Did you know that CARE
packages actually got their
start being sent FROM the
military?
Read here to get the
history of CARE packages.
Guidelines and Restrictions
In addition to the military's guidelines, each country has its own customs regulations regarding incoming mail. So, before you send a letter or package to one of our troops overseas, make sure you're aware of the restrictions. PLEASE READ THIS.
- Although there are specific restrictions for each 5-digit Military Post Office ZIP Code (APO/FPO/DPO), generally, the following are prohibited in certain areas of operation...
- Obscene articles (prints, paintings, cards, films, videotapes, etc).
- Any matter depicting nude or seminude persons, pornographic or sexual items, or non-authorized political materials. (Such as Weight Building Magazines and Victoria Secret Magazines are NOT acceptable)
- Bulk quantities of religious materials contrary to the Islamic faith. Items for the personal use of the addressee are permissible.
- Pork or pork by-products.
-
A question was asked if a package could be sent to an airman in technical training that contains dry ice. There is no hard fast rule or easy answer for this question as every training base has their local regulations in what the airman may or may not possess. Dry ice is considered a hazardous material and all shipping agencies will follow federal regulations for its use. However, the key here is to take the lead from your airman and ensure he/she asks the first shirt in their CQ office in tech school.
Many schools do not allow airman to possess any hazardous or toxic materials.
For those of you with post Technical Training airman.
**Please note is is against Federal regulations to send dry ice overseas or to any APO/FPO/DPO address.
Because we want to make sure that what we send is both acceptable, fun and will give our troops a smile, we have gathered the following information with suggestions. Always ask your military person if there is a specific need.
https://www.usps.com/ship/apo-fpo-dpo.htm
- This Care Package list is meant for those serving in the "Sandbox". However you can use many of these items for those that are stateside.
- The sand covers EVERYTHING with a nasty film, so Ziploc bags (sandwich, qt., gal. sizes) & Plastic Rubbermaid containers (small to large) are in huge demand for them over there =) The bags are also useful to put some items in that could potential leak in your package, then can be re-used by them.
- NOTHING SEXUAL or POLITICAL, no tobacco products (You could get them OR yourself into trouble)
- Please note that items must be new and unopened
- NO Canned foods other than prepackaged microwavable foods (keep in mind the heat)
- GLASS is not a good idea
- NON-AEROSOL for all sprays
- Food Items:
NOTE** Any foods or food products that contain "Hemp" will show up as a positive for illegal or street drug substance if required to produce a urine sample. Do NOT use anything that may have "Hemp" including "Hemp Seed or Hemp Oil"
Cake in a Jar/Brownie in a Jar
Canned meats (NO pork products) (Pork is ok for stateside)
Cereal
Cheese spread (no aerosol cans!)
Chef Boyardee Microwavable Items Chips & Pretzels (in snack sizes)
Coffee (singles), Tea Bags
Condiments (salt, pepper, sugar, seasoned salt)
Crackers & Cookies
Dried fruit
Hot Chocolate Packets
Fizzy tablets at Cracker Barrel that when you put them in a bottle of water it taste like root beer soda
Gum
Granola bars
Hard candy (individually-wrapped)
Jelly
Jerky: Beef, Chicken or Turkey (NO Pork products) (pork is ok stateside)
Microwavable Mac & Cheese Singles
Nuts, Sunflower Seeds
Peanut butter
Pistachios
Pop Corn
Pop Tarts
Powdered Drink Mixes (indiv. packets are best)
Pudding Snack Packs
Ramen noodles
Raisins Red Licorice twists Slim Jims
Snack cakes
Tootsie Rolls (both candy and lollipops)
Trail mix, Chex Mix
Tuna in a pouch
Hygiene / Med Supplies
Aspirin, Tylenol
Band Aids
Bar Soap (Ivory-scentless)
Body wash
Condoms (would not send to certain regions, so please check with you airman)
Dental Floss
Deodorant
Eye drops, Saline Solution
Facial cleansing pads
Feminine Products (Pads, Tampons) Send Tampons to the men too! This is no joke. They can be used in wounds to stop the bleeding because it will absorb and expand! It also is a sure way to start a fire if need be and can also purify/clean water as it drips thru. (Read the story further down).
