Question for you guys who have spent time in Afghanistan

[rlongnt]

I have a cousin that is what can only be described as one hell of an American. He is currently deployed across the pond. He is a SSGT in the 45th but far too proud to ask for anything. I feel the need to help him and his family in any way I can. I was fortunate enough to be in the Marine Corps in the late 80s when absolutely nothing happened but he is on his third tour. What was there that you folks “especially with families” could not get or do but really wanted to? Also, what could you not get in theater but wished you could get your hands on? CR123, Bible, Surefire, skivvies, socks, iPod..... anything, etc.? Thanks in advance.

 

[SMS]

When I was there back in '07, we truthfully didn't want for much materially...support and stuff from/related to home mattered most. Hometown newspapers and recent magazines were good distractions. The contents of the boxes didn't matter as much as getting the box itself.

Edited to add: Chemical handwarmers were a lifesaver when pulling turret duty....hard to come by, so with winter coming those might be appreciated.

 

[Go_Ordnance]

It really varies by location. If you're at Kandahar Air Field, you can get pretty much anything you can think of. If you're at one of the outlying COPs, you can't even get a pack of smokes.

 

[cheech_029]

Beef Jerky, vacuum sealed home made cookies & candy (anything home made really) and baby wipes.

All of these work wonders when you're in the field, probably not quite as much when you're near PX/BX/AAFES.

 

[SMS]

We always got tons of jerky from the supplemental rat packs (as well as those nasty energy bars....we called it pocket chow) and wipes from the hygiene packets....but mail itself was hard to come by. Depending on weather we could go two or three weeks without mail. Not long compared to some, but an eternity compared to how fast the guys in Bagram and Kandahar got it!

AAA batteries were scarce sometimes...for headlamps and stuff. Not sure what the new surefire helmet light runs off of. But we were never short on 123's.

This thread's gettin' me all sentimental and stuff......

 

[Bhop]

im not military but i was wondering if any of you might would have liked a C.A.T. m4 tool? check this thing out and tell me if it might have saved some time
http://catm4.com/

 

[aeropb]

A roll of copenhagen.

 

[angsniper]

Depends on where he's at. As long as he's not remote he has access to most everything he needs. When we went in they dumped us out of the back of the C130 with a pallet of water and said "Your tents will be here in 2 weeks". We had nothing. By the end of 6 months we were in tents with hot food (it was warm anyways, not sure if it was really food). Next time thru we had hard billets, 2 chow halls, 3 gyms, a BX and the MP's were writing speeding tickets for going faster than 15 down Disney! Now no tents exist, new buildings everywhere. It's a whole new city, courtesy of the American taxpayer.

 

[SMS]

A roll of copenhagen.

Worth it's weight in gold to the dippers!

 

[onwmed]

Snuff, jerky, handwarmers, loose tobacco.....the folks have already hit on all this. Snuff and loose tobacco can be used as currency if your cousin doesn't partake.