Anyone have experience with getting care packages through to our troops?

[mahina]

I made cookies for my friend and the 30 guys under him and packed them up with the usual diaper wipes, glasses cleaners, saimin, toothbrushes and toothpaste, envelopes and writing paper,pens,chapsticks, hand sanitizers, peanuts, beef jerky, dried fruit, canned tuna, etc. to a friend.

I wondered why he never emailed to say he got it but I didn't want to hassle him, he's dealing with so much already. Now he has 90 guys under him.

We sent it in early December. We got it back yesterday, dropped off with no clue why. It's obvious someone went through everything and thrashed all the stuff. There are pieces of noodles everywhere and the box looks like someone played hockey with it. It left here professionally packed, and came back actually more round than square. There's red letters reading "BYPASSED" all around it, and it's marked XRAYED. But not one clue why it came back. $74.postage.

More than anything I am concerned about the families who use what they have and this happens. Myself, I can handle, it was for a friend. If it was for my husband or father I would be really pissed.

Anyone?

[RedEarth]

1. That's odd.........

I've mailed several and never had an issue with them. Some have sent an email thanking me, others haven't. Like you, if I get an email, great, if not, that's fine also.

[mahina]

3. Really, ya? Back to Costco...

dum de dum. I just don't want to make the same mistake again and there's no clue why.
I can only still use the tuna and the peanuts, the rest of it is destroyed. Dammit!!!

[PeaceNikki]

2. I've sent dozens through anysoldier without problem

http://www.anysoldier.com/

That's a shame!

[mahina]

4. Thanks for the response, but this is to an individual, and I read that

anysoldier is not working anymore. Was that lately?
Thanks again so much...

[PeaceNikki]

5. Using anysoldier, you do send to an individual. You have to send to an individual or ir won't be

delivered.

Yes, it's still alive and kicking.

[mahina]

7. Thanks, I'll do that this time.

Mahalo!

[newyawker99]

15. Hi PeaceNikki!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[peace13]

6. My friend's son is in Iraq.

I saw her in the post office last week. She had a package for her son. She said that she was insuring her package to him because she had trouble the last time. Stolen or lost who knows.It is really sad. Strange that you got part of it back. Sorry. Peace, KIm

[scudrunner]

8. When my son was in Iraq,

I sent maybe a dozen packages.The only one that didn't make it had a game console in it.It also coincided with a time of increased convoy attacks.

[mahina]

11. Thanks. We used to send packages to Dad in Vietnam about once a month.

Crack seed, Primo beer, and saimin. Imagine sending saimin to Asia. But he liked it.
Graced your son is home! Aloha.

[Arkansas Granny]

9. My friend and I have sent many packages through anysoldier

and although not all of them were acknowledged, none were ever returned to us.

[nomatrix]

17. We sent out 30 packages after Thanksgiving

through anysoldier and none of ours were ever acknowledged. Didn't really expect them to be. We sent them flat rate through the post office.

We had a really bad Christmas with family overseas and in the hospital, so we got some pleasure in giving what we would have spent on the holidays. We hope it cheered someone up. I'd do it again.

[karlrschneider]

10. That's strange. There's a group near here that collects items and sends them

regularly...I don't know about the mechanics of mailing, I just give them items from time to time and suppose (hope, maybe) they get sent okay. Wonder what 'bypassed' means...?

[Daisymae97]

12. Did you check with the post office?

I sent a huge box to my cousin in Iraq and he received it within a week. I didn't insure it, but did send it priority mail.

[newyawker99]

16. Hi Daisymae97!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Daisymae97]

18. Thanks!!

:hi:

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. I send a package twice a year

to any troop I can find the FPO to

We got one back... thankfully because troop was out of country already.

We resent it to somebody else

[watercolors]

14. Have had no problems

as of yet. Sent some to Iraq when our grandson was there , he is now in Afganistan, sent out three boxes yesterday. He e-mailes us regularly. Last one contained pictures from there. What a desolate rocky area, he is very tired. Our family keeps him and his friend well supplied. Remember MRE's only contain 1500 to 1800 calories, not nearly enough! He had gone over three weeks before he had a hot meal.So anything with protien and good calories is needed. I also sent out a box of papper back books, they love them, Bic pens and bubble gum for the kids, pens are a status symbol for the teenage boys they encounter. He is not happy to have his tour of duty extened either , lots of grumbling from the guys!

[Sydnie]

19. The home made cookies might have been enough to get it returned

Store bought products only, even if you know the person. The soldiers are instructed to toss any home made products, should the box make it through to them. Sad, but true. If it was xrayed, perhaps the cookies stopped it's journey and sent it back to you.