Open Message to ALL Deployed Servicemen

[Para Driver]

If you are serving our country in some far off land, and you need something, post it here.. we'll try and get you taken care of.. you deserve it..

 

[TFA303]

Hey, Moderators!

Oughta make this one a sticky.

 

[Mason]

Sticky please.

I have two cousins, one stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii, and one on his way to Iraq. This is for them.

 

[338GT]

Agreed,

And thanks for the Sticky!!!!!!!!!!!!


338GT

 

[GOVT1911]

Thanks for the sticky! I'm on my third trip to Iraq and fellow 'Filers have always taken care of me. I don't know about others, but for me, good stuff for care packages are simple munchies and quality reading material. (gun porn!)

This time I'm at a big camp, so we've got pretty much all the necessities. I'm alot better off than I was my last time here where I spent most of my time living/training with the Iraqi Police.

 

[Hoploholic]

Serving in the subtropical paradise of Okinawa. All I ask is that you pray for those in the desert and that we will all come home safe to enjoy or Second Ammendment rights. Damned if I don't miss the hell out of my privately owned firearms!

 

[Silver Fox]

Just a little bit of background of myself, I am a member of an Embedded Training Team (ETT) with the Afghan National Army about 25 "Klic's" east of Qalat, Afghanistan. Google it, interesting history. I have pretty good internet access so I don't need gun porn and my reading needs are met with about six books on my "must read list". The only thing I truely need is decent chow and munchies. We do not have any cook support, it is just the 11 of us with the 200+ Afghans out here in the middle of nowhere. I have had every MRE made 17 times each... uugh! My idea of decent chow:

Dinty Moore Beef stew or chiken dumplings
Campbells chunky type soups
Summer Sausage/Beef stick
Pepper jack cheese
Salsa and chips
Homemade cookies, bannana nut or zuchinni (SP?) bread (the army has us well stocked on crap food)

Pretty trivial stuff but hey, they would be nice to have.

If you really want to send me something that would be useful here is the list of those items (Note: not one item listed is for me, just my ANA)

Old BDU's
Old Cold weather gear
Old Boots
Old pocket knives or multi tools
AK Front site adjustment tools
AK Pistol grips
AK-47 anything you don't need (good way to get rid of those non-compliant parts), replacement parts are hard to come by here
Old Sweaters or Sweat shirts
Cold weather socks
Boot socks
Old Army brown shirts

Seriously guys, clothing sales doesn't really exist for my soldiers to go shopping at and resupply is a bitch and half. Yes the paper pushers and Logisticians are learning too and things are getting better, but in the mean time my soldiers are suffering. These men are soldiers and risking their lives just like Americans just without all the high tech stuff. I will post pictures of your items with the soldier receiving it once I get off my ass and pay for my memebrship. I will also post a picture of my Engineer company soon.

My address:

Michael D. Olson
4/2/205
Qalat
APO AE 09355

Thank you for any suport you can offer to my ANA soldiers. You have no idea how much something so little is so appericiated. I have already had my old BDU's and old army brown T-shirts sent here. Inside the box please just leave me a note with your Fal file screen name.

Silver Fox

 

[MarkBall]

Figure here is the best place to put this...................

Subject: Free Stuff for Troops. These have run these thru ACS, JAG and MWR, and all appear legit.

http://www.operationhomelink.org - Free computers for spouses or parents of deployed soldier in ranks E1 - E5.

https://www.operationuplink.org - Free phone cards.

http://anysoldier.com/ForSoldiersOnly.cfm - To sign up for sponsoring soldier care packages for theater.

http://www.operationshoebox.com - free shoebox care package.

http://www.treatthetroops.org -free cookies.

http://bluestarmoms.org/airfare.html - lowest airfare available.

http://bluestarmoms.org/care.html - free care packages.

http://www.heromiles.org - free air travel for Emergency Leave, and for the family members of injured soldiers to travel to Medical facility.

http://www.bluestarmothers.org/airlinespecials.php - Airline discounts for R & R.

http://www.booksforsoldiers.com/forum/index.php - free books, DVD's, CD's.

http://www.militarymoms.net/sot.html free care packages (your family member signs up to have sent to you).

http://operationmilitarypride.org/smsignup.html - free care packages.

http://www.soldiersangels.org/heroes/submit_a_soldier.php - get adopted to receive stuff.

https://www.treatsfortroops.com/registration/index.php - free gifts and care packages.

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Nov2004/n11232004_2004112312 free shipping/packing materials for shipping to troops.


Let me know if any of the links don't work, I'll try to research them & see if I can get them to work. One last thing, THANK YOU & COVER 6!

 

[Ned Flangers]

I would like to send something to Silver Fox, but am unsure of how to go about it. Do I just take a package to the post office addressed to the info he provided?

 

[rcnpthfndr]

yes, and fill out your customs forms. you can flat rate it also.

SF, got alot of what you need, will get stuff out to you

 

[klg]

SF,

I just got back from Iraq, I was on a MTT team. I know we get told the we are the tip of the spear when it comes to the war. but we don't get any support. Many other members helped me out this last year. So now that I'm back I will do the same.

