Hi guys n gals, my nephew is off shortly for a 7 month stint in Afghanistan, trying to think of something to get him while he's out there, he's in his 20's he's sure to have ipod etc , he's not a musician, apart from socks n sweets I'm stumped , I know there are a few services guys on the forum, family get together this weekend to give him a send off, any ideas greatly appreciated, thanks.

whats he into?

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Eating mostly , always was even as a kid, even trained as a chef at one point, anytime he was staying with us my own son got so frustrated because he was never the outdoors type of kid, while my son want's to get out and about, surprised the heck out of us all when we heard he'd signed up, weight's fell of him now though, just big boned he insist's just one of these kids who sat about doin nowt exept taking things apart, don't get to see him that often he'd moved away years ago so we don't get together that often to know what he's into........help

I loved getting care packages from home when I was in the Army. I always looked forward to rice crispy treats and horror books, which were about the only thing that could keep me awake on guard duty. The Shinning is a classic IMO.

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+1 while in Iraq, I loved the care packages, and too be honest the snacks were great, but so was actually getting something...anything from home, always made my day. My wife and the vette club sent me stuff all the time, candy, treats, etc it was always great to share that with others there in the unit. Made thier day usually too! Mail, even a simple letter can really lift a Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marines day!

Other than that, just send em your love!

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

What he wants you can't mail.

Unless it's some inflatable "novelty" that will likely get him laughed out of the squad when he unwraps it in front of them.



Cheerful letters from home are good. As are "scooby snacks", sealed packages of condiments (useful for perking up MRE's), DVD's and CD's, spare ear buds (the foam rubber tends to rot away quickly in that climate), GI-issue nomex flier's gloves, insulated socks, and plenty of underdrawers and T-shirts.

HTH

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

I don't know what kind of time he may have on his hands but mail in general from home was a big hit in my time and oddly enough a video tape full of nothing but commercials. AFN only showed military oriented commercials so to get 6 hours of real american commercials every few months was a big deal. Books go over well and we used to trade them around now days maybe an audio book or something. Care packages full-o-pogey bait! Cookies and stuff like that. Communication with family and friends helps maintain the morale and spirits in the upper half of the zone.

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I believe that Jimi, Stevie, Jeff, Robert, Hubert, Les, Leo and the "Duck" are all looking down on Joe B. saying "Holy smokes that dude got some stuff going on!"

Check out the cause:
http://crossroadsguitarfestival.com/

Have a friend whose daughter is in Kuwait right now. Cash is king. Even if it is only a little bit. That way they can buy what they need as they go and when they get there. They really might not know exactly what they need most that isn't available there until they actually arrive. Remember they have to carry whatever you give them half way around the world. Cash works!

After they get there and you get their APO/FPO address, inquire what they want or need that they can't get there. Then send small monthly or bi-monthly care packages with things you know they want and unasked for things as little surprises.

Giving them something here to take there that they might not actually need won't mean as much as getting a little shoebox full of different stuff they do need a few weeks after they arrive. And as mentioned a letter is always welcomed! The way that works is you send it to the APO/FPO address which is domestic mail, so there is no overseas postage and the military delivers it...eventually. Letters and small packages to Kuwait are running just over a week to two weeks and I suspect Afg. is about the same now. It isn't Fed-Ex but it works.

Thanks a bunch guy's, some regular small boxes of various goodies seem's to be the way to go, I'll be taking notes at his send off, see what else we can get to him while he's out there CD's, SD cards he took quite a few pics on his last tour, books, magazines things like that.
@ Brotherdave I'll stuff a few notes in his pocket, cheers
@ Arjay

thanks again guy's, Cheers

Hi Rip: my wife's nephew has done a tour in Iraq and recently started his second in Afghanistan. From what I hear his experience seems to chime with what the servicemen on this thread have said - send food!

He's either into Marmite, or he isn't. HP Sauce? Branston Pickle? Cadbury's Cream Eggs?

...A tiny bottle of Dave's Insanity Sauce would last him a while.

Good luck, Nephew of Ripitup - C

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like some have said "Sauces!"
My best friend was In the military during the early 90's stationed in Kuwait and he always had me send him condiments to cover up the taste of anything they had to eat
so lots of hot sauce got sent his way, sometimes he would trade it for other things he wanted so based on the info, a good bottle of concentrated hot sauce is a good choice. even if he doesn't like it now... he will in a few months

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I know what I wish that I had taken with me to Iraq. A touch iPod or notebook computer just stuffed with as many movies as would fit. As surprising as it sounds, with everything that goes on in a deployed soldiers life, BOREDOM is a big, big problem.

John, mail I loved to get mail, letters, care packages with goodies bisquits, crackers, don't laugh but I loved sardines big ones and little ones (don't send him those, lol) and cheese those big bacci-ball sized wrapped in wax and rope, sweets of any sort (my family is Italian so thats what I got ha ha). Hot sauce and canned jalepeno's always made me smile too. Not sure what it costs to send a package these days though.

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

What's big with his age demographics are beats, those oversize
Headphones.
+everyone's suggestions. And moral boosters.

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"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

oogway, kungfu panda 2008