26 Feb 2015

A question about : What to send to Afghanistan?

I want to send a parcel/packet to a guy in his 20s who's just gone out to Afghanistan. Can anyone give me an idea of the things that are most needed or would be most appreciated. I might as well fill up the 2Kg packet - so any ideas would be much appreciated. Thanks

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Best answers:

  • Jelly sweets, pot noodles, biscuits, magazines, soap, toothbrush/toothpaste, baby wipes, chewing gum, Tabasco/Worcester Sauce
  • https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...ht=afghanistan
    There are lots of suggestions on here.
    My Bro liked Spam and HP sauce.
  • (if you get shoe box so handy for sending to afgan)
    found this hope this of use
    Toiletries –Toothpaste, Toothbrushes, Shampoo, Conditioner, Shower Gel, Roll on Deodorant, Razors, Shaving Gel, Talcum Powder, Foot Powder, Cotton Buds, Wet/Moist Wipes, Tissues, Lip Salve
    Savoury Snacks – Pringles, Crisps, Nuts, Pork Scratchings, Beef Jerky, Savoury Rice, Noodles, Oatcakes, Crackers, Stock Cubes, Packet Soups
    Sweet Snacks - Fruit/Cereal Bars, Fruit Flakes, Dried Fruit, Shortbread, Small Cakes, Biscuits, Small Tins Fruit, Packets Custard, Evaporated Milk, Condensed Milk
    Confectionery - Travel sweets, Toffee, Fudge, Mars Bars, etc, Chocolate Raisins/Peanuts, Energy Sweets, Love Hearts, etc, Fruit Pastilles, etc, Lollipops, Mints, Chewing Gum
    Clothing - Socks, T Shirts, Underwear
    Recreation - Paperback Books, Magazines, Puzzle Books, Sport Programmes, Playing Cards, Travel Games. Jigsaws, Pens, Pencils, Notebooks, Paints, Sketch Books, Batteries
    Pharmacy – Imodium, Rennie, Paracetamol, Plasters, Insect Repellent, Sun Screen
  • Thanks to everyone - got my parcel off this aft. Actually 2 'cos i got too much stuff to go in 1. I found a shoe box and filed it 1.974K (phew).
  • This charity might be able to help you www.thanktheforces.co.uk
  • Hi
    Can anyone tell me if there is a size limit to the boxes? I know it is 2 kg but I can't find a size limit
    Thanks
    Cuddles
  • There is - if you add up all the dimensions (H + W+D) they must not exceed 90cm. I think there may be minimums as well but can't remember.
  • Porn, porn and more porn
  • a mens or ladies shoebox is about the right size. Most shoe shops will give you spares if you tell them why you need it!
    Best things to send....
    FOODS-
    NO CHOC!!! It melts
    NO FRESH FRUIT
    NO HOMEMADE GOODIES
    Sweets ( esp haribos and multipacks of tiny packets they can give to the kids)- not things like chewits as they melt!
    Chewing gum
    Tic tacs
    mentos
    instant noodles
    savoury rice
    pasta in sauce
    small tins of tuna/ meat ( they get lots of spam and beans so try and avoid these)
    plastic tubs of fruit in jelly/syrup/juice or small tins
    tubs of jelly, ready prepared
    nuts
    biscuits(not choc)
    crisps
    pringles
    beef jerky
    pork scratchings
    tubs of custard
    packet soups/cuppa soups
    hot choc sachets
    coffee sachets
    sweeteners
    museli bars
    mattesons smoked pork sausage
    pepperamis
    Bombay mix
    small cans or cartons of pop or juice
    cakes ( not home made, must be sealed in packaging)
    tortilla chips
    salsa
    popcorn
    TOILETRIES + Medicines
    roll on deodorant ( no aerosols allowed- they explode in the heat)
    disposable razors
    soap
    small shower gels/shampoos ( sachets esp)
    hand sanitiser
    insect repellent/bite relief
    Paracetamol
    Diahorrea tabs
    sun cream ( they do get it issued but some people like particular brands)
    baby wipes (esp small packets)
    foot powder
    odour eaters
    talc
    moisturiser
    Clothing
    T shirts
    pants
    socks
    Things to do
    puzzle books
    top trumps
    magazines ( Not porn, these will get confiscated but nuts, FHM, loaded etc are all fine)
    Books- never enough books around esp at FOB's
    playing cards
    travel games
    DS/PSP games if they have the consoles with them ( same for ps2 etc- check first)
    DVD's
    silly items, water pistols, water bombs, whoopee cushions etc
    dont forget to weigh your parcel on the kitchen scales, if its over they will charge you to send the whole weight of the parcel! if its over Ј8 in value it might be better to get it sent special delivery because then its insured
    Wrap it securely with parcel tape , sealed etc make sure you full in the customsb declaration and you will need the service number, rank, name and full address to qualify for free post. Its not possible to send a parcel "To a soldier" because they wont accept it
    however
    https://www.supportoursoldiers.co.uk/
    do an amazing job organising parcels to send to serving personel in remote areas and are always looking for donations and parcels. If anyone is interested in sending parcels to personel serving abroad get in touch with them and theyve gratefully accept your parcel and send it on to a deserving soldier, sailor or airman ( or woman) or medic etc
  • Send him his return ticket back to England, seen as though they're just wrapping it up out there and it is officially over in 12 months time.
    I live next to RAF Lakenheath US air base with RAF mildenhall US air base close by aswell.
  • Hi
    I think he'd love a return ticket but I stuck to the basics of cakes, sweets and crisps. He hasn't got a choice where he goes. Its the powers that be that do that.
    All our boys and girls (home and abroad) do a wonderful job
    Cuddles
  • If the person you are sending to has a sense of humuor send them out a packet of sand!
    Any of the latest dvds or latest music so they can top up their ipods etc.
    Haribo's are very good, my wife sent them out to me, they dont melt and they last a long time.
    any of that lucozade sport drink powder - to replace minerals etc
    any of the latest books, most magazines are available in theatre as well as newspapers.
    hope this helps you out
