FOR THOSE WE CARE ABOUT WHO ARE FAR FROM HOME
I got an email from Vicki McSparin Jackson (vjackson67@mac.com) tonite. One of her sons is serving in the middle east. I'm sure that in our group, her situation is not unique. Many of you may be in the same place.
Let's help each other and a lot of people we never meet.
If you would like your email address listed here to provide information about who over there needs what, who over there never get's any mail or just to talk with someone in the same place, let me know and I'll have you listed. What follows is part of Vicki's email that can be a guide to what the people over there need to make life a little better.
"Here are some care package ideas I got from the parents network. Last deployment my Aunt, who works in a used book store sent many boxes of books, which were lifesavers because they have a lot of down time. I will also get a general address if anyone wants to send packages to "A special Marine." (I'm sure the same holds true for the other branches of the service.) The command then distributes them to whoever isn't getting boxes or packages. It is not uncommon for some of them to get NO mail from anyone at home. If Nick would know someone getting nothing in the mail, he would give me their name and address and we would send them letters and packages.
General Ideas for packages.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES EVER SEND ANY TYPE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES!!!!
This will not be tolerated, especially by the command.. These fine men are in combat and need to be alert at all times! No matter what the circumstances NEVER send any type of alcohol.
Food Items:
Protein bars
Beef jerky
Beef stews with flip up lids, Spaghetti and meatballs with flip up lids, any ready to go foods with a lid that do not need refrigeration
HORMEL makes a pre-packaged meal.. In same isle as canned ready to eat foods. They are in small boxes
They have meatloaf w/mashed potatoes etc.. ready to eat
Bagged tuna/chicken
Bumble bee TUNA OR CHICKEN spread w/ crackers
Individual pkg’s of hot chocolate or cocoa
Individual powdered drink mixes (to add to a water bottle)
Dried fruits, trail mix
Sunflower seeds
Granola bars
Tabasco sauce and spices ( the guys love to add these to their MRE’s)
Chex mix, chips and salsa, peanut butter crackers, peanuts in a can (with a replaceable lid)
Pop tarts.
Cookies (no chocolate till October.).
Gummy bears, candy
Salsa and chips
Snack foods, they love snack foods!!
Home made baked goods
Toiletries:
Gold Bond foot power
Toothpaste and new brushes
BABY WIPES!!! INCLUDE IN ANY BOX. THIS IS ALWAYS NEEDED
Qtips, these are great for cleaning the small crevices of thier weapons
Small bottles of hand sanitizer (they carry these every day in the field)
Tums
Vitamins
Liquid bath soap
Single packs of Kleenex
Neosporin cream
Personal items:
Socks, Black. Crew length (Higher the better) they go through socks very quickly
Magazines anything geared for guys, motorcycles, sports Guns and ammo, weight lifting, boxing etc… (Hey, let's not forget the women!)
Cross word books
Hand held games. Poker, solitaire ect
Harmonicas, guitars
Books
DVD’s (only recreation they have most of the time) Humor is the best
Bug spray with a high DET level
Talcum powder
Moisturized eye drops
Dr Scholl's (Memory foam "WORK" insoles made for boots) The guys love how good these feel on their tired, sore feet.
Shaving cream jells, double edge shavers and blades
Sports equipment (baseballs, footballs and gloves……
Paint brushes, 1 inch, black bristles (good to dust guns off) "
The best and cheapest way to mail packages to Iraq is using the USPS. They have 2 sizes of Flat Rate Boxes and it costs $8.95 no matter how much they weigh. The boxes, labels, and customs forms are free. If you go to their website, they will even deliver these supplies to your house at no charge. They get all my business! I am there every Saturday morning during his deployment. After Nick came back from Iraq the first time, I think the postal clerk thought I dumped him.:) I'm sure he'll be seeing a lot of me for the next 7
months.
To contact Vicki's son Nick:
HM3 Jackson, Nicholas A.
3D BN 2D MAR H&S
Unit 73130, Sniper Plt
FPO AE 09509-3130
Nick Jackson
