How to Send a Care Package to a Soldier in Iraq
Sending a care package to a soldier overseas may seem daunting, particularly if the soldier is in a war zone such as Iraq. However, if proper procedure is followed and precautions taken, your care package can arrive to the soldier you have in mind. The United States Postal Service, the Department of Defense and the country of occupation all have guidelines that must be followed when sending a package.
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Things You'll Need
- Items for care package
- Box
- Packing tape
- Packing cushion
- Marker
- Card
- Address of soldier's APO (Army Post Office)
Instructions
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Collect items that will be useful to the soldier or difficult for the soldier to acquire, such as baby wipes, gum, candy, hot sauce, granola bars and bug repellent. A comprehensive list of most-requested items is available at the website Operation Military Pride (see Resources).
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Check to be sure banned items are not included in your package. Packages sent to Iraq may not contain: obscene articles (including pornography and horror images), unauthorized political materials, alcohol, aerosol cans, liquid hand sanitizer, large amounts of religious material not pertaining to the Islamic faith and/or pork or pork by-products.
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Secure all items. Glass bottles should be covered in duct tape and sealed in a plastic bag. Battery-operated items should be kept separate from batteries.
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If desired, contact the USPS to request a Military Care Package Kit at 1-800-610-8734. The kit includes free boxes, address labels and customs forms and can be delivered to your address for no fee.
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All items should be cushioned with T-shirts, socks, crumpled newsprint or packing cushion.
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Write a packing list on a card and include it inside the package. This is necessary in case of package rupture.
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Seal the box with heavy-duty packing tape around all openings.
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On the lower right corner of the box's top surface, include the full name and APO address of the soldier to receive the package. Always include a return address on the upper left corner of the box's top surface.
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Bring the package to a postal office to pay for shipping fees and mail the package.
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Tips & Warnings
To send a package to an unknown soldier, check the websites Any Soldier and Operation Military Pride (see Resources).
References
Resources
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