We military spouses love putting together care packages for our servicemembers. We like to get creative. We like to be cutsie. And we really do want to send them stuff that they actually want.
But after months of deployment, box after box and all those darn customs forms we get tired. Our brains run dry. And we can no longer tell the difference between stuff they want in their care package, and stuff we hope they are using (27 sticks of deodorant, anyone?).
Take our poll below and tell us — what do servicemembers REALLY want in a care package? When you’re done you’ll be redirected back to this page to see the results at the bottom.
Fill out my online form.
About Amy Bushatz
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My husband personally wanted pictures of all of us. He's not a big junk food person, so I didn't really send stuff like that, but rather foods like top ramen, canned foods, crackers, beef jerky etc. This last time he asked for cleaning supplies and room fresheners! lol
My husband wanted protein packed foods and fruit, so every package had beef jerky, tuna packets, cans of nuts, and canned fruit. (There wasn't really a poll option for that so I chose useful stuff.) I also always included art from the kids and I drew pictures on the outsides of the packages. He never commented on them, but when he came home from his deployments, he had cut the pictures off of every box and saved them. :)
My last care package for had: remote control car, high bounce balls, water guns, brownies, sugar cookies and a DVD slideshow of pics of me for our anniversary. Make sure the baked goods are 'wetter' type recipes that don't crumble in a few days and put pieces of bread in the bag to keep them soft. Plus I used Glad press and seal which worked wonders.
My husband always asked for Power Bars, microwavable meals, protein heavy snacks, and canned goods. For fun, I would send him buckets of Double Bubble gum from World Market and interesting candies like jalepeno chocolate or maple bacon lollipops. I always sent enough to share with everyone so he and the guys in his shop always looked forward to seeing what new weird thing I would come up with.
As a deployed soldier, I always enjoyed getting jerky. Was something I could carry anywhere. Part of the time I was deployed showering was a premium and I received baby wipes in the travel packs-they were fantastic. Pictures and C. chip cookies were great. There is one thing for me – a letter was special. I know there is video, internet and such today, but there is also something very special when your name is called out at mail call. There is something special about carring a letter so you can re-read it any time any place.
SGM (Ret)
Books are always good and they can get passed around the entire unit.
We've had many deployments but every time I ask my husband what he (and most of the people he works with) want is the same thing, every time and since it wasn't on the poll, I thought I'd put it here. A piece of home. A long time ago, he wrote me a short post for my blog on what a piece of home was like and how I imagine that would mean different things to different people, but he was able to express it better than I could describe it. http://lemonademadedaily.blogspot.com/2009/11/val…
I send the munchies, we are lucky and he works on computers so we send videos and pictures that way. And little remote controlled things, yoyos, card games, he leaves those or breaks them. Of course girl scout cookies, he will take those even if they do melt.
Nothing beats a shoe box with a 1.75L bottle of rum or bourbon!
One of the things that I always love getting are small cheap toys. Things like a package of squirt guns, velcro balls, army men or anything that will give me and a buddy or two a few minutes of entertainment. My wife will pick up stuff the Dollar store or someplace like that. I know it is cheap and don't mind when it is tossed out or stolen.
No one can second quess what is wanted in a care package short of a spouse or family member. A faverate snack, current picture, a token of remerance and a letter of what is going on with the family and friend can be a great excape for a few minutes. It has been over 40 years for me one thing was priceless was a mini sewing kit to help keep buttons on and tears together on my uniform. If the person helps local orphans or orphange something for those kids something for them. What it dose for that child you can not image or discrbe and turns a hero into a super hero. Avoid contraband items are a last resort item and be willing to pay the price.
Not a spouse but mother of a soldier deployed. Flaming Hot Cheetos is the main request and snack cakes. World Market and Walmart and Big Lots carry the nice Italian cakes that come individually sealed so there is no mess and they are easy to share. I have found that at Vimeo many music video and short film directors make their videos available for free download. I am finding ones of his favorite artists and burning them onto a DVD, along with fun short films and animations which should be entertaining.
My husband and I have a few movies that we watch as special times of the year, so when he deploys I send a copy to him timed to get there before that date, and we "watch" them together, long distance, then discuss it the next time we talk. It keeps alive a tradition we do when he's home.
We always send Toilet paper. My husband has said that the things you need are cheap. the things that make deployment bareable are expensive and toilet paper is no exception. So that's what i send :)