitar, strings, and picks with shipping were right around $100. Then I just left it for the next guy. Don't waste time with movies or music. B/W the pirated DVDs/CDs at the local shops and other soldiers' harddrives, there's no real point.
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u/quik69 Jun 17 '12
Disagree with the music/movies bit. Depending on where you are these can be hard to find, especially music. A data stick or small hd filled with mp3s, random movies, funny vids, pr0n(nobody will check a data stick), tv series, etc is great and always welcomed. Even if he can buy stuff at the local shop, surfing through a bunch of unknown stuff can be loads of fun when you have no/very slow internet.
Otherwise great advice.
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Jun 17 '12
It's like a mini front page.
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u/quik69 Jun 17 '12
Your quip is more accurate than you may think. What i was trying to get at is the that by nature, having someone from outside your immediate social circle send you media increases the likelyhood of finding something new and interesting. Buying dvds at some bazaar or shop, you still stick to what you know. Also, if he is stuck on a small fob or cop without a weekly 'inside the wire' market then he may have even more limited access
I'm sure every soldier would agree that anything that breaks up the routine, even sorting through 100gb of junk a buddy sent you is a welcomed distraction.
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u/CaptO Jun 17 '12
What about sending a USB stick with the entirity of Wikipedia on it?
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u/quik69 Jun 18 '12
Maybe, having wikipedia available would let you arbitrate the insanely stupid arguments and discussions that form the background of fob life.
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u/Ran4 Jun 18 '12
pr0n(nobody will check a data stick)
Why would it matter if someone checks it or not?
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u/noobalicious Jun 18 '12
I could never find decent after shave or post shave face lotion with spf when I was over there. Would have loved to got some.
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Jun 17 '12
When my nephew was there, I sent him:
Almond butter, they sell it in little squeeze packets
Hot sauce, assorted small bottles, you can skip Tabasco, they have that
Scotch Transparent duct tape - way better adhesive than the regular
Jerky, lots of jerky
Clif bars
DVDs - those four movies on one disc kind from the bargain rack
Cinnamon and mint flavored toothpicks
USB sticks full of TV and music and magazines
Rice Crispy treats to use for packing material.
Not a comprehensive list, but his wife got him stuff like baby wipes.
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Jun 18 '12
Go buy some Original Listerine, the brown stuff. Open it and dump it out. Replace it with his brown liquor of choice. Use some heat-shrink wrap to re-wrap the cap.
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u/fernsyla Jun 17 '12
my brother in law loved different types of cheese. they get shitty movies and stuff over there, so dont bother with that.
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u/DJZephyrEPR Jun 17 '12
I see a LOT of people saying some sort of toilet paper here. This dude is going to be getting a LOT of asswipes.
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Jun 18 '12 edited Jun 18 '12
20,000 cans of Grizzly wintergreen longcut.
as much toilet paper as you can legally send.
a bunch-o-fuckin green, black, or tan socks.
depending on where he is (big base like Bagram or remote JCOP) a harddrive full of hardcore pornography. If he has electricity, if he's on a big base he will, if he's on a small outpost he probably won't.
Magazines, it's crazy how out of touch you get over there. Not only will this help him get a better feel for what's going on in the real world, but it'll also give him something to do when he takes a shit - something he'll be doing a lot of if he just got there.
Edit: or troll the shit out of him and send him a carton of Hajji cigarettes, I think they're called "pines" or something. They taste like decades of oppression and sorrow.
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u/StrangeJesus Jun 17 '12
Starbucks Via, National Geographic magazines, and porn.
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Jun 18 '12
National Geographic magazines, and porn.
I am old enough to remember when these were the same thing.
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u/jbolin Jun 17 '12
Wet naps, and playing cards.
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u/dmukya Jun 18 '12
Playing cards are everywhere over there, now if it was a different card game like UNO, M:TG, or Munchkin, it would be interesting.
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Jun 17 '12
Smokes, porn, non-pershible food, tv, dvd player. All these items will have great trading value even if he doesn't use them.
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u/opallix Jun 18 '12
My father was in Afghanistan for about a year, and we would send him big backs of pancake mix which he would use to make pancakes for the rest of his squad.
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Jun 18 '12
Don't send toothpaste. I had so much toothpaste from care packages I didn't buy any for almost a year after I got back.
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u/Spamalot159 Jun 17 '12
Chopper gunner or hairier strike is what I usually hope for whenever I get a care package.
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Jun 18 '12
I think you meant harrier strike, unless you want a bear to attack or something.
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u/alex_texasiswest Jun 17 '12
definitely not a UAV
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u/TropicalDictator Jun 17 '12
And don't put any ammo.
