What Deployed Troops Really Want in Their Care Packages

As a show of appreciation and support for the men and women serving in the military, many people choose to send care packages to deployed troops. These packages can include a variety of items, ranging from non-perishable food and snacks to personal care products and entertainment.

But what do deployed troops really want in their care packages? According to a recent article from Veterans United, there are a few key items that tend to be highly sought after by those serving overseas.

Personal and Practical Items 

First and foremost, deployed troops appreciate practical items that can make their daily lives a little easier. This includes things like:

• High-quality socks (I have to put this first, because some high-quality socks will make the toughest soldier smile with delight)
• Soap (shampoo, body wash, face wash, etc.)
• Toothpaste, toothbrush and floss
• Deodorant (travel size/non-aerosol)
• Lip balm
• Foot powder
• Baby wipes
• Sunscreen
• Hand sanitizer
• Pain-relieving topical cream (not a necessity, but can be a real luxury)
• Vicks VapoRub
• Hand Warmers
• Sewing kits
• Lens cleaning cloths

These items may seem small, but they can make a big difference in the harsh conditions that many deployed troops face on a daily basis.

Food and Snacks

Deployed troops also appreciate food items that are easy to store and don't require refrigeration.Non-perishable snack items like jerky, nuts, and energy bars are always popular, as are instant coffee and tea packets. Items like:

• Hot sauce (a great commodity to have around, and the convenience of Taco Bell sauce packets are great to have in the field)
• Water flavoring packets (many places we are deployed are very hot, and we need to constantly remain hydrated)
• Beef jerky
• Slim Jims
• Protein bars
• Gum
• Sunflower seeds

Downtime Activities

Entertainment items are also welcome additions to care packages. Books, magazines, and movies can provide a much-needed distraction from the stresses of deployment. Games and puzzles can also be a welcome break from the daily routine.

Some items to consider include:

• Reading material (magazines, books or an e-reader like a Kindle)
• Handheld video games
• Board games
• Decks of cards
• iPod or thumb drives with movies, music and pictures
• Puzzles
• Plastic model kits
• Baseball gloves/baseballs
• Batteries (AAs and AAAs)
• Pencils
• 3M wall hooks

Not everything is suitable for a care package

It's important to keep in mind that deployed troops often have limited space and resources, so it's best to stick with smaller, lightweight items when possible. And be sure to check with the specific guidelines for care package contents, as there may be restrictions on certain items. Here’s a few things to avoid:

• DON’T send adult entertainment, alcohol or drugs (these items are illegal and can get the soldier in trouble)
• DON’T send aerosols or pressurized products
• DON'T send firearms or ammunition (we're already armed and this is illegal)
• DON’T send perishable foods
• DON’T send an entire box of the same thing unless requested (variety is a good thing)

Overall, the most important thing is to show deployed troops that they are not forgotten and that their service is appreciated. A care package filled with practical, enjoyable items can go a long way in boosting morale and providing a little bit of home while they are serving overseas.

Being a mother is tough, and being a military mom is even tougher. Your children decide to serve, and you can feel your heart going with them. The moment your child starts their journey to pursue their dreams, you are filled with pride, but not without nervousness. You have to sacrifice your peace in exchange for your child's dream of serving.

As a military mom, you know the struggle of celebrating holidays. So whether it's Mother's Day, Christmas, a birthday, or even just daily life, we have collected the perfect list of products and gifts for the strong military mother.

Personalized Embroidered Keychains

Keychains are a handy gift to help organize home keys, car keys, office keys, and more. Personalized keychains will stand out and showcase your pride and love for your service member.

Created by the owner and founder of Military Apparel Company, a veteran spouse, the high-quality keychains will be crafted with passion and the utmost attention to detail.

Graphic T-shirts

We think you’ll love our collection of tee shirts, because they showcase your support for your military children. We have many designs, styles, colors, and sizes representing each branch for you to choose from!

Face Masks

Recently the CDC has made new face mask recommendations as the Delta variant continues to spread. Because we’re wearing them again, it’s important to find one that you like. This is why we have added a collection of face masks for military moms, so that you can now display your pride in your service member while covering up.

Bumper Stickers or Decals

Bumper stickers and decals are also a great item that any military mom should have on their vehicle. A public reminder of your pride, they can even connect you to other military family members.

Jewelry Accessories

Wearing jewelry can be a stylish way to express love for your loved one. Our jewelry includes from necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and more, and most of them are hand-crafted and high-quality. Also, if you are interested in personalization, we do that, too!

