Challenging Everyone I Know To A Boxing Match

[K8-EEE]

Did you know that the groovy new Flat Rate boxes from the post office can be sent to APO/military addresses overseas?

It's true! Even though it's marked "domestic use only," you can send it to an APO.

Regardless of weight -- anything you can fit in the box is $7.70!! That includes the box itself.

There is a flat box (that looks like a flat Fed Ex Box) and a small rectangular box.

The sad fact is that mail to our soldiers overseas has drastically fallen off in recent months. I suppose the novelty has worn off. But please remember, the absolute highlight of their day is MAIL and packages really make their day, you would be surprised how small things (baby wipes, magazines, chapstick) can make a big difference in brightening up their day.

I've been collecting magazines from my hair salon and my neighbors and my dentists' office and sending them in the flat box.

In particular I've been sending them mostly to women soldiers since so much of what they have there is guy oriented (car mags, muscle mags, Maxim etc.) and let me tell you our female soldiers LOVE getting back issues of the Enquirer, Globe, etc. Love it. I got a thank you note from one of them saying it was like Christmas Day getting the stuff my hair place was throwing out anyhow. My total investment was under $8 but I really felt like a million dollars getting their thank you note!

So stop by your local PO, you don't have to stand in line to get a flat box -- you can take it home along with the white customs form, bring it back when it's all filled out, very easy!

Pick a soldier's address from the requests at anysoldier.com.

Tell everybody you know, at least once a month, support the troops -- GO POSTAL!

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. My church sent stuff out last November. I think it's time to

do up anothe rcollection drive.

[K8-EEE]

3. Great Idea GPV....

Some of the things they put on their wish lists seem so odd -- like, I can't believe they aren't being provided (examples, tampax for the women soldiers, or used T-shirts to clean guns with.)

I've been sending stuff every now and then since the March 2003 and I've seen the requests go from mainly books. candy and CDs (still a hit) to food (not candy but tuna, jerky etc), soap, tampax--the ones staying in and around Baghdad seem to have the most stocked stores, the ones out in the provinces seem to be without even the basics.

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. I am worried about the candy now, though. We sent pounds of hard candy to

be given out by the troops to the kids.

[K8-EEE]

7. They Like Candy Too Though!!

One lady said she is a secretary for the chaplain -- and they have these little candy dishes in that office for the visitors who come for counseling, when they run out of candy it's like -- shit, nobody's thinking of us, psychologically the empty candy dish freaks them out.

[GreenPartyVoter]

10. Hmm. maybe I will go out and buy some candy then.. package it up

[DanCa]

2. I must confess I forgot to give this month to

I didnt give any money veterans of the purple heart or to the uso for phone cards this month. Time to cut out the pizza thanks for reminding me.

[Just Me]

4. Those guys and gals SURVIVE from our "care" packages!!!

EVERYONE can do "care" packages loaded with gum, deodorant, magazines, powder, sunscreen, razors, letters, home-made pictures.

Oh,...I plead for "care" packages to help our fellow soldiers get through this disaster.

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. DO NOT

do what I did and put a little bit of everything in each package. The food all ended up smelling and tasting like soap and deodorant.

So, food in one package, non-food in others. :)

[K8-EEE]

8. GOOD POINT GPV!!

Don't do what I did either -- no CHOCOLATE DURING THE SUMMER!! The whole package will be a big melted mess.

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. That much I knew *g*

[K8-EEE]

11. I Sent S'mores Stuff

cuz this guy emailed me to say he missed s'mores -- I sent it in April and it came sort of all ready s'mored!!

LOL...well it's the thought that counts. They devoured the graham crackers just the same!

[Just Me]

26. LMAO!!! Yep, I guess we could actually deliver smore's.

I never thought about that: "packaging" the sandwich of chocolate and marshmellow between the Graham cookies.

Thanks!!!

[K8-EEE]

28. Good Ideal....FOR WINTER....

Apparently it gets cold there in the winter. Right now they could probably make S'mores just standing outside. 120 degrees plus in some places. UGH.

[DanCa]

13. can you make care packages from home

I was just wondering or does it always have to be thru an organization? I mean how would joe public send a care package if he didnt belong to a civic organization or a church and didnt have a relative in the army.

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. Sure, you can do it from home. I used old paper bags and cut them

up to cover the boxes I was using. The boxes have to be of a certain size, though, so don't do anything too big.

