[grumple]

My wife just returned from Wal-Mart. She went down to spend some support bucks on care package items. She said the clerk looked at her understandingly and mentioned that "items like these had been selling like hotcakes over the weekend and today..."

You won't see this in the polls anywhere, but the evidence is there.

If it hasn't been done (a list of care package items), some of the items on her list included

soap toothpaste washcloths mouthwash fingernail clippers aspirin fruit cups (canned) "lunch bucket" type canned foods (ravioli, spaghetti etc) crackers (vending machine types) lotion cup-a-soups shampoo razors sewing kits toilet paper pens paper envelopes

Support our troops!! Semper Fi! Guns out!

[rface]

SUGGESTED DONATIONS

Reading Materials- magazines, paperback books, comic books, comic sections from newspapers

Personal Items - playing cards, travel checkers and chess, board games, crossword and trivia games, handheld computer games, new socks and underwear,

Toiletries- (must have an intact safety seal) non-spray deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, no-water hand sanitizer, sun block, lip balm, nail clippers, foot powder, wet wipes, eye drops, dental floss, combs, brushes, Q-tips, hand cream, soap, Kleenex, contact lens cleaner, bug spray (non-aerosol), toilet paper, no-water Excedrin tablets

Writing Materials- stationary, post cards, blank journals, nice pens, stamps

Music- CDs, cassette tapes, Portable CD players, portable cassette players, headphones

Other- disposable cameras, Polaroid cameras & film, AA batteries, AT&T pre-paid calling cards

[rface]

pingggggg

[Corin Stormhands]

Ping

[theDentist]

Ummmm, where do we send 'em?

[Revelation 911]

care package stuff for American soldiers defeating a dictator, sent by well meaning Americans who are shopping at a store that sells predominantly communist chinese made goods.

The irony is rich

[green team 1999]

question- a link where we can make a donation thru the web using a credit card ?
i noticed that packages without a specific name are not wanted.

[doodad]

We sent a package to a good friend in 82nd over weekend:

TP
kleenex
lip balm
deodorant
wet wipes
hard candy
sunscreen
eye drops
nasal spray
comics
magazines
books
puzzles
and a disp camera with a mascot to take pictures with (bald eagle) and send home for our annual multi-family beach gathering which it appears he will be absent

Really cool, the lady at the register found out what we were doing helped us change to all store brands and produced a coupon discounting all store brand items 15%.

[Samwise]

I saw this article and couldn't help but chuckle "2JM has been shopping again!"

[anymouse]

Check with USO first before buying and sending these well intentioned items to forward deployed troops.

Right now they are moving fast and only limited mail from blood relatives has got a prayer of reaching frontline troops right now.

Best to support troops families left behind, donate blood and organize rallies to flood media with a supportive homefront, which hopefully they will broadcast over to our troops.

Sending these items may make you feel good, but the objective is to help the troops and their families in the most effective and needed manner.

[KneelBeforeZod]

Don't know about what happens today, but about 10 years ago, the Marines in boot at MCRD used "Whisk" to wash all their clothes. That might be something good to send.

[Live free or die]

When I was active duty out in the field, baby wipes were our best friends...and those little travel bottles of shampoo.

[Drammach]

Add this to the list.

"Febreeze" or other fabric fresheners...
Water is short, so washing clothes isn't always practical.
With fabric freshener, at least You can smell good, even if you're not really cleaning the clothes.

[Drago]

Sorry fellow freepers...terror concerns have caused the DOD to request NO more care package be sent, (except from close family). Along with the terror threat, they say that there are so many packages that "basic" items such as ammo for our soldiers would be squeezed out if unrestricted care packages were allowed...the supply pipeline is only so big. Please see these links:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2003/b03222003_bt139-03.html

and

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/872678/posts

[Bkpkr]

URAH! To you and Mrs, for supporting Our Troops in uniform! Glad to hear it happening outside of FLorida too! Eugene

[MissAmericanPie]

I was good to go on the care packages, but I heard on the news that we shouldn't send them now as they are overwhelmed with packages.

I wonder if that has been lifted yet? Does anyone have the latest on care packages? Are they accepting them now?

[eureka!]

Bump for later (and shopping and sending when time)...