Military Care Package

Military Care Package

Troop 486 has accepted a project of sending one care package each
month to a local soldier serving overseas. We do this independent of how
we may personally view our military presence in other countries.

We rotate this assignment among our patrols. When your patrol is
assigned a box, you will be given the name of the soldier who will be
receiving the package. Then please follow the instructions below.

Thank you for doing this service project for our local soldiers.

Deadline

Please take no more than four weeks to fill the box.

Shipping

Your patrol must include the cost of shipping. Right now it costs $12.00 to
send a box. Split the cost between the boys of your patrol so no one
family shoulders this extra expense. Put your cash or check in an
envelope, and return it with the box.

Do not tape the box closed when you return it to me.

Letter

Write a letter from your patrol.

Begin the letter with:

Dear member of the Armed Services,
Dear friend,
Dear soldier,
Dear serviceperson,

Answer the following questions:

1. How many boys are in your patrol?
2. What are your ranks?
3. What is your favorite part of scouting?
4. What recent scout outings have you been on?
5. What is going on in Glendora right now?

Mention your other interests, hobbies, passions.

Ask questions of the soldier so he will write you back, like what countries
they have visited, their interests, etc. Be creative but in good taste.

Express support or thanks.

Do not put any last names or return addresses in the letter you are
sending.

Letters will be pre-screened for appropriateness before they are sent out.

Photograph

Include a photograph of your patrol if you can.

Contents

Remember these soldiers are putting their lives on the line everyday so we
may have the freedoms we all enjoy here at home. Please put some
thought into your Care Package, it is for an important cause.

In selecting contents of your package, use your imagination. Remember
the season. For example, in the summer the temperature in the Middle
East is more than 115 F. Hot chocolate is not a good idea in summer.
Please also remember that your soldier has no microwave in the field.

Walmart and the 99-Cent Store are great places to find many items.

Prohibited Items

The following items are prohibited:

1. Glass
2. Bar soap
3. Aerosol sprays

Please put any liquids into a zip lock bag.

Response

If our soldier writes back, you will receive the response.

Troop 486 Military Care Package Coordinator
Mrs. Barratt

Suggested Contents Download a .pdf copy here.

Advil
Anti-itch lotion, 10 oz. size
Antiperspirant
Artificial tears
Bactine
Batteries, AA, AAA, C, 9v
Beef jerky (commercially-sealed)
Black boot socks
Body wash
Boxer shorts
Bungi cords
Candy (M&Ms, Skittles, Starbursts)
Canned food with pop-top (chili, fruit, spaghetti)
Chips
Coffee singles
Combs
Condiments
Cookies (Danish butter cookies in tins, Girl Scout cookies, etc.)
Cutter bug wipes
Dice
Disposable cameras
Dry rub for meats
Dryer sheets
DVD movies
Ear bud headphones
Eye drops
Foot powder
Freezer bags
Games, board and electronic (travel-size)
Ground coffee
Gummy bears
Hackie sacks
Hand lotion, like Aveeno
Hand sanitizer
Hand and foot warmers
Hand-held fans
Hand-held games
Honey packets
Hot chocolate
Jam (in squeeze tube)
Jolly ranchers candy
Jump rope
Lip balm (commercially-sealed)
Liquid Tide, 13.5 oz. size
Liquid laundry soap
Little Debbie snacks
Loofahs
Lotrimin cream
Magazines (sports, cars, hunting, etc.)
Multi-vitamins
Music CDs or blank CDs
Nail clippers
Notepads, greeting cards, blank note cards with envelopes
Nuts, trail mix
Packs of gum
Pain relievers
Painters masks
Paper
Peanut butter
Pens
Playing cards
Portable CD players
Pop tarts
Powdered milk in packets
Raisins
Razors
Rice crispy treats
Rolled gauze
Rubber bands
Salsa
Sewing kits (travel-size)
Shoe insoles
Small, empty spray bottles for water
Nutrition/snack/energy bars
Solid air fresheners
Spice mixes
Stuffed animals, small, to give to local children
Sugar packets
Sun glasses, black only
Sunflower seeds
Sunblock
T-shirts, brown, green, or black, size L
Tea bags
Thera-flu
Tums
Tuna or Chicken in ready-to-eat pouches
Tylenol
Video games
Vienna sausages
Wet wipes or moist towelettes
Winter gloves