  • Very first post, but hope this of use to all of us left in UK when loved ones away, I've just had news my parcel was received however a few items 'seem' to be missing! And as I posted it over a week ago I do not remember all items, and therefore have very little grounds to complain to family office etc.. This is the first time I come across this problem and hope it is not a wide spread issue,so my advice would be to write a list and include in box so your loved ones will receive all you expect them to and keep a copy. I will not be caught out like that again.
  • Becc4, I've had the same problem recently, two parcels that I sent to my hubby in Iraq were both damaged and had things missing and one I sent three weeks ago still hasnt got there! Seems to have gone "missing". I recommend keeping a list of everything you send and make sure you get proof of posting from the post office just incase you need to claim.
    One of the best things my hubby has said I sent him was some "wet ones" they are cooling face wipes, aparently good for a quick cool down while out on patrol.
  • The generic lists avaliable are pretty good, just include a mix of food items, a pack of baby wipes and some entertainment material and you wil have one happy serviceman!
    Don't forget, of you are sending out parcels to charities such as SOS, then they are crying out for female parcels as well.
    What specifically to include if you know the person will honestly depend on where they are based. Most of the FOBs (Forward Operating bases) only have basic amentites and little fresh ration supply so the needs there will be different to someone based at Camp Bastion where there is opportunity to purchase basic items. If you are sending out a parcel to a FOB then bear in mind it takes about two weeks to get there. If the helos are in demand, then post is often left out of the supply helos to the FOBs to make way for more needed items like personell and ammunition supplies ie post is low priority so may take even longer - bear this in mind with the items that you send - you shouldn't send anything out that is perishable.
    When hubby was out there he regularly requested things like smash potato packets, supernoodles, soup packets and savory rice packets, as well as tins of tuna and meat to supplement the rations, as well as beefy jerky wehich went down a storm.
    As Ration packs have very little roughage, nurtigrain, muesli bars and packets of fruit and nut mix go down well, they are also good for energy on the go.
    The lucozade/energy type drinks in sachet form also went down well.
    Tubes of pringles and packs of mini cheddars were also frequently requested. I had send out some of the long life part baked bread rolls etc so they could just bung them in the make shift oven - at hubbys FOB there was no beread at all.
    Haribo sweets are pretty much a staple - they don't melt and the small packets can be eaily put into webbing pouches for eating on to go - they are a good energy boost.
    I also sent over "gucci" socks (not actually made by Gucci, but forces slang for something that is good/better quality than issue) that I got from hiking shop type places. Baby wipes are good for a wash as there was no hot running water in his FOB. Toothbrush and toothpaste was also requested on a few occasions.
    I always sent loads of stuff over as they had an "orphan" box, which is were excess stuff was put, so that someone who needed it could take it - some of the marines that were stationed with hubby were form canada or south africa dn therefore their families could not get parcels to them - so they could share in gett8ing the necessities they needed too as they only way to get supplies waas from parcels sent over.
    I have also sent over rolling tobacco papers and filters, and cigars too. Even if your serviceman doesn't smoke, he can give them to someone who does.
    My hubby isn't a big reader so I only sent over the odd book. I had also had requests for SD cards for his camera as they take lots of pics and have nowhere to load them onto - Asda do a great 2GB SD card for about Ј7
    It was his 30th birthday over there so I sent over a cake, balloons, hats and streamers to one of his mates out there for them to decorate his grot with - my party poppers got confiscated though as they are an explosive though lol! I have heard it is the same at Xmas - crackers are not permitted. For a present, I sent him over a cheapy MP3 player, along with a song from each year for 30 years. There was a sheet of paper with a list of the years on - all he had to do was match up the song to the year but it kept him entertained for hours.
    Oh - and before I forget - most of the FOBs (whether they are allowed to or not lol!) have an adopted pet or pets of some description. Although some of them are looked after by the military, supplies for them can be in short supply. I know the two dogs where hubby was based were sent to camp bastion once a year for their jabs, but were not wormed or deflea-ed so I sent over supplies of spot on and wormer for them, and some of the bedding de-flea spray for their bedding. They also had collars, leads, their own military bandanas and tags sent out to them - talk about pampered pooches!! I did a box for them each with some rawhide treats, a cheapy fleece blanket from ikea, a dog bowl, and a toy in. The dogs were spoilt rotten lol!
    Phew! i hope this has helped!!
  • Oh - and I almost forgot - I regularly sent over Centrum Cmplete multivitimains to make sure he still got his RDA whilst on rations!
  • How do you send parcels to people or can you only send them to relatives / friends?
  • Blondierm has a really good list - I sent my DH most of these items. Thankfully, he got back in one piece and is sat here with me now, he said that the guys appreciate good condiments as well, rock salt, pepper and hot sauces. I used to get an Encona one in a plastic bottle from farmf00ds, so it travelled well.
    I think you send random parcels, just address it to any regiment that you know is out there and it will get passed to someone that does not get any mail. HTH
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