Drinkware

Decorative and personal drinkware can be a positive reminder of your children’s service. From ceramic mugs to tumblers, our drinkware has been designed specifically for you and your family.

Headwear

Not only does it provide protection against the sun, headwear is also a good way to show support and love for your children serving. When you want to wear a hat, we think it's best to wear one that makes you proud.

And much more

The list above is only the surface of all the products you can get as a military mom! With these items, you can show all your love and support for your children. If you're looking for any other types of items, please feel free to browse our collection list. We continue to update our products daily so that you will always have something to choose from. Happy shopping, and thank you for choosing to support our troops.

For safety reasons, you will not always know exactly when and where your son or daughter will be deployed. Deployment dates are not advertised, and unit locations may be classified for sensitive missions.

That’s the reason the key for parents to successfully handle deployment is communication. Failing to talk to one another can make separation stressful and overwhelming, especially for the Army Moms.

It is important to work together as parents through frequent conversations. Part of the challenge in ensuring that this happens is planning out times to talk. This can require flexibility for those deployed and their families at home. The other task is finding a means of communication that works for everyone.

Below is our top of the best ways to connect with your soldier regularly to feel close to each other and make deployment less stressful.

Skype or FaceTime

If your child has access to a laptop or smartphone with Wi-Fi, FaceTime and Skype are effective ways to communicate regularly. They are completely free and combine the personal touch of a phone call with face-to-face interaction. Plan a time when all of the family members can gather around the computer and say hello to your Soldier. Even a few minutes a day can drastically improve how up to date you are with each other's lives. 

Phone Call

There's nothing more personal than hearing your child’s voice after being away from each other for a long time. Phone calls are the perfect form of communication for special occasions, such as birthdays or holidays. Your child will get very excited at the idea of hearing your voice and catching him or her up on your lives in real-time.

However, as long-distance phone calls can be very expensive, it may be best to save them just for these occasions. It is also a good idea to check with your phone company for military discounts, as many major businesses offer these to make communication less expensive for military families.

“The Army goes out of their way to make telephone access possible from their end to us, and email whenever possible, and they do that as quickly as possible. So communication has always been readily available.” — Cathy, mother of Staff Sergeant John Martin

Email

Email is one of the fastest ways to communicate with your loved one during active duty. You and your children can quickly share experiences that he or she missed. They can also attach photographs and videos to give him or her visuals. Just make sure that your soldier has service wherever he or she is deployed. Many email servers show when the message has been opened and read so you can confirm that your child received your note.

“I talk to Antoine about once a week on the telephone. We talk quite frequently, and we do a lot of emails with him and his wife also. So we stay in communication on a frequent basis and about once every six months, we’re able to visit in person.” — Phyllis, mother of Specialist Antoine Grimes

Letters

Communicating through writing is often thought of as a more traditional form of keeping in contact with someone. However, there is sentimental value in sitting down with a pen and paper and sharing your thoughts and stories.

MotherProud.com suggested that numbering each letter so your child knows which ones to read first will prevent any problems from occurring if the mail arrives at a slower pace than you write, as this is one of the reasons why people tend to choose other forms of communication during deployment.

“The letters to Jodie were important, but sometimes the letters back were pretty darn important. Because they are so busy, when they can find the time to jot a note down, it’s really good.” — Buddy, father of Specialist Jodie Wood

Care packages

Parents magazine recommended care packages as another great way to keep in touch with loved ones on special occasions. On your soldier’s birthday, for example, it can be nice to send a care package filled with his or her favorite snacks and items that he or she may miss while away, such as home-baked cookies.

Including pictures of the family can serve as a pleasant surprise for your child who may not have seen the family members in a while. Be sure to send the package with plenty of time to arrive if you are sending it for a special date to make sure it gets there on time.

AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT SAFE COMMUNICATION

It’s extremely important for both family members and Soldiers to communicate responsibly, and avoid disclosing details in letters or phone calls that could jeopardize a mission. The following is a list of information you should NOT disclose in a letter, phone call, or email or discuss with ANYONE in a public setting, such as an Internet forum:

• Unit mission, or number of personnel assigned to a unit
• Deployment areas and times
• Port call dates
• Special shore deployments
• Unit morale or personnel problems
• Troop movements
• Military intentions, capabilities, or operations
• The location of your family during deployment
• The planned return date for service members

Please note: During training — or while stationed overseas — there may be unavoidable limits to the amount of communication your son or daughter will be able to have with you.

