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ricktas
08-09-2012, 1:34pm
Would you like to send a care package to soldiers serving in Afghanistan? Here's how!! :D Postage is free and it doesn't cost much to make a soldier smile - for male, female and even the explosive detection dogs!

Here’s a simple little thing that we can all do at very little cost or effort that will make a big difference to one of our troops serving overseas. Perhaps you may wish to send a soldier a care package. The idea behind this is that some troops over in Afghanistan may not have family who are able to send them packages with things they may need or things that make their time over there just that tiny bit easier. There may also just be a soldier who is finding their time over there difficult and just needs a bit of cheering up. It'll get given to whoever needs it most.

To send a care package to an Australian Soldier in Afghanistan, you need to purchase a "BM" size box (weighs 175g itself) from Australia Post, they cost around $2. They'll give you some customs forms which you will also need to fill out. The address you need to send the package to is below. Make sure you seal all the edges of the box with packing tape. If the box after being packed... weighs less than 2kg, Australia Post will send it for Free.

To give an example of what can be sent, a care package could be:
For a bloke 1 x Lynx Shower Gel Travel Size
1 x Pack of Schick Disposable Razors
1 x NON-AEROSOL Shaving Cream
1 x Lynx Roll On Deodorant
1 x Small Baby Powder (Talc)
1 x Chap Stick (SPF 30+)
3 x Bags of Allen's Lollies (NOT CHOCOLATE)
1 x Beef Instant Noodles
1 x Pack of Scotch Finger Biscuits or Anzac Biscuits
2 x Canned Tuna (Pull Ring Style)
1 x Coffee Sachets or Tea Bags

For a Female 1 x Dove soap or shower Gel
1 x Roll on Deodorant
1 x Chap Stick spf30
1 x small baby talc powder
3 x bags of Lollies
1 x Toothbrush and Paste
1 x Breath fresh mints
All those free shampoo and conditioner/face Cream/hand cream samples you accumulate or can get from your chemist and beauty counters
I x Pack of Anzac Biscuits or Ginger Nuts
1 x Coffee Sachets – Latte etc or Tea Bags

For those of you that are animal lovers, you may wish to do the following: sending care packages to our
Explosive Detection Dogs (EDD) with the following items included:
1 x box dog biscuits
1 x pack of Smackos or Liver treats or similar dried treat
3 x Tins sardines – dogs love them
1x toy – a frisby or tug rope
1 x tennis ball and don't forget a couple of packets of lollies for the handler.

The dogs do a magnificent job under very trying conditions and quite a few have lost their lives serving their country, including Herbie…

see below Things not to send:
Alcohol No Clothing, Except socks Aerosols Cigarettes Pork chocolate (melts) Magazines with naked people. But don't limit it to this let your imagination do the walking. You may wish to also include a self addressed envelope and a letter, or include your email address as well just in case they want to contact you or have something specific they want you to get for them.

Mark your parcel To –
Australian Soldier - Male or Female or – Australian EDD and Handler (Explosives Detection Dog)
AFPO 60 Middle East operations defence force NSW 2890

crazymorton
08-09-2012, 6:21pm
Great idea. I'd like to send
1 x tin milo
1 x jar vegemite
1 x pack weet bix
1 x pack minties
1 x pace Nice biscuits
1 x bag chuppa chups
1 x each flavour samboy chips
1 x each flavour Red Rock Deli chips
1 x Twisties
1 x werthers
1 x milk arrowroot (to dunk in their milo)
1 x carton of each flavour of Wrigleys chewing gum
(shame we can't send Tim Tams)

Film Street
11-09-2012, 6:14pm
1 x bag chuppa chups
)

chuppa chups haha - proven battle food

could send some photos I guess...of vegemite

JM Tran
11-09-2012, 6:26pm
Good ideas Rick, but I'd like to mention that half or 2/3rd of what you wrote is already inclusive in daily ration packs given to soldiers (the 24 hour ration pack) - yes even a packet of noodles:D

As a former Aussie serviceman who have spent long periods away, albeit not in a combat or deployment zone - food and sundries has never been a problem as we have one of the best ration packs for soldiers in the world - a very trade-able commodity with the Americans if they are nearby.

Some of the stuff my men and I have always craved for are things like

-small paperback novels that can be easily carried in our pockets or ammo pouches
-face scrub/exfoliation - because wearing cam cream for weeks at a time really leads to an acne break out on the face from all the pores being clogged
-music ie. small/cheap MP3 players and headphones - riding in vehicles and aircraft is monotonous and deafening most of the time
-small portable dvd players and movies - watching movies or organizing a movie night for the men huddled around a small screen really does boost morale and alleviate boredom etc.

The Salvos also send packages as well to the guys and it is very similar to what has been posted above.

But by all means, the more you send the more my mates would appreciate it:)