SUPPORT OUR SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILIES
This information was received on June 7, 2007 from
Soldiers in
§ Deployed Soldiers: Offer a meal when they are getting ready to go away, or when they come back here, both for them and their family members.
§ A Small Battery-Powered Alarm Clock
§ Toiletries
§ Two Small Led Lights – the kind that you push and they light up. Great for clipping onto your collar or your belt loop so you can find your way to the crapper in the dark without having to grab a flashlight.
§ Febreeze – Helps when laundry facilities are scarce.
§ Flip-Flops: Necessary because the showers get nasty in
§ Insect Repellant – The troops are really suffering with the bugs. Mosquitoes, flies, fleas are awful and then factor in 120+ heat, it is a terrible situation. Some troops have even asked for Mosquito Netting that they can cover themselves with when they try to sleep. Do not send items or repellent with DEET. Instead, send items that contain a non-harmful bug repellant such as citronella, which is easily purchased as oil, spray on, candles, etc. DEET is dangerous.
§ Anti-itch Cream – for those insect bites
§ Hair Gel – especially for the gals. Keeps the hair slicked back and off their face.
§ Panty Liners – Not for what you are thinking. The troops, both men and women are using these as liners in their helmets to keep the sweat from chaffing them and also keep the sweat from running in their eyes.
§ Canned Food – Canned tuna or better yet tuna in the pouch, chicken, chili, stew, cheese dip, bean dip, rice dishes and pasta dishes that are ready to eat and just need to be warmed in the microwave.
§ Battery Operated Personal Fans: It’s very hot over there, and a fan would help them to be more comfortable.
§ Fly Paper – To hang in their tents, the tank, whatever, the bugs are really bad.
§ Fly Swatters – At least include one in every box
§ Dental Floss – Many of our special force troops are in places with no running water, heat or even basic facilities, so even brushing their teeth can be a problem, but flossing is the extent of their oral hygiene.
§ Creams and Hand Stuff: Lip balm (chap-stick, blistex, etc) dry skin lotion, hand creams, foot creams Aloe vera cream for sun & wind burn & cuts. Sun block...30+ SBP strong hand cream is best – the dirt is so fine that their skin from the blowing dirt is chapped and cut, especially their hands Emery boards, nail file and nail clippers and q-tips.
§ Cleaners: Large baby wipes (in soft packs are best). Hand sanitizers, PURELL – These become a shower many days when on missions, this is their only way to clean themselves. The dust and Dirt is overwhelming.
§ Non-Medicated Eye Drops: Helps soothes the eyes, especially after a “brown out” – dust storm.
§ Feet: Mole skin and blister packs – the terrain is so rocky in
§ Clothing: Underwear, white socks, large handkerchiefs.
§ Multi-Vitamins: Vitamin E, Zinc tablets, Vitamin C tablets or drops, Cough drops, Throat lozenges. With the weather in
§ Games: Dominoes, cribbage boards, trivial pursuit, other board games, Velcro dart game for their tents, other indoor type games for winter, crossword puzzle, word game books, football, volley ball and net, soccer balls, whiffle ball and bat, hand pump for balls, patches for balls, electronic games, games boys, etc. video movies and video tapes of sporting events, CD’s make a mix off of your computers.
§ Food: Snack and prepackaged foods of any kind anything chocolate (except in hot climates – get ready to send chocolate when the weather gets cooler – Fall and/or Winter). Crystal lite, Gatorade, flavored teas (regular and herbal), flavored instant coffee, coffee bags for single cups, Tang, instant spiced apple cider mix in individual packets, both regular and diet, instant hot cocoa mix in individual packets, regular and diet, ½ gallon size plastic containers to mix the drink mix in with water.
§ Doritos, Pringles (all flavors): Tostitos, Spicy snack Food and Chips, Potato chip sticks, pretzels, esp. flavored popped corn, fiddle faddle, cracker jacks, flavored crackers, Chex mix, cheese nips, salsa and canned dips, crackers and cheese spread in bottles and cans, cheese and crackers and peanut butter and crackers in individual plastic cups, cup of noodles, top ramen, any type that is instant and can be mixed with hot water foil packs of tuna or chicken or easy open, pop top cans of tuna, chicken and Vienna sausages, beef and turkey jerky.
§ Note: No slim Jim’s; they contain pork and pork is not allowed.
§ Individual servings of fruit and pudding: “Junior” size baby puddings and desserts.
§ Personal Hygiene Items: Soap, toothpaste, tooth brushes and disposable razors, blades, shaving cream, toilet paper, etc.
§ Pens, Paper, Cards: They would like to have items to send to their families for birthdays, anniversaries, and any other holidays, etc.
§ Windex Wipes Which Must be Purchased Stateside
§ Purex Laundry Tablets: Bring six in a Ziploc bag.
Whatever you choose to provide for our soldiers, please decide to either mail them to the soldiers yourself (addresses listed below this message), or do it with your company, organization, church, etc. and have them send them off to the people in Iraq and Afghanistan to the leaders who will share all of these items to the soldiers. Thank you!
1st Sgt D.D. Pope CPT Michael Jefferies (S1)
HHD 92nd MP BN HHC 1-15 IN
APO AE 09342 Unit #5956
Chaplain Randall Chaplain Mike Swartz
HHT 3-1 CAV HHC 203rd BSB
Unit # 5958 FOL Hammer
APO AE 09308-5958
Soldier Family Member Needs
I was able to get with both family members and the people at Fort Benning that know exactly what we can do to help these families whose soldiers are deployed. These are parents who are having to take care of all of their children alone because their spouse is gone to those places.
§ Help move families from old house to new houses at Ft Benning: There are new houses for these family members, and they need help getting moved from the house they’re in now to the new houses – all in Ft Benning.
§ Dinners for Spouses: Do a dinner for spouses, and take care of their children. The adults would get to meet and talk with other adults, and there should be child sponsors who will also provide dinner for children separately. This can be done by any company or church.
§ Free Haircut for Spouses: If anyone is able to provide haircuts for these spouses, it will make them so happy.
§ Car Wash: Go to their home and wash their cars.
§ Provide a Barbeque Item
§ Dance Activity: When their soldiers come back from
§ Walk to
§ How to Use Lawn Mower: Mow their lawns, paint their houses, and work on any home makeovers.
§ Father’s Day and Christmas: Help the kids to put together arts and crafts for their parents who are both with them and gone to
§ Celebration of Being a Military Spouse: Provide a party to thank them for being a military spouse.
§ Tour of
Also, the Public Affairs Office can be reached at 706-545-3438 - Monica Manganero
If you would like to get more information on what we can do for our soldiers and family members, you can also contact these people at
§ Starla DeSaussure, Army Community Service; 706-545-3016; Starla,DeSaussuret@conus.army.mil
§ Perry Tripp, Community Readiness Program Manager; 706-545-2449; Perry.Tripp@us.army.mil
§ Evelyn
My Contact Information:
Susan Lenhard
Home Phone: 706-507-1082
Cell Phone: 706-326-1396
Thanks so much for being willing to support/serve our soldiers and their family members! Bless you!