Flea Collars
Fly Strips
Swatters Foot powder
Gel Insoles
Imodium D
Lip Balm (Chap-stick)
Memory sticks for computers
Moisturizing Lotion
Mosquito Netting for their racks
Mouth Wash
Mouse Traps
Nail Care (files, clippers, tweezers)
Nasal Spray
Neosporin
Off Bug Spray
Pepto Bismol
Plastic Pill Bottles (this is also good to put q-tips in)
Powder Laundry Detergent
Preparation H Wipes
Q-Tips
Razors
Rolaids / Tums
Sewing Kit (travel size)
Shampoo and Conditioner
Shaving Cream
Sunblock
Shower In A Bag Wipes
Throat Lozenges
Tissues (Kleenex)
Toilet Paper (something soft)
Toothpaste Toothbrushes
Waterless Hand Soap / Sanitizer
Wet Wipes
- Miscellaneous
Beanie Hats (dark or tan colored)
Blank Greeting cards
Cloth rags/Towels (dark or tan, wash cloth & bandanna size)
Electrical Tape
Envelops Letters
Notebooks (letter size & pocket sized)
Paint Brushes (quick gun cleaning)
Panty Hose (tan, for gun covers)
Pens, Pencils, Sharpeners
Phone Cards
Pipe Cleaners (quick gun cleaning)
Scarves (dark colored, to warp around face)
Sunglasses (wrap around kind, dark)
Tan Boot Laces
Tee Shirts (tan)
OLD CELL PHONES (with or without the chargers)
- Sports Equipment
Baseballs
Baseball gloves
Footballs
Frisbees
Hacky Sacks
Mini Flashlights
Nerf Toys Squirt guns
Soccer balls
Volleyballs
Entertainment
AA & AAA batteries
Books (soft cover: mysteries, action, drama, science fiction) *Note special wrapping instructions when shipping.
CD's \ DVD's
Craft kits
Crossword puzzles
Dice
Disposable Cameras
Magazines (sports, news, entertainment etc.)
Playing cards
Poker Chips
Portable CD & DVD players
Small hand-held games
- Tampons:
- I found this on an
Army page I'm on. Send
your Men & Women
Tampons!!!
WONDER WHAT TAMPONS ARE GOOD FOR? .
I had to share this email I got today...Be sure to read to the end!!!
Don't let the title of this e-mail fool you! It is very good reading!!!!
Panties size 20.... True story please read the whole thing....You'll love it!
Be reminded that "God Works in Mysterious Ways "
Tampons (A TRUE STORY)
Tampons to the rescue in Iraq !! Don't worry, it's a good story. And worth reading. It's even humorous in parts. It's from the Mother of a Marine in Iraq .
My son told me how wonderful the care packages we had sent them from the ladies auxiliary were and wanted me to tell Everyone thank you.
He said that one guy we'll call Marine X, got a female care package and everyone was giving him a hard time. My son said, 'Marine X got some really nice smelling lotion and everyone really likes it, so every time he goes to sleep they steal it from him. 'I told my son I was really sorry about the mistake, and if he wanted I would send Marine X another package.
He told me not to worry about Marine X, because every time I send something to him, he shares it with Marine X.
He said when my husband and I sent the last care package, Marine X came over to his cot picked up the box, started fishing through it, and said, 'What'd we get this time?'
But my son said they had the most fun with Marine X's package. He said he wasn't sure who it was supposed to go to, but the panties were size 20, and he said one of the guys got on top of the Humvee and jumped off with the panties over his head and yelled, 'Look at me, I'm an Airborne Ranger!!!!'
One of the guys attached the panties to an antenna and it blew in the wind like a windsock. He said it entertained them for quite awhile. Then of course.......they had those tampons. When he brought this up, my imagination just went running, but he continued.
My son said they had to go on a mission and Marine X wanted the Chap-Stick and lotion for the trip. He grabbed a bunch of the items from his care package and got in the Humvee. As luck would have it, he grabbed the tampons too, and my son said they were ambushed and a Marine was shot. He said the wound was pretty clean, but it was deep. He said they were administering first aid but couldn't get the bleeding to slow down, and someone said, 'Hey! Use Marine X's tampons!' My son said they put the tampon in the wound. At this point my son profoundly told me, 'Mom, did you know that tampons expand?' ('Well....yeah!')
They successfully slowed the bleeding until the guy got better medical attention. When they went to check on him later, the surgeon told them, 'You guys saved his life. If you hadn't stopped that bleeding he would have bled to death.' My Son said, 'Mom, the tampons sent by the Marine Moms by mistake saved a Marine's life.'
At this point I asked him, 'Well, what did you do with the rest of the tampons?'
He said, 'Oh, we divided them up and we all have them in our flak jackets, and I kept two for our first aid kit.'
I am absolutely amazed by the ingenuity of our Marines. I can't believe that something that started out as a mistake then turned into a joke, ended up saving someone's life. My sister said she doesn't believe in mistakes. She believes God had a plan all along. She believes that 'female care package was sent to Marine X to save our Marine.
(FYI: tampons can also be used for starting fires & purifying water.)
Either way, our efforts have boosted the morale of many Marines, provided much needed items for our troops, AND saved the life of a Marine! God bless every one of you for your efforts and hard work, and God bless our Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force and all our military service personnel.
GOD BLESS AMERICA AND KEEP IT SAFE!