Mail and care packages sent to BMQ / BMOQ

[aesop081]

  For example, overseas he took pages out of Maxim Magizine, soldier of fortuine, FHM magazine etc.. depicting  war, death, violence, suffering and randomly covered the wall behind his bed in the ripped out magazine pictures.  Only when you stood back and looked at the wall as a whole, the random pictures actually formed the image of a giant smiling skull. 

That brought a tear to my eye............"Where to we find such men ?"

 

[stealthylizard]

My mom sent me some liquer filled chocolates for Christmas.  I was half expecting a bag full of chocolate mush, but thankfully it was winter time.

 

[Strike]

My sister used to go to town at the dollar store and send me the nuttiest stuff -- wind-up helicopters, bubbles, funky holders for air fresheners.  Getting stuff from her was always an adventure.

Mom would send me food.  Cookies, brownies, date squares.  Years of sending care packages to my brother when he was on ship, and a family friend when he deployed meant she had perfected the method of holding in the freshness.  Of course, I always shared.  Whenever I got stuff from home there would usually be a few people kicking around waiting to see what goodies I had.

 

[a_majoor]

My MFRC sent me toothpast, handcleaner and a bag of Gatoraid powder suitable for filling the 50l jug that gets dumped over the coaches head after the game. (We had 500ml bottles of water for drinking)

I suppose it is the thought that counts

 

[MP 811]

My MFRC sent me toothpast, handcleaner and a bag of Gatoraid powder suitable for filling the 50l jug that gets dumped over the coaches head after the game. (We had 500ml bottles of water for drinking)

I suppose it is the thought that counts

my MFRC sent me sweet FA!  Now my wife on the other hand.....any weight I lost from the desert heat, I gained back in friggen candy.

 

[dimsum]

One care package addressed to "any Cdn soldier" got sent to our detachment that was filled with nothing but hair conditioner and Poli-dent. 

 

[aesop081]

Last time, i got a cheap backpack and an old issue of "Canadian Living".......FML

 

[owa]

One care package addressed to "any Cdn soldier" got sent to our detachment that was filled with nothing but hair conditioner and Poli-dent.

I'm at a loss for words hahaha.

 

[Michael OLeary]

I can see two contests thought experiment coming out of this:

a. who can design the best care package (shoe box size, perhaps).

b. who can design the weirdest one, send it and end up with some one coming here to say they got it.    ;D

 

[PPCLI MCpl]

While deployed in 2006, my father sent me a random rubber chicken and a few sets of heavy rubber gloves.

My driver loved the gloves. Saved him from wiping his hands off in moon dust after fueling the LAV.

And the rubber chicken? Interestingly enough my Coy was attached to the 1 RCR Battle Group.

Thanks Dad....

 

[PMedMoe]

My oldest sister always sent the neatest stuff.  Usually a small stuffed toy, keeping Canada in mind (once it was a moose), a table top or travel game (cribbage which we used on the trip to Australia) and other odds and sods (little Christmas ornaments, etc).

When I was in Bosnia, she sent me a bunch of Canada flag pins, pencils with maple leafs on them and other souvenir type stuff to give out to the kids when we were doing med coverage for the soccer games between the CF and the locals.

Worst stuff received?  I have to say candy or sweets (unless it was M&M peanuts).  We (HSS Coy) had so much of it by the time we got to KAF, we just put it all in one of the storage bins and it was available to everyone.  Makes me glad for all the travel sized toothbrushes and toothpaste we had. 

 

[Scott]

To wash down a care package donair and some deep fried Brothers pepperoni.  ;D

And we're talking about chocolate not making the trip well? GAP mentioned koubassa tainting all the other mail? Holy frig, one of those belly bombs, after all of that travel, would be a serious biohazard.

 

[Milhouser911]

At christmas, we out at the FOB were "donating" junkfood to the ANA/camp security guys by the triwall.  Everywhere you looked were shoeboxes full of candy, and stacks of "any Canadian soldier" letters that people refused to open, for the feeling that if they opened it, they'd feel guilty for not writing back.  I don't know how many toothbrushes, pens, notepads, etc, that got thrown out (although as a supply tech, I did occasionaly top up my stores with them). 

Most unappreciated thing:  Candy.  Seriously, I referred to the FOB as candy mountain.  We've got more than enough of that stuff.

Most appreciated thing:  The hilarious drawings and letters from the kids, the christmas tree/decorations I received, small time-passing books, my favourite of which was a book of Winston Churchill quotes.

 

[Danjanou]

One care package addressed to "any Cdn soldier" got sent to our detachment that was filled with nothing but hair conditioner and Poli-dent.

I think that was from my Legion branch. BTW they were wondering if they could have some of the poli-dent back? ;D

 

[MP 811]

And the rubber chicken? Interestingly enough my Coy was attached to the 1 RCR Battle Group.

Thanks Dad....

bawhahahahahahahahah!..........oh I needed that this morning!

 

[Arctic Acorn]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again:

"Maple Syrup is NOT a desert condiment!"

We got piles of the stuff on our tour. The Timmies gift certificates on the other hand...

 

[vonGarvin]

I'll jump in here with some of my own personal observations.

I took it upon myself to answer about 2 or 3 "letters to any soldier" per week.  I was unable to do so always, but in the end, it was rather humbling to realise that not all of those letters were from classes who were told to write.  I had letters from all sorts.  One was a kid who had seen something on TV about Afghanistan and decided to write a letter: apparently the story got to her.  Another was from some grandmother.  They varied, and they were nice to receive.

I got some breads and cookies of a wide variety (that I shared with many) that was not only well-appreciated, but well-consumed!  Yummy!

My mother sent me all sorts of dollar store toys, and they were actually pretty fun.  We would goof off with them, having dinosaur races and the like with whatever it was she sent me.  She also sent me a coffee cup (ceramic) which I still have. 

In the end, some things are useless, but others are pretty good.  Someone mentioned porn already, and there's not enough of that.  We don't need movies over there (there are more than enough), but in the end, tastes vary, and if someone is reading this and is wondering what to send, the best best is to fire off a few "letters to any soldier" asking if there is anything they would like. 

 

[Strike]

I'll jump in here with some of my own personal observations.

I took it upon myself to answer about 2 or 3 "letters to any soldier" per week.  I was unable to do so always, but in the end, it was rather humbling to realise that not all of those letters were from classes who were told to write.  I had letters from all sorts.  One was a kid who had seen something on TV about Afghanistan and decided to write a letter: apparently the story got to her.  Another was from some grandmother.  They varied, and they were nice to receive.

I got some breads and cookies of a wide variety (that I shared with many) that was not only well-appreciated, but well-consumed!  Yummy!

My mother sent me all sorts of dollar store toys, and they were actually pretty fun.  We would goof off with them, having dinosaur races and the like with whatever it was she sent me.  She also sent me a coffee cup (ceramic) which I still have. 

I had a whole penpal thing going with a class in Ontario.  I guess one of the kids didn't get his first letter in on time and was quite upset by it as my letter back addressed each child individually.  He was the first to submit a letter the next time around.

As for the dollar store stuff, there's nothing better then firing off foam darts in your office!  ;D

My parents also sent me a coffee grinder and some high-end coffee beans.  That was a nice change since the people in my office were quite the barristas.  We left the grinder there for the next roto as well as some unground coffee in the freezer.

 

[Ipip12]

Well... Are there any restrictions on sending alcohol to soldiers overseas?

 

[Journeyman]

Well... Are there any restrictions on sending alcohol to soldiers overseas?

Yes, Canada Post, and the Chain of Command, both have some pretty unfavourable views on shipping alcohol in-theatre. In sum, they're against it.