Boot Camp Completion is a great achievement for anyone. And Basic Training Graduation is gonna be one of the most monumental and memorable moments in a service member's life

As a welcome to the next chapter of your child's military lives, it's a great idea to give them a gift to reward them for their Boot Camp Completion. If you're still wondering what kind of commemorative items that you can give to your child for graduating boot camp, take a look at those:

Money Clip or Wallet

If you are gonna get the money clip, make it custom by engraving it with your child's name and graduation date. Or if you get a wallet, don't forget to get one with a clear screen so your child can input their military id.

Gym Bag

Your child is going to get a lot of PT that they will need to carry their gear a lot, so invest in a nice gym bag is a really great idea and realistic. With the gym bag, they can help them carry a lot of stuff like PT uniforms, work uniforms, tennis shoes, gloves, shower gear, etc.

Tickets

Work always comes first for Military service members. If by any chance you learn that they have some time off, some tickets to the events that they interested in would be a great choice, it will help them to relieve stress and relax.

Head Phones

Since your child will get a lot of PT in the gym, you may be considered to get them a nice set of premium headphones which will also serve them well while they're hanging out in their room.

Electronics

Since your child is going to miss all of the fun electronics stuff for awhile. Video games, mp3 players, tablets, etc. will be the great choices and come in handy when they're in the barracks.

Food

Usually, the military doesn't give your child "good food" in the boot camp. So when they come out they will surely love to have some. Spend money on a restaurant with good food or stock up their favorite snacks will be a great choice.

Customized Lighter

Do your service members smoke cigars every once in a while? If so, a nice lighter is a good gift idea to have. You can engrave your child's name and graduation date on it for customization.

Ka-Bar

Most of the military graduates love ka-bars. You can get it engraved or plain but you have to admit it, it's really pretty cool-looking.

A fancy nice watch

It's always a good idea to keep track of the time during the day or the night, a watch is great item for your child to have. If they're a high-tech person, give them a sports smartwatch. Or if your grad needs a more durable watch, G-Shock watches will be a great choice.

A challenge coin

A challenge coin may be a small coin or medallion, bearing an organization's insignia or emblem and carried by the organization's members. Traditionally, they might be given to prove membership when challenged and to enhance morale. In addition, they are also collected by service members and law enforcement personnel. You can buy an existing one but you sure can get it custom made for you. You can help your grad start their collection early.

Are you the mother of a service member that is getting ready to go or recently went off to boot camp?

Whether you are a military family member or not, we just want you to know that the first months of your child's military training are very stressful. And we mean to talk about the parents here.

We would love to help you to get over these first weeks while your son or daughter was going through the training to be their best selves so you could also transform as well.

Military Mom’s on the Home Front

Most of the training will have some similarities whether it is officer's candidate school, ROTC indoctrination, service academy Plebe Summer or basic training. As they are going through intense physical and mental trainings, you usually will have little to zero contact from them and obviously you can't do much to help them anyway.

It's a very big adjustment in life for you compared to life before the military. It can make you very stressful as a Mother of a service member.

By learning more about the big picture of the boot camp and beyond, we hope can bring you the tools you need to cope with when the military life can give you even great challenges.

As your child is training to become a warrior, you can also become a warrior on the home front. So that if the duty calls your child to serve in harm's way, you can be ready to support them anytime.

"Every day is a new opportunity for a change and personal growth"

Me and my team members of MotherProud, have put together a Military Parenting A-Z guide with practical tips to help you transition to a more resilient you and step up to the challenges ahead.

What’s Inside the Guide to Military Parenting A-Z?

Our guide will help you navigate this military mom's life based on our own experiences. Please note that we are a huge fan of positive approaches as military moms and see this is an opportunity for many great challenges.

As part of the military mom journey, our guide will give you tips on managing the emotional ups and downs and much much more, included Finding you Focus and Cutting the Clutter!

"It’s within our control to travel this journey with joy in our heart and strength in our spirit, or not; the decision is ours."

This is a big chance to push you forward if you let it, make us all become greater than who we are.

Our guide is hopefully can help you to make basic training and beyond a positive, interesting and transformative process.

You can download our Military Parenting A-Z Guide below. Make sure to open and confirm our confirmation email, please check the spam if it's not in your inbox.