[Vision2020] anysoldier.com

[Debbie Gray]

I'd like to put in a word of encouragement for using this website. Through
it I found my 21 year old nephew and have been in contact with him (he is
in and around Baghdad now on his 2nd tour).

Here are a few suggestionsL

If you mail things over there, use the 'Flat Rate Mail Box' that will ship
anywhere for the low price of $8.10. You can get the boxes at the USPS and
cram them full of stuff and it only costs $8.10 no matter how heavy it is.

Some things my nephew really liked were the little debbie snack cakes,
powdered gatorade or similar items, books, DVDs, gum, handy-wipes, tuna
pouches, toothpaste/toothbrush, spice packets, chicken noodle soup
packets, and things like that. Also, I sent playing cards, soduku
booklets, dice, yahtzee pads, etc. Be careful of things that melt (e.g.
chocolate) or crumble (e.g. homemade cookies) and don't pack
things like laundry soap or the like with food no matter how well you
think they're wrapped.

He is out in a tank for weeks at a time, eating/sleeping/sweating with all
the other people in that little enclosed space and then comes in to camp
for some 'civilized time' where they can watch movies on dvds, play games
on playstation, shower, etc.

He also was thrilled to get pictures from home, pictures of normal life,
pictures of Idaho scenery (he is from Idaho), pictures my kids drew, that
kind of thing.

He also said calling cards were iffy because the gov has a contract with
AT&T and only AT&T to provide phone services and sometimes it was hard to
even use the AT&T cards.

Also, don't expect a letter back. The soldiers are thrilled to get word
from stateside but aren't always able to respond... I did get to talk to
my nephew one morning at 5am our time, it was AWESOME since I hadn't
talked to him since he was 6!

Good luck! You can narrow your search for people from Idaho or people in
the pacific northwest or to groups with women soldiers, etc, or just pick
them at random. Some soldiers post pictures and updates, also.

Debbie

On Tue, 20 Jun 2006, Joan Opyr wrote:

> Instead, I'd like to direct Visionaries' attention to the following
> website:  http://www.anysoldier.com.  At Any Soldier, you can donate
> care packages to service members in Iraq.  Perhaps some of you know a
> service member; you can address your package to him or her.