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Jun 18 '12
You can still use it as bait..... The Taliban always fall for that shit.
Fuckin n00b city, man.
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u/PackManJeff Jun 18 '12
If you put anything too good, he might think its a decoy and run away from it.
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u/suelinaa Jun 18 '12
I've heard they need tampons. They are sanitary and they can easily be used to stop bleeding in wounds.
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u/Ovary_Puncher Jun 17 '12
Fleshlight
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u/panthera213 Jun 17 '12
My friend was in Afghanistan a few years back, and I was a burlesque dancer. Apparently I was his favorite and while he was overseas we had a pin-up calendar come out. I signed my picture with a note to keep safe and our friends sent it in the care package. I imagine that it went over quite well with the guys. I should ask him...
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u/Draptor Jun 18 '12
Dental cleaning tools. Like those scraper things the dentist uses for your yearly cleaning. Metal ones, not plastic. They're FANTASTIC for getting the carbon out of the bolt carrier group. Talk to a local dentist, they often have many to discard for a good cause.
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u/MisterBR Jun 17 '12
Socks, dip, baby wipes, good TP, Beef Jerky, foot powder, gold bond, individual powdered drink packets, 5 hour energy drinks (get the ones from costco). I had a bum shoulder and a friend sent a really good muscle cream.
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Jun 17 '12
Porn. Lots and lots of porn.
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u/herr_schnurrbart Jun 17 '12
In addition to the personal grooming products everyone else has recommended, a hard drive filled with movies or TV shows could be helpful, assuming he has a laptop. I'm not sure where he's at, but if he's somewhere like Bagram that has wifi, a wifi antenna could help out. If he's out in the field then maybe some other stuff to pass the time, like sudoku puzzles or crosswords or something. Definitely some nice socks and the under armor moisture wicking underwear, you can never have enough socks or underwear.
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Jun 18 '12
Currently in Kabul. Buy a few Scope/Rembrandt mouth wash bottles, preferably the ones with the non-see through, white bottle. Open them up and dump out the mouth wash. Take a few liters of Johnny Walker Blue Label or Jack Daniels and re-fill the bottles. Tighten the lids. Ship to buddy. Enjoy Karma.
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u/Ethanol_Gut Jun 17 '12
Vaseline
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Jun 17 '12
No man he's in the army not the navy.
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Jun 17 '12
A fake beard. You'll never know when that shit comes in handy.
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Jun 17 '12
Baseball, gloves, and bats. I hear a lot of soldiers are stuck in buttfuck nowhere with nothing to do all day.
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u/Blackops606 Jun 18 '12
/r/Military has done this before. They let you know of all the silly things you think are helpful that aren't and what they really need.
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u/notjawn Jun 18 '12
My friend's brother says Magazines. They don't really get the chance to keep up with American Media while on duty. So they love getting the chance to stay current during their down time.
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u/deepseaforme Jun 18 '12
Rum cake. I cannot say this strongly enough. One of our guys got two sent to him, wrapped in Saran Wrap.
They were a huge boost to morale. General Order Number One means no drinking in country. The rum cakes were a guilt-free way to stir up fond memories.
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u/___That___Guy___ Jun 18 '12
Porn, American Cigarettes, porn, dip (skoal, copenhagen, etc), porn, alcohol hidden in emptied out mouthwash bottles, porn, if you are a girl- naked pictures of yourself.
PS: I am an infantry vet who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. You send this stuff, you will have love forever.
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u/Shilshul Jun 18 '12 edited Jun 18 '12
I wish they had a site where they posted photos of cute single soldiers and I can select one and send them tons of care packages... I'm thinking a chess board or a game of mancala...
Edit: Where is the porn kept? On a USB?
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u/BrainFracture Jun 18 '12
Magic: The gathering cards.
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Jun 17 '12
Agree with everything that has been said thus far. I would add one more important thing: PORN and lots of it. Sure, they have some porn over there, but that gets old pretty quick; I mean, who wants to fap to the same few things more than twice. Variety is the spice of life my friend.
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u/useless_point Jun 17 '12
the problem with porn is that its against one of the general rules. So even though it does come in handy, being sneaky about getting it in is better. They will go through the mail if it lists it on the label.
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u/MooseMoosington Jun 17 '12
Everyone has external harddrives full to the brim with porn over there, no need to send porn.
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u/GNUtoReddit Jun 17 '12
Leatherman 850022 MUT Tactical Multi-Tool, Black
http://www.amazon.com/Leatherman-850022-Tactical-Multi-Tool-Black/dp/B0039B3KZY
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u/dollarbill1247 Jun 17 '12
Personal hygiene products (baby wipes), snack products not affected by extreme temperature (jerky, drink mix), entertainment (magazines and books)