2/03/09

Dear Mrs. Barratt,

Hello, my name is [omitted], and I am one of the recipients of your
boxes of goodies. Sorry for not writing a hand written letter but due to
our mission cycle we stay pretty busy. So once again sorry. I thought
maybe I can write an e-mail and tell you about me, my family and Unit
and maybe you can read it to your very kind and giving Scouts.

So, let’s begin.

Once again my name and title in the Army is [omitted]. I am 28 and was
raised in Glendora. I graduated from GHS in 1998 and a month later
joined the Army. My job in the Army is a 19 Kilo, Armor Crew Member. I
operate a tank. I have been in the army now for over 10 years and love
every day of it! My position in the tank is Tank Commander and I have 3
other Soldiers on the Tank. Sergeant [ommitted], who is the Gunner,
PFC [omitted] who is the Tank Driver and PFC [omitted] who is my
Loader… the soldier who loads the tank gun.

I am married to my wonderful and caring wife [omitted] and we have a 6
month old son [omitted]. We have been married just under 1 year now
and will celebrate our 1st year anniversary on the 24th of February.
Sadly apart, but distance can’t stop love!!

I am currently assigned to [omitted]….yes I know military talk is silly. My
unit is stationed in Germany, but we are currently in Iraq as you all
know. We have been deployed now for 3 months. This is my second
tour here in Iraq. Our missions keep us busy, but my soldiers always
have a great attitude and high moral. Their moral even went higher
when I gave out your Girl Scout Cookies…..well, all but the
Samoas…those are my fav! Things are going fine and all the soldiers are
safe. If you guys have any questions just write me and I will respond as
quickly as possible.

I just like to say thank you for all the support and letters you ladies
send. The soldiers all thank you! Sorry, for not being able to write to all
of you individually but feel free to shoot as many questions as possible.
Once again thank you and I am looking forward to maybe thanking you
in person next time I visit my mother in Glendora.

Very respectfully,
SSG [omitted]
Staff Sergeant
USA

Feb. 09

Dear Glendora Scouts,

First off I want to thank everyone who helped put my package
together, I appreciated everything I received. Between myself and my
8 Soldiers who work under me the box was devoured in minutes. Here is
a little about myself. My name is [omitted]; I am 22 years old and a
Staff Sergeant in the Army. I am assigned to [omitted]. I am currently
deployed to Afghanistan and this is my second deployment (first was to
Iraq 2005-2006) I am section chief of a 9 man Artillery Section.

I have lived in Glendora since I was 4 years old. I attended Sutherland
and Cullen Elementary schools and Goddard Middle school as well as
GHS. I joined the Army after high school at the age of 17. It sounds like
there is quite a bit of interest with supporting the troops in Glendora
since I have been away. I didn’t really notice it that much until my
brother [omitted] joined the Army after he went to High school. Once I
came back I saw the banners and was shocked with pride.

Life in Afghanistan is a little rougher than it was in Iraq due to the
terrain and weather. Not as hot here as was in Iraq and currently its
snowing. It is a good break from Fort Drum which is on Northern N.Y.,
and when I left it was in the negatives and snowing daily. BIG change
in weather from So. Cal. Time off here is about 12 hours a day where
we can shower, sleep, eat, call home etc. And the other 12 hours is
spent manning our howitzer. My howitzer is a 155mm Cannon that can
shoot 40km in support of the infantry if they get in a fight. Also, we will
shoot back if our base gets attacked. I have 8 other guys that work for
me that are from all over the United States. They are all great guys
and very much enjoyed the package as well. One thing you learn you
learn when you are deployed is that no matter if the package is meant
only for you, it will ALWAYS get split up.

Thanks again for everything you all do and thank you for the support
you give us. Feel free to write and I promise I will write back as much
as possible.

SSG [omitted]