Go here to find out how to contact a soldier: http://booksforsoldiers.com/forum/index.php?topic=24091.0

Another thing you can do is contact the army or nat'l guard or marines if you want to know if there are units from your state over there, and who to contact in that case.

[DanCa]

21. Thanks

The epsicopal church where i go to has an adoptive unit called pauls platoon and i do give out phone out cards to the marine corps through the uso. When I asked the local american legion they said either do it through my church group or on my own. Like I said I would rather see them get the twenty dollars in supplies than waste it on a pizza i dont need for my girth. Note I have been against this war since day one but Ill never take it out on a veteran. It's not thier vault there there you know. :hugs:

[GreenPartyVoter]

24. That's right. Support the warriors, indict the war-starters *hugs*

[K8-EEE]

18. That's Why The Flat Rate Boxes Are GREAT!!!

Because an individual can send stuff relatively inexpensively.

Group things are good too for sending bulkier stuff like food (they love that microwave mac n cheese & also cup o soup, stuff that needs BIG boxes.)

The little boxes are good for toiletries, magazines, etc. and very cheap for an individual to do.

[Just Me]

20. Absolutely *smile*.

You don't have to belong to an organization to send "care" packages.

I send "care" packages via people I know whose family members are serving. If you don't personally know family or friends with members serving, you can easily access some "adopt a soldier" or veterans support group,...if you are willing to spend an hour of your time to find them.

[Just Me]

15. No food,...you're right. But LOTS of gum.

Several packages of gum,...it goes FAST.

We don't do food. It never makes it "whole".

[GreenPartyVoter]

12. If you don't have a contact addy to send a package to, go here

http://booksforsoldiers.com/forum/index.php?topic=24091.0

[K8-EEE]

14. I Prefer anysoldier.com Because...

you can get the addresses right off the site. Books for soldiers now makes you "join" which involves getting a form notorized etc....too much hassle for most people.

BFS got is some kind of trouble for "security" reasons, but I really think it was because it was so easy to email & chat with the soldiers at the beginning of the war. The anysoldiers.com site, doesn't have email addresses or chatting -- just mail addresses. But you can get them right away.

[GreenPartyVoter]

17. Yeah, I only just now saw that Books changed its style.. I'll try

the one you mentioned. (I used to use support our soldiers, but it got killed off a few years ago. :( )

[seabeyond]

19. this is such a good idea, thanks for sharing

i am going to have my boys and i do this. gosh, wonderful idea.

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[K8-EEE]

27. They Do A Great Job There

What I do is pick a soldier who wants magazines or DVDs (since I get them free from contacts) then make a page of address labels on the computer and put them in a file.

I use the address labels on the customs forms -- one of those "press hard" musti-copy things but they're OK with using the stickers on them so I have a few pages of my address and the APO. That way I can use them on the box and on the customs forms. It makes it easier.

Also if you are VERY specific on the customs form (ie, 6 packages of jerky rather than 'food') it discourages theft, unfortunately, there has been some instances of theft from the APO and/or customs. But most stuff gets through.

[AwakeAtLast]

23. Thank you! I just sent a package to my husband today.

I didn't pay much more at UPS - $8.70 for Priority. I was sending some things that my husband needed quickly, so I paid the extra $1.50.

Now that I know this, I will definitely be sending more stuff! :hi:

[GreenPartyVoter]

25. Let us know if he knows of anyone who is desperate for mail from home?

[Just Me]

29. Oh, yes. Please do let us know of anyone who is left unattended.

We have to take care of them. We don't want to leave anyone behind!!!

[AwakeAtLast]

31. Good suggestion, thanks!

:hi:

[brystheguy]

30. Silly question... Do you say that it's from a Democrat?

Just wondered if you put a little bug in their ear about Dems supporting them so that they remember who stood behind them.

[Just Me]

32. Are you fucking kidding me!!!!

:grr:

LIFE IS NOT A POLITICAL PARTY.

[brystheguy]

35. OK, I see your middle finger in my face. Now what?

It seems that you have forgotten rule number 2 about posting in the discussion forums. Let me post it for you.

2. Civility: Treat other members with respect. Do not post personal attacks against other members of this discussion forum

I don't see how my question was out of line in any way. Republicans don't have a monopoly on supporting our troops and I think that it's important for the troops to know that if we can get that message out there.

BTW, I like how you had to edit so that you could put in that comment about my weeny prick. Couldn't just leave well enough alone, could you? A weeny joke? Please.

