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Whatever our politics, and however we feel about the places and situations where our troops are deployed, our hearts go out to service members and the families from whom they are separated. During the Holidays and throughout the year, it's rewarding to send letters and gifts for troops.
| Packaged Food/Treats | Personal/ Toiletries | Other Cool Stuff |
|---|---|---|
| Candy (heat resistent) | Disposable razors | Pens, pencils |
| Canned fruit (pop-top), applesauce | Toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss | Writing paper, pads, envelopes |
| Granola/Power bars | Mouthwash | Magazines, comic books |
| Crackers, peanut butter/cheese snacks | Foot powder, baby powder | Books: novels, humor, short stories |
| Nuts (small cans) | Deodorant/antiperspirant | Local newspaper, photos |
| Dried fruit | Shaving cream | Small board games |
| Cookies | Comb, hairbrush | Crossword puzzles |
| Soup mix | Nail file, clippers | Playing cards |
| Kraft mac 'n cheese | Shampoo, conditioner | Disposable camera |
| Microwave popcorn | Bar soap | Sweat bands |
| Pretzels, Chex/Trail mix | Tissues (heavy-weight) | Dart board |
| Pop Tarts | Q-Tips | Frisbee, hackie-sack |
| Cereal (small boxes), instant oatmeal | Feminine hygiene products (for female troops) | Flashlight, bulbs, (pack batteries separately!) |
| Powdered drink mix | Waterless hand sanitizer | Sm. battery powered fan |
| Coffee (instant), Creamer | Moist wipes | Sunglasses (black, no brand names) |
| Tea bags, instant tea mix | Hand lotion | Small national flags |
| Hot cocoa mix | Sunscreen, lip balm | Portable radio, VCR/DVD player |
| Individual pkgs sugar, ketchup, condiments | Sm. laundry soap, dryer sheets, stain-out sticks | Arab language tapes |
| Tuna kits | Insect repellant | Music, tapes, CDs |
| Beef Jerky | Ear plugs | Small sewing kit |
| Packaged holiday food | White tee shirts | Birthday decorations |
| Plastic spoons, zip-lock baggies | Eyeglass wipes, eye drops, eyeglass repair kit | Small unbreakable holiday ornaments |
"Gifts from the Homefront" is a US Dept. of Defense program administered by the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), the Navy Exchange (NEX) and the Coast Guard Exchange.
The US Military Exchanges operate commissaries and ship stores around the world, including deployed areas. "Gifts from the Homefront Certificates" are redeemable by military personnel and their family members at all locations worldwide, and may also be used for Exchange catalog and online shopping.
Prepaid Phone Cards - The Military Exchanges also offer prepaid calling cards and prepaid ship-to-shore calling cards. These are especially welcome gifts for troops and their families, because no form of contact is quite so reassuring as the sound of a loved one's voice.
For your own service member, or "any service member," Gifts from the Homefront Certificates and Prepaid Phone Cards are excellent gifts for troops!
Gifts for "Any Service Member" are coordinated by non-profit organizations belonging to the US Department of Defense "America Supports You" Team. You'll find links to organizations that accept donations of products and/or cash for the types of assistance indicated. Many organizations also welcome volunteer help.
For information on gifts and support for Canadian troops and their families, please visit the Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency website.
For many who are overseas, the greatest of gifts for troops is support for their families at home. Imagine the stress on military moms and dads who can't be there when the going gets tough for their families. Now imagine the tremendous relief in knowing that a caring community at home is providing a safety net!
America Supports You works with national and regional organizations that coordinate assistance to military families in the areas of:
- Household emergencies (e.g., plumbing, electrical problems)
- Auto or appliance repair
- Financial relief (e.g., mortgage, utilities, necessities)
- Relocation (transportation, moving costs)
- Morale (e.g., family reunions, counselling, communication)
Now we'd like to single out a few creative gifts-for-troops ideas and provide links to organizations that coordinate them:
Getting kids involved - Hero Hugs is an organization founded and operated by kids. They send "hugs" in the form of cards and packages to troops deployed overseas and to wounded service members. A wonderful example for kids and parents everywhere!
Frequent flier miles - The US Department of Defense "Hero Miles" program accepts donations of frequent flyer miles, and provides free tickets during medical treatment to troops wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan (and their families). Soldiers' Angels also accepts airline miles donations, for use by troops and their families in various emergency situations.
Knit or sew a gift for distribution by these organizations:
- From Operation Helmetliner at geocities.com, a pattern for knitted helmet liners.
- From The Ships Project, patterns for hats, slippers and neck coolers.
- From Soldiers' Angels, directions for sand scarves, hand and foot coverings for wounded troops, and no-sew Blankets of Hope.
- For wounded service members, Sew Much Comfort seeks volunteers to sew adaptive garments that will accommodate medical devices such as braces and casts.
The gift of communication - Wireless telephone, videoconferencing, and computers with Internet and email access allow service members overseas to interact with their families back home... to see the new baby, to visit with a sick friend, to share in milestone celebrations. What wonderful gifts for troops! FreedomCalls Foundation is bringing the technology to Army camps overseas and special centers in the States for families who lack broadband connections.
© At America Supports You, you can send an email message to the troops and read over 2000 responses. Email messages for Canadian service members can be sent through the Canadian Forces website.
Adopt a service member - Operation AC runs an online program that allows you to select a US service member by branch of service, sex, home state, or area of deployment. You will be sent your service member's Virtual CareBox wishlist, from which to select gifts for him or her, and an email address so you can get to know each other and exchange messages.
- for our service members, for their families -
and for you, too!
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Logo photo by Jane M. Sawyer; Portrait courtesy Kenn Kiser;
Kid with flag by D.Turner-dijitalproductions, all courtesy of morguefile.com.
The dogtag logo is a trademark of America Supports You.