Comment

Comment by Ruth, Gun's Mom on January 4, 2009 at 10:37am

If you live in the midwest or colder climes, you can find the hand warmers at places like K-Mart, Wal-Mart, and Farm and Fleet--anyplace with hunting supplies. Last year for Valentines packages, we did a "Warm hands, warm hearts" campaign and sent hand warmers and chocolate (cocoa mixes, M&M's, etc) with valentines. I talked Farm and Fleet into selling me 100 handwarmers for half price, so I got them for 50 cents each.

Comment by Ruth, Gun's Mom on January 4, 2009 at 2:44am

We send lots of disposable hand warmers and boot warmers, the ones that are air activated and last for 6-8 hours. Also, if you knit or can find a group to help, there are patterns for helmet liners (my son really didn't like them) and scarves (much requested) at helmetliners.com, I believe. I have pictures of "my guys" wearing handmade knit wool caps, too. Black is most popular, but other military colors like brown, tan, khaki, and olive are ok, too. They must be soft wool. I agree, I sent cartons and cartons of babywipes, used for the obvious and also cleaning weapons.

I know of a local unit in Afghanistan that recently requested and received a bread machine and the mixes. Kwebb is right, you really need to know what their circumstances are. I sent hundreds of thermo mugs two years ago to a cousin in Iraq (and bowling balls and pins!). My son rarely requested dvd's and cd's. They have access to those at the PX and internet.

My son's list always included Easy Mac, jerky, bottle drink mixes (lemonade mostly), cans of ravioli (those can be heated on an engine if need be). He didn't want so much candy, but sugared cereal is good if they're doing convoys because they can munch and drive and stay awake. I always stuffed in a roll of the softest toilet paper and individually wrapped wipes that can be stuck in a pocket. And they never have enough batteries, mostly C, AA, and AAA. Motorcycle and car magazines...

Comment by TexasDocMom on January 4, 2009 at 2:27am

Ask them...ask them what they need. Ask them if they are cooking for themselves alot or only eat in the mess hall. If they are cooking for themselve, send some good spices, see if they need electric skillets, rice cookers, grills. Send the little packets that you can dump in bottled water, the energy ones or even just the lemonades. Send books. Send those DVDs, Matt loved getting them and left over 100 of them in Iraq for others to watch. They like those DVDs of TV shows, the whole season's worth.

Find out if they are on large base with a good PX or not. If not, send toilet articles, decent toothpaste, creams and lotions. I was surprised when Matt told me he used those lotions and Vit E creams I sent and that the other guys requested them from their families.

If they have laptops, send those chill pillows for them to keep the temp down on the computer, and send lots of big ziplocks for their electronics.

Fox Sox are great but I'd also send those ones that just keep your feet warm. I could not find any here in Texas this year, I usually use them for stocking stuffers. The ones that are fleecy inside. Heating pads?

Comment by Ruth, Gun's Mom on January 4, 2009 at 1:34am

Melissa, one suggestion--I started a discussion forum about sailors with boots in the ground within this group. There's a list there of the things my son requested or liked to receive. Hope that helps some.

Comment by Melissa (Tucson) on January 4, 2009 at 12:57am

Hello Ladies!

I do not have a Sailor in Iraq or Afghanistan. My son is on a destroyer in the Gulf.
The reason for this post is simple. I need your help. I'm sure you're all familiar with Molly's ADOPT A SAILOR group. They have selected an IA unit in Afghanistan to mail things to for the month of January and I'd like your input as to what would be the best things to mail them. We don't know their location or rate only the country and they are all IA. It's my understanding that it's cold there now. Would that apply to the whole country?
There is a CookBook Group on this site that has donated $2000 to Molly's group to use as she see's fit. We'd like to make the most of it. Do we go with warm clothing (gloves, knit hats, scarves, hand warmers, socks) or comfort items. And what about entertainment items (DVD's; CD's).
If you can help, would you please take a minute and let me know what the top 10 or 20 "best sellers" are?

Thank you all in advance and God Bless all of your sons and daughters!
Melissa

Comment by Paymaster on January 3, 2009 at 7:45pm

Cher and all.....Well I am back from my trip to the Post Office to mail my first package for this tour of duty. It really does speed thing up using the flat rate box and keeping a supply of customs forms and mailing labels to have it all completed before I leave the house. Once I get my son address I run off sheets of his address so I can just grab them for ease. It is also a fast way to pass out his address to family and friends so they can write, I just cut the sheet of labels into strips of three to four labels to carry in my purse. It makes it much easier for my 80 year old father to write.

To comment on what Cher said, yes you will learn to read in between the lines when you read information from you child and hear in between the lines when they call.

Over the years we have worked out our own code for when we talk with our son as not to voliate any security. But we get the information that we are looking for from him by doing this. Things like when he was in Iraqi and was the pilot for a seal team, we would ask if all his pups where doing ok. He would would respond with yes or one pup was hurt, but would be ok. When you don't have much time on the phone with him, we try and keep a running list of things we want to tell him or ask him as to not waste time.

You will learn to put things together from what they can tell you and what you scim from the news and papers.

I must confuse I am a news junkie and read through 5 news services before I leave the house for work. Not counting the newspapers I can read on line during my lunch hour.

He's been gone 15 days and we have had one quick phone call and one e-mail..Looking forward to hearing from him, but I doubt it will be any time soon.

Take care,
Jody

Comment by Ruth, Gun's Mom on December 31, 2008 at 2:09pm

Melissa, none taken. This is a group that understands! My son called a lot from Afghanistan, too. He had a "local" phone plus a yahoo number. I could actually text him to tell him when to call when I had his daughters. He's a GM2, 26, been in for 5 years. By the end of January he'll be an instructor at GL. He still needs his mom--I have to go sign lease papers for his apt in the next couple days--3 hour drive, but I don't mind at all.

Comment by Ruth, Gun's Mom on December 31, 2008 at 2:03pm

Barbara, your mention of your son in a vehicle triggered another comment--my husband retired from the Arsenal here, but got called back as a contractor. One the his projects is the MRAP, the special armor put on those vehicles. He could retire again, but says his work is too important to our military. I think he probably saved our son's life.

Comment by Ruth, Gun's Mom on December 31, 2008 at 1:59pm

I think our congressman's office is going to do an investigation. His military affairs assistant told me that she hears this stuff all the time--the Army and Navy are supposed to be working together, but they don't. I know the Marines and Navy do! I put up with a lot of teasing about being a Navy mom, but it's good hearted and underneath the joking, they respect my sailor as much as their own Marines. They tell me sailors aren't ready to be Marines. lol I tell them not to forget who gets their Marines to the places they're supposed to be. If I really want to get at the dads who are Marines (never WERE Marines--once a Marine, always a Marine), I tell them what MARINE stands for--"muscles are required, intelligence not essential" or "my a** rides in navy equipment." But when it comes to talking about corpsmen, it's always serious and respectful. We all know how important they are to the lives of our military.

Comment by TexasDocMom on December 31, 2008 at 1:44pm

Ruth, thank you for your comments about corpsmen! my son tells me that "nothing traumatic happened, mom" when he was over there, but stories are slipping out. Like the comments about the sox "on patrol"...well, like your son, he led me to believe he was sitting in the BAS most of the time. Now I find out he wasn't even at the base I thought he was at all the time, they moved around alot. So...they protect us. Bless them.

Yes, fight for your son's right to that Purple Heart. And to heck with that LT whose ego was bent, your son has his rights. It's why they fight.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• …
• 428
• 429
• 430
• 431
• 432
• …
• 434
• Next ›
• Page