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Comment by TexasDocMom on February 17, 2009 at 7:15pm

Yes, use the marked boxes. One of my postal clerks told me the local record for these boxes was one that weighed 52 lbs! I haven't sent any boxes since Matt came home, but the last I sent was 10.95 as usual. When did they go up?

Comment by TexasDocMom on February 17, 2009 at 6:35pm

MMkaren...the kit I got had ALOT of boxes in it, and they were so tightly packed I had to get pliers to get a box out! The kit I got was the kind of square box, not the narrow one.

Comment by TexasDocMom on February 15, 2009 at 3:54pm

Check anysoldiers.com, anysailor.com (look for corpsman "HM" they will distribute to their units), anymarine.com . I don't know how you tell where they are unless they say something in the list they give of items needed/wanted by their folks.

Don't forget foxsox.com!!

And my son said those little packets that go in water bottles, they like those. Lotions and creams would be good for March packages before it gets so hot they melt. Remember to put everything in zip lock bags, all sizes, they use them over and over to keep sand out of everything!

Please tell your church group many thanks for your military moms.

Comment by TexasDocMom on February 15, 2009 at 3:32am

What is the good jerky at costco?

Comment by TexasDocMom on February 14, 2009 at 11:50am

Denise, that is what my son said as well...if he didn't specifically ask for things then I didn't send much toward the last half of his deployment. He said they would bring packages in and dump them on the floor of the barracks, and say "help yourself"...and lots of stuff just wasn't touched. They have limited space to store and it's expensive to ship back. I always sent "throw away" books that I bought at the thrift store or someone gave me, but I laughed when he said "but I always took the books when I moved"...that's my son, he will READ anytime he gets the chance and he isn't giving up a book he likes or hasn't read yet!

I think the small bases in Iraq and all of Afghanistan should be the focus of packages, I hear Afghanistan is very bare.

My son is wavering between leaving the Navy this summer and extending to deploy again, probably to Afghanistan. Looks like I could be on this board for another year or so. Nothing personal, ladies, but really I just prefer to be supportive...not supported. Yesterday's call from him did not make me think he's coming home to stay in August. He has to go his own way, and he's a grown man, I'm always proud of him, I just, like you...want my boy safe.

Comment by TexasDocMom on February 9, 2009 at 1:22pm

yes, my son paid almost 40 bucks to ship a box home...I can't believe the price has gone up again on the flat rate boxes TO our service people. geez.

I think the talk about "free" is for the military shipping to the US, like my son's trunk he sent from Iraq.

Comment by Paymaster on January 30, 2009 at 5:04pm

The following article was just posted in Stars and Stripes. The bill before the US house of Rep is proposing that families be allowed to mail letters and packages free of charge to their soldiers that are deployed or injuried.

If this is something that you feel you want to support, please contact your congress person and let them know you want this passed.

Jody

Bill would give free mail to deployed troops
By Mark Abramson, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Friday, January 30, 2009
A morale boost for troops who are downrange or laid-up in hospitals could be in the mail soon if a Florida congresswoman gets her way.

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., has introduced legislation that would allow servicemembers’ loved ones or friends to send them mail without having to pay postage. The bill, named the Home Front to Heroes Postal Benefits Act, has already picked up nearly 150 co-sponsors.

Castor’s district includes the headquarters for the U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla.

"Supporting our troops has always been a priority for the congresswoman," her office said in a released statement. "This mail for troops bill gives everyone a little bit of breathing room by helping out on postage."

The bill would allow every servicemember who is deployed or hospitalized because of injuries or disease suffered during overseas operations to select someone or a charitable organization to receive a mail voucher each month. Each voucher would allow the recipient to send packages of up to 15 pounds to the servicemember.

"Our government recognizes the need for soldiers to maintain contact with their families and friends by providing them with free mail from specified combat zones," Castor wrote in a letter to her colleagues in Congress. "However, no corresponding benefit exists for communication in the other direction, from the U.S. to the men and women serving in the Armed Forces.

"This simple, common sense legislation recognizes the integral role that care packages play in boosting the morale of the brave men and women serving our country in uniform."

Castor went on to write that the bill would not just demonstrate appreciation for the troops in harm’s way, but would also show the country’s appreciation for their loved ones.

The proposed legislation would authorize the secretary of defense and the postal service to determine whether the vouchers would be electronic or in some other format.

Military mental health experts say anything that has to do with troops getting mail is a good pick-me-up for servicemembers’ psyches.

"Getting mail is a great morale booster," said Army Capt. Shawn Gallagher, a nurse practitioner in the behavioral health division at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. "Certainly receiving mail and correspondence from home helps people feel they are in people’s thoughts. It is a good thing."

Comment by Paymaster on January 30, 2009 at 4:51pm

All....I have to chuckle to myself listening to all of talk of our silent warriors.

My too did not want any ballons or banners when her returned. So we honored his request met him at the airport wearing santa hats and flashing red noses (it was christmas time). Needless to say he has never told me not to do something sense.

Jody

Comment by TexasDocMom on January 30, 2009 at 1:58pm

MMkaren...so good to hear from your son! that's a good day!

Comment by TexasDocMom on January 30, 2009 at 12:41pm

Dianne...my son said the same thing.. I got the freebie banner from buildasign.com (which is right here in Austin, by the way) and altho we didn't meet him (Cher did that!) at the homecoming, when he came down the escalator at the Austin airport in December we were holding it high. So I heard,"I can't believe you did that...blah, blah.." but my friend Ted was taking photos the whole ride down the escalator and you could see Matt's face...and his smile and eyes were all glowing...he liked it. He's just not supposed to!

I was a little peeved that our Senator John Coryn was on that same plane, came down the escalator just before Matt and didn't even acknowledge us, it was pretty obvious with the crowd and that banner what was happening , a loved one was coming home from deployment!

So, if anyone has a Texas Doc named Matt coming home, I have a wonderful banner to loan you!

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