If you could PM me with you military gear wish list. I work at Corp level in the states. So if I don't have it I can get it.

Ken

 

[Tailback]

I'm getting ready to leave the AOR in a couple weeks and I'll share with you folks my thoughts.

LED flashlight that will last a lonnnggggg time on one set of batteries. You'd think getting something like batteries would be easy, think again. They issued us Surefire 6p lights which eat through batteries quick. I worked nightshift and had to do oil changes on generators out in the boonies with a flashlight in my teeth. It would have been nice if the batteries would have lasted longer.

Costco Kirkland brand dried fruit and nut medley. Lets just say that the fruits and vegetables in the chow hall leave a little to be desired. My buddy who was in the Infantry sent me a care package with this stuff and it's the bomb. When the chow hall had something so disgusting that I couldn't bring myself to eat, I'd eat a handfull of fruit medley, some yogurt, and crack open a can of tuna and crackers.

Camelbak Mule, Hawg, etc...You have to have a small pack to carry crap in over here when going on or off shift to carry snacks, drink powder, gloves, PT gear, whatever.

Laptop or gameboy. Any of you veterans remember "Hurry up and wait" Nothing's changed. Solitaire and a couple first person shooters kept me sane. When I really got pissed I'd play Hitman and pretend my victims were my supervisor.

USB Thumb drive, the more capacity the better. There's a lot of cool multimedia stuff floating around over here that you won't see on FOX or CNN. No, I'm not talking about porn either.

Missionpac merino wool zip pullover long sleeve shirt. It's a warm, non-flammable itch free wool base layer. Nobody believed me when I said it would get cold over here. Who looks smart now? I've been nice and warm with the shirt and a wool (not acrylic) watch cap. Tadgear has a nice merino wool watch cap in tacticool colors. Don't wear Polypro if around fuel, fire, explosions etc.

Smartwool socks rock. Lightweight hikers have been great from 125 degrees to 35 degrees F. My callouses have actually started to dissappear since I've started wearing these in September.

Paratool of your choice, folding knife, mechanix gloves.

That's about it, if anybody has anymore question PM me.

 

[PBR Streetgang]

Any current members across the pond at this time?

 

[Tailback]

Just a ping to keep this thread alive.

I'll be retired as of June 13th but some buddies of mine from the Oregon Guard are slated to go to Iraq in 2009.

I plan on making sure they are well taken care of and I hope others on this board will do likewise.

I'll post again when the guys are close to being deployed.

 

[101AASLT]

re

I will keep this in mind, we are going through our MOB-up right now.....I will post here again once we are on the ground.....

 

[spatin]

yes, and fill out your customs forms. you can flat rate it also.

SF, got alot of what you need, will get stuff out to you

What customs forms?

Please tell us what we need customs forms for so the stuff we send doesn't end up in the garage of some customs agent!

Sidney

 

[daemon]

DONT SEND CHOCOLATE!!!

but as said before, gun mags, porn, munchies, socks, boxers, wet ones wipes etc....

 

[101AASLT]

DONT SEND CHOCOLATE!!!

but as said before, gun mags, porn, munchies, socks, boxers, wet ones wipes etc....

Dont put soap in with food.....

 

[splogan]

We get a lot of junk food stuff in packages. Healthier snacks go over quite well. Trail mix, nuts, jerky et cetera, i am sure that is a constant across the board.

 

[cookhj]

the costco/kirkland's trail mix is some good stuff! one of my Marines would get bags of it all the time and we would go through it in a matter of a few days.

 

[PinkPanther]

Heyo! Just wanted to say thank you for the thread. Im pretty much set over here. But I just wanted to say thank you to all of you for your support!:bow:

 

[theoriginaljon]

OCONUS

I'm serving in Japan with intermittent time in Iraq over the next 3 years. Please don't let me come back to this as our currency.

http://www.amerocurrency.com/amero.html

Please vote, even if it's only on local issues.

 

[izaakb]

any other recent requests?

 

[WolfamongSheep]

I'm returning back to Germany in a few more weeks, so I'll pass on the offer. It's nice to see like-minded people supporting those of us away from home, though.

I've got a good friend, who is a reservist who just got over here a few weeks ago. She is in a pretty austere location and doesn't have all of the ammenities that some of us have on the bigger FOBS/bases. I'll see if she minds if I post her address here.

+1 on all the previous comments on trail mix and jerkey. I've always thought tral mix is made when some kid sweeps the produce department floor of the grocery store, but I'm a born-again trail mix fan and enjoy it a lot. Junk food is ok, but it gets old and doesn't really do much for you over here in the heat.

I'd also just like to add that Top Ramen Noodles and similar products are always welcomed. They offer a quick and tastey alternative to less than desirable chow. They aren't just fro starving college students any more......

Silver Fox...I've been in the area where you are at. I've got a bunch of old BDUs and boots at my place in Germany. when I get back and get settled back in, I'll send you some stuff for your ANA guys. Good luck over there. OEf is a totally different fight than OIF. Be safe brother.

WaS
:fal:

 

[daemon78223]

awesome idea guys!

I got back six months ago afer spending 15 on a tiny combat outpost just outside baghdad. my unit essentially lived off of the contributions sent to us via drives like this.