Suggested Snack Food Items

All food items must be appropriately sealed / and prepackaged

Suggested Clothing

Hats, bandannas

Socks – white for PT; black for everyday wear with uniform

Men’s T-shirts and underwear (all sizes) BROWN OR GREEN FOR THE T-SHIRT if possible. Proper issued military t-shirts can also be acquired at Army Surplus stores.

Women’s sport bras and panties (all sizes)

Suggested Fun Time Materials

Balls: soccer ball, baseballs, basketballs, volley ball sets, football

Batteries: AA- C -D -9 volt

Beanie Babies or stuffed animals (new please)

Board Games

Playing Cards

CD Player with CDs / send batteries

Dart Board with darts

Disposable cameras

DVDs (you can tape from television too)

Electronic/Battery Hand held games (include batteries)

Mailing Envelopes (no stamps) / Pens with Stationary

Frisbee

Greeting Cards they can send back home (variety)

Mag flashlight bulbs,

Magazines (all kinds)

Mini Hand-held Fan or Water Misty fan

Nerf Balls

Packaged Poker Sets

Plastic bowls, spoons, forks, knives

PlayStation with games

Puzzle Books/Word Find Books

Sewing Kits

Small flash light for reading at night

Water guns

X-Box with games

Yo-Yo’s

Zip Lock Bags & Plastic lock containers for sealing leftovers and personal items

DO NOT SEND PORK, or PORK PRODUCTS, ALCOHOL, PORNOGRAPHY.

1. ► Do not send pressurized items – they may explode
2. ► Do not send products in glass containers
3. ► Do not send chocolate in the summertime to the Middle East.
4. ► Package all food items that may leak in zip-lock type bags. Add Tape to bottle tops to better secure them. Put all liquid items in a zip-lock bag so it won’t leak.

Send all troop mail via the United States Postal Service.

Visit the U.S. Postal Service website at http://www.usps.com/ for detailed information on sending support mail to the troops. On the USPS main website, do a search for "APO" and a wealth of information is available that will answer all your questions.

Mailing information and Instructions

The Department of Defense does not accept mail addressed to "any service member." Use the U.S. Postal Service when mailing packages and flat mail to the troops. You can mail all packages by Priority Mail or by Parcel Post or a new flat mail box rate described below. Parcel Post can be cheaper but it also takes longer to arrive since they do not travel by aircraft within

the U.S. prior to overseas dispatch. Please follow all restriction guidelines. Do not send anything of great value or items that are breakable. All packages sent to military addresses must have a custom form (available at your Post Office). Priority mail and flat rate boxes and other shipping supplies can be ordered free of charge by calling 1-800-222-1811. The priority mail boxes come in various sizes and can be seen by visiting the USPS online: http://www.usps.com. For priority mail shipping, you pay domestic mailing charges regardless of the deployment location. Rates for priority mail shipping are zoned and the cost differs depending on your zip code. The average cost is $5.40 for anything up to 2 lbs., $11 for anything between 2 and 5 lbs., and $16.30 for anything between 5 and 10 lbs. Visit the U.S.P.S. website to see box sizes and other information

Flat rate boxes are now available from the USPS in two different sizes. Maximum weight is 70 pounds shipped for $7.70. Priority Mail Flat rate boxes come in two sizes: "Item No: O-FRB2" is 12" X 3.5" X 14"and ‘Item No: O-FRB1" is 11" X 8.5" X 5.5". A supply of boxes and other mailing supplies can be delivered free of charge to your door by calling the toll free number above.

You can also order "MILITARY MAILING KITS" by calling 1-800-610-8734 and requesting CAREKIT04. The kits provide mailing supplies for up to 5 care package mailing boxes plus envelopes and custom forms. We highly suggest however that if you can use the flat rate box sizes for your mailings, that you do so because it saves money!

Visit the following USPS website page for answers to many common question regarding mailings to deployed U.S. Service Members. http://www.usps.com/supportingourtroops/supportingfaqs.htm#H14.

Depending on their location, Service Members do not pay postage on their mailings, so please do not send postage stamps. Cushion your packages with plenty of crumbled newspaper. Do not use foam peanut packing material. If you use popped popcorn to secure the contents of your package, place the popcorn in zip lock type plastic bags so that the corn does not spill out when the box is opened. Use plenty of shipping tape to secure the package. Put ALL food in zip lock plastic bags in case the containers burst in transit. Our soldiers say, "When preparing packages, assume it will be handled by a herd of elephants!"

Mail Restrictions: Each country has custom regulations that apply to all incoming mail. These may include prohibitions on certain kinds of food or entertainment products. Military ZIP Code restrictions may change as military units move to different locations. You will find all restrictions for overseas military ZIP Codes in U.S. Postal Service bulletins: http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/bulletin/pb.htm.

BE SURE TO READ THE RESTRICTIONS in the bulletin from the post office. Bulk quantities of religious materials contrary to the Islamic faith cannot be sent to military instillations located in Muslim countries. Religious items for the personal use of the addressee are permissible. Pork or pork by-products cannot be sent to Muslim countries.