[assclown_bush]

42. I don't understand why people feel the need to attack newbies?

I, personally don't see any harm in your original question. But, then by sticking up for you someone may accuse me of being a "plant". I realize that it is important to keep this place as a forum for like minded people, but posting a simple and inoffensive question should not be responded to with insults and accusations.
Peace out, brystheguy.

[spuddonna]

39. whoa there...

Hey, it's a valid question... They're always ragging on us liberal that we 'don't support the troops'... what the heck can it harm if you drop them a note with the package saying 'from a bleeding heart liberal'?

You know, just because some of us aren't as prolific doesn't mean we're all trolls...

[madeline_con]

40. What brough that on?

It sounds like a reasonable question. :shrug:

[Redstone]

44. Dude, dude: You're way out of line here.

You OK?

This isn't like you. I gotta alert on this one. Sorry.

Redstone

[GreenPartyVoter]

33. I haven't as of yet. But I do have some DU postcards around her somewhere

that I might send out at some point.

[K8-EEE]

34. Well Not Unless We Correspond Afterwards, Which Is Up To Them.

Usually I just say, best wishes from Los Angeles, hoping you stay safe and come home soon.

The one time I did identify as a Dem off the bat was last fall when we did a Dem Underground phone card drive for Walter Reed -- I asked people to write that it was part of the Dem U Phone Card For Soldiers Drive. They were drowned in phone cards after that, my orig post here on DU even ended up on Snopes!

Let me tell you something -- when you chat with the enlisted people, most of the time, once they know you're cool they come out with it, they can't stand Rummy, Bush, Cheney & all the chickenhawks. Of course I tend to pick the folks from my neck of the woods (CA) and Jesus, CA has like 25% of the casualties from this fiasco. As much crowing as they do about the military being so GOP, they are talking maybe about the top brass, the enlisted folks (especially the young ones) are not so keen on the chickenhawks. They are just trying to do their job, come home in one piece.

What they are asked to sacrifice is unreal. So many couples that the dad & mom are both over there, and keep getting sent back since none of the Young Republicans who vote Bush are enlisting.

[brystheguy]

36. Thanks for the constructive replies GPV and K8

You never know unless you ask.

[K8-EEE]

47. It Was A Good Question...

I would say it's up to the individual, I like to keep it unconditional unless they bring it up. I don't think there is anything wrong with saying you are part of a Dem U drive though.

[madeline_con]

38. Good idea...

I wonder if telling them they're from DU members would be out of line. Mods?

[K8-EEE]

45. Kind Of Reminds Me Of That Bill Maher Joke

Where he talks about the religious fanatics giving "aid" and sort of dangling a sandwich in front of starving people going "Who's God?? Who's God?" LOL....I don't need them to agree with me on anything. These kids -- a lot of them are only a couple of years older than my 14 y/o, and they are just counting the days and trying to get home.

[madeline_con]

49. It wasn't really my intent...

to dangle anything in anyone's face.

I think it's possible the people in Iraq especially must hear a lot of RW rhetoric.

It would just confirm that yes, Dems DO support them, whatever they may have heard to the contrary; not a "Nyah nyah, a Dem sent this!"

[K8-EEE]

51. Oh I Know It Wasn't!!

Don't get me wrong, I am just saying, I am paranoid of coming off that way, which is why I try to be very neurtral, unless they bring it up. That's just me though -- I don't think there's anything wrong with bringing it up.

[screembloodymurder]

52. You are right.

There's no harm in letting our troops know Dems support them. We should support them when they return home too. Send a box to Iraq and donate to a veterans group.

[madeline_con]

37. I heard...

that stuff sent has to be to a specific person, thatgeneral care paks won't be delivered. Any info on this?

In case it's true, is there a site with a list of names of service members who want packages?

[K8-EEE]

43. anysoldier.com

it has to be sent to a specific person -- they can sign up for packages there. Check it out!

[madeline_con]

48. Thank you...

that's so cool! :hug:

[progressoid]

41. Wow - that site is addicting

I'm showing this to my wife. I think this would be a great project for our kids.

We'll need to get to it to beat the Christmas rush!

[K8-EEE]

46. It SUPER Addicting!!

What is astonishing is how cheap and basic most of the stuff the want is. They want koolaide and Crystal Lite, tampons and sunscreen and batteries. Little stuff!

[progressoid]

50. Yep! Looks like a project before school starts