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What I am getting at is their expressing to us how much it means to them to get letters, packages from home. I have been derelict in sending packages but that is abruptly changing.

Great~

I get one off to my grandson -Airborne Task Force, Afghanistan - every 2-4 weeks.

Some of the things m ost useful - wet wipes and gum - Not a lot of access to water for showers and brushing teeth (NOTE: make sure gum is NOT sugar-free! ARtificial sweeteners, like Aspartame, can be deadly in hot weather = research it! - and High Fructose Corn Syrup is not an innocent, natural ingredient but a man made concoction that is finally being recognized for the poison it is (GOOGLE "High Fructose Corn Syrup banned" and you'll go back to sugar. Read the ingredients on anything that has a sweetener in it and opt for sugar, the least damaging.

I also send candy - with sugar - that won't melt in the 100+ heat, like gummy bears, licorice, hard candy.

Insect repellent is vital - the sand flies can cause serious medical problems. NO AERESOL - cannot send aerosol cans in mail. There is also a great repellent they can use on their clothes, called Permethrin

http://bitesandstingsonline.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=BASO&Category_Code=IR

They also love books to read - (My grandson is catching up on the Classics ) paperback editions as they wont be able to hang onto them from place to place. They read and pass on. (I buy mostly on Amazon, taking advantage of their "new and used" for pennies on the dollar.Another really useful thing: zip-lock baggies! Keeps the bugs and the fine sand powder out of things.

I also look for silly little things just for chuckles - like one, I sent one of those tiny little hand held fans that run on a AA battery. I'm sure it doesn't do much against the oppressive heat - but good for a laugh.

socks and underwear - dark color only: green, blue, brown, black. And my grandson said he had no pillow - I sent a travel pillow - easier to carry around.

These are some of the things they can use - and FAMILY PHOTOS, for sending to the ones you know.

But there are always some troops without families or anyone to get boxes/mail from. They need to know we care!