Care Package Ideas!

Is it better to order the 4ft or 7ft curtain rack? My daughter is on a destroyer.

I did email Pat. Thank you. Great ideas out here! Wow, I am sure my daughter would love to have one of these curtains!

You can order packs of Priority Mail APO/FPO Flat Rate large boxes to be sent to you for FREE - here's the USPS website link - APO/FPO Priority Flat Rate Boxes  Click "Select Format" to choose quantity per pack - 10 or 25.

And you save $2 over the regular box shipping cost.  

My sailor enjoys his rack pack curtain...he has been able to use it on two of the four ships he has been on (he has been on multiple ships as he is attached to an air squadron not a ship)...  mostly uses it to store the paperback book he is reading and an extra pair of ear plugs... and his wet shower shoes...  he likes it because it really does help to darken the rack space.  Even if it is not the length of the rack it is just like a second lining inside the rack curtain that is provided.

Carla, I just spent a delightful and informative 20 minutes chatting with Pat, the founder/owner of NavyRackPacks.  They have been doing this full-time since 2004 and are happy to talk with prospective buyers.  I added a Discussion up top with the information :)

Hi Susan!  Yep, such a cool thing to make their lives better.  Feels good to be able to buy them something that really makes a difference!

@kanga, the USS Cole is getting NavyRackPacks for the ship, so it does happen :)

Hello all!  I am new to your group--I have a son on the Enterprise, currently on deployment.  I send a box every week to him and am always looking for new ideas.  I got him a rackpack last deployment, which he is able to use and loves it! The lady at the company is very nice and very helpful when you call to place an order.  I didn't realize he might not be able to use it when i ordered it, but luckily there was no problem with him having it.

One of the things I sent that my son loves is a water bottle that has a carbon filter built into the spout.  The brand I got is Bobble, but Brita has them too.  The filter lasts 3 months, so i will mail him a replacement filter later.  He also likes the Mio drink mixes. 

Anyway, I am glad I found this group and I look forward to talking with you all.

Have a blessed Sunday!

Hello All!

I'm new to the group. I have a 20 yr old daughter currently on board the USS George Washington which is getting ready to deploy. I'm so glad I found this group.

I got a call from my son in Japan last night. We were talking about things I could send him, and he actually said, "Go look on N4Ms and see what other moms send". I just thought that was funny, since I just joined this group a few days ago :)

Thanks for all the great ideas - I've already been shopping!!

@Carol in Fla, I love the idea of a bottle with a built in filter!  Also didn't know about Mio drink mixes. Going to try to find both.

@ssnoden12, do you know about Purex 3 in 1 laundry sheets?  My son liked using those while deployed on a ship, I sent refills as needed.

CArol, re Japan, I put your question to a corpsman mom whose son was in Japan last year, here's what she said:  "haha! Smart kid! It really depends where he's stationed. I didn't send C much other than goodies I felt like sending since he had a NEX and all the great sushi he could devour at his fingertips...lol I did send him one of those upright vertical oscillating fans for his barracks, though. It is stinking hot and humid in the summer there..."

Marcy -  I looked for the Purex sheets and couldn't find them, then googled them and it looks like they've been discontinued. I was going to put laundry gel/pods in individual snack sized bags with a dryer sheet & send a handful of those in each box :)

Can't wait for my cherry tree to ripen so I can try the pie in a jar....

CArol, I found them at Target, and Amazon has them: Purex 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets

Drawback is that they're so pricey - I'd never use them at home :)  Your way sounds just as good if not better, since fabric softener isn't good to use on towels, makes them less absorbent.

Thanks Marcy! I will try those too - they sound more convenient.

I found the purex sheets at walmart . I dont know why my son like them but they easy to shipped.

they like the purex sheets because they contain everything to do their laundry and they are space saving.  space is a very high premium on the boat

Love the Purex idea--I will look for those next time--wish I had known before I mailed the  gel pack detergent to my son!

my husband loves the purex sheets!! a must have!! i bought him like 4 boxes before he left, and took them out of the boxes and put them in ziplock bags to keep the freshness :) i got mine at walgreens on sale for $2.99 a box!

This is off-topic for sending, but since CArol mentioned the pie in a jar ... I saw this recipe on the same site I got my pie in a jar from, but this is Frozen Lemonade Pie in a Jar, would be fun for summer for us AND they have labels you can download for Mother's Day!  ok, that is all LOL

Oh and when sending laundry stuff or especially dryer sheets, double ziplock and don't snuggle them up to snacks or everything ends up tasting icky like fabric softener :)  That's a fantastic price for those NavyWife2010!

Ok Ladies - Alert on the Purex sheets! I finally tracked them down at Walgreens (my Target and WalMart did not have them) and found them 1/2 price on the Clearance shelf. The cashier told me they ARE being discontinued! So if you love them....go buy them right away! I hope my son likes them...I bought the last 4 boxes :)

Thanks for the ziplock tip, Marcy!

Oops - NavyWife, you suggested the ziplocks :) I've had them baggied and double ziplocked and they STILL smell pretty strong. I think I will have to send in a separate box, since the other thing my son wants is protein bars & powder, and I doubt he wants them smelling like Purex!!

Jaons' Mom--that is great..they are out there together.  I guess they all go into port at the same time, since they are traveling together?

A lady at my office--she is retired Navy and so is her hubby--she told me she used to make sugar cookies from the mix and put canned frosting on them and sandwich them together and individually wrap them.  Her husband would sell or trade for favors.  So I have the mix and frosting at home--I just have to get in the kitchen and bake them off.

I couldn't find the Purex at Target either--I will go check Walgreens this afternoon. Thanks for the tips!

Indeed...  the purex sheets are wonderful!  But they do smell strongly!  Mail them with toys or new socks... but no food!!  I have some that I bought on sale two months ago when our store was clearing them out...  they make my laundry room smell delightful...  and my sailor loves having one of the used ones tucked in his rack!

Hello and happy Friday!  My son isn't on a ship so he has the NEX to use but says everything is very expensive in Japan so I try to send items he might not buy himself because of the expense or things they might not have there that he likes.  I ordered HP Sauce through Amazon, from England, because I couldn't find it here.  A luxery for sure but it's something he loves.  I also sent Via packets as we are all big coffee drinkers.

I like the idea of charging the NEX card.  I have a younger son in the AF and he is in another state--I could probably do that for him on what ever it is they call their exchange.  I like that idea!

Just learning the ropes here. My daughter is at A school now. I participated in a project with a local marine's mom two years ago...little did I know I would be thinking about this for my  daughter. She is 33 and this is new to both of us. Don't know where in the world she'll go, but want to connect and support in anyway possible.

Welcome, all our new members!!  Be sure and check out seven pages of great stuff in the Discussion forums up top, too!  :)

@pigood2plus2 - how great for your daughter to take the plunge at 33.  Feel free to ask any question at all, heaven knows we were all newbies once :)

Marcy--Thanks. Having trouble w/site...keeps wanting me to login all the time after I've logged in. Any advice?

Do you have 'cookies' enabled on your browser?  (Try looking under Preferences -> Security.)   On N4M there isn't any other thing to click on like "keep me signed in" or anything...you might try reporting it by clicking at the bottom right of the page on the link "Report an issue" and see what the N4M Admins have to say.    Anyone else got an idea?

Thanks, Marcy. I checked my security settings. It is probably not just this site, but I'll keep working on it.

We ♥ care packages!!  Sharing this pic from May 25 aboard the USS Iwo Jima via DVIDS ~

Sailors and Marines sort through mail after a replenishment at sea in the hanger bay aboard the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7). Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and embarked 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit are deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Jonathan L. Correa/Released)

Hey moms, I got an email today from Pat, the inventor and owner ofNavyRackPacks and she is asking for help:  "Because our business is getting busier, I am seeking a small business grant to help us expand. We have to get 250 votes through a social network to be considered. Would you consider being part of this?"  Go here and log in via Facebook to vote:  https://www.missionsmallbusiness.com/ , enter NavyRackPacks.

For our new members, a NavyRackPack is a curtain that hangs inside your sailor's existing curtain in his/her rack.  It has extra pockets for storage (a big help), and is darkening to help sleep.  She embroiders the last name free, and ships to FPO and APO addresses if needed.  If you're not sure of the size needed, or if your sailor's command allows them, you can call or email her, she's helpful and super-nice.  My sailor has used his on the USS Iwo Jima and says the extra storage was great to have.  Website:  http://www.navyrackpacks.com

Thanks Marcy....just voted for them!  My sailor loves his!

I voted! I will be buying one once my son is on a carrier- but that is not for a year or so- they look very useful!

My son loves his. I will go to FB and vote too!

I've told Pat about your awesome support and here's an email from Pat - 

Subj:  Humble gratitude"

My son PIR's next week and I want to send him an awesome care package for A school.  Any ideas for fun and necessary items.

my sailor has been assigned to his first station and I already found an awesome idea for him to have in the first care package. The Rack Pack. Thank you, ladies

Luke's Mom - sharing homemade treats from home makes sailors popular with their friends :)   He'll likely have some specific & immediate needs and you can send him a Navy Exchange gift card - I know it doesn't sound all that exciting but I bet he'd put it to good use & wonder how you know so much!!  You can get almost anything at the NEX - even my favorite Clarins makeup, now that's a good store! LOL  Maybe fill a popcorn box with microwave popcorn & gift cards  for a nearby restaurant, the movies, iTunes, etc.

AKMom, he'll love it - made me feel good, too, to get something so useful.

Welcome all you new members!!!  

Hello All! I have a question...I ordered a phone card through the Exchange website with no problem. Now I'm getting 'The status of your order has changed' messages to my email, but when I follow the link I can't access the order on the Navy Exchange website because I don't have an account. Anyone else have this problem? I'm hoping the status changes are that the order has been processed and sent, but it would be nice to know!

CArol- The same thing happened to me when I ordered calling cards from the exchange last week...they kept sending me emails telling me my order has been changed but when I tried to look it wouldn't let me access it. I got my calling cards in the mail yesterday so obviously it must not have effected the order so I wouldn't worry about it :)

Thanks Nukelover90! I had them shipped straight to my sailor....so I hope he gets them soon.

Tin Can Treats:  "Basically, you are removing the bottom of a tab-top tin can, emptying and cleaning it, and then filling it with treats and goodies." 

The two gals at Our Best Bites have a lot of clever ideas, and just reposted this, so I'm reposting it too LOL - I can't believe it's been a year!  This looks like fun but I never got around to trying it - if anyone does, tell me!! It looks so cool.  My mom buys her coffee in those eNORmous cans, maybe that's the way to go! :)  Link:  TIN CAN TREATS

So many new members, love it!  It would be great to hear from everyone, hear where your sailors are, what they're asking for, and just say Hi!!!