Care Packages

F

flight9

Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2016
Messages
17
Hello-

My boyfriend is currently a freshman at USAFA. He is going back in a few days & I know it's going to be a bit hard for him to adjust back to cadet life after break. I want to send him a surprise care package within the next few days so that it arrives when he gets back to school. Is there anything specific cadets really look forward to receiving/need during these colder months? It's hard because I know he cannot wear civvies as a 4*- but I want to get him things he will appreciate during this next semester. If anyone has any ideas, that would be wonderful!
 
Think it was Fencersmother who suggested to stuff a US Post Office Priority Flat Rate box with as much stuff (candy, cookies, other stuff he likes, comics, etc,) We have done this for our DD.
 
Yes, you can stuff up to 70 pounds in the largest box, so fill that baby to the brim!

Chemical hand/foot warmers
sock liners
Tuna packets
favorite t-shirt/pants for after Recognition


The key is to leave literally NO extra space. Get packs of candy, slim jims, etc. to stuff into those air pockets. Repackage all food stuffs to fit better in the boxes. For instance, take those cheese-its out of the original packaging and put into ziplock bags with zero air space. Cadets share food so find out what roommate likes, too, and include something for him, too.
 
Being a girlfriend in the similar situation many years ago I can tell you what I sent. A nice encouraging letter that he can look at when he's exhausted and overwhelmed. If there's a special food he likes and can't get at AFA. If there's something funny that always makes him laugh. Then of course all the snacks that you can shove in a box! It's good prep for deployments - I've mastered shoving more than normal in a usps box. I hadn't thought of the use the Cheezts box to hold more!
 
My DD always wants "healthy snacks", and tuna was a no-go. Her roommate didn't like the smell.
So, I pack granola/energy bars, nuts, "real fruit" strips, nutella, peanut butter, crackers, etc.
 
Massive amounts of snacks is a great idea for parents but I would think that something more personal would be appropriate coming from a girlfriend.

A picture, blanket or a perfumed note would go a long way to keep him in good spirits during those cold days of winter.
 
When my husband was deployed at sea - at that time, in a world devoid of email, text, Skype - I would send him those tiny snaps from a photo booth. Plenty of smiles, me holding silly notes up in the photo. Small enough he could tuck one in his wallet or paper clip to his flight log. When he would get home from cruise, those little snaps would fall out of all kinds of places - helmet bag, etc.

Surely he has a killer photo of you in a small frame, that he can stow easily or pop it out to have on the desk when doing homework. Not just phone photos, one of those where the other guys do a double-take and make him remember how lucky he is.

Something silly, and small, from a toy or costume shop. I still have this little tin of bendable monkeys with magnetized hands and feet that my husband sent me while I was deployed. A fun little stress reliever. Photos of various contortions of the monkeys (clean minds here!) made it back home to him. I sent him a kazoo on cruise; apparently it was a hit at various parties ashore in liberty ports.

The point is, you know him, what makes him laugh, what relaxes him, what he is interested in, what his favorite cookie is. That's what will make him feel good, that someone from his other life knows him.

Homemade treats beat anything he can buy in the Mid Store in a bag. Google "baked goods that mail well," and you will see all kinds of recipes out there that "deploy" well.

M&M's and other durable candy such as wrapped hard candy make good packing peanuts.
 
Capt MJ has good points about the homemade treats. Keep in mind, however, that the post office isn't all that efficient at USAFA. Whatever you make needs to be something that can keep for at least a week or more.
 
I would send little articles from our local paper on sports or politics which interested them, church news (a bulletin?), STEELERS ANYTHING, so they could represent while away. And if you send a note, say on a piece of white paper, fill the back with downloaded pictures: the dog, new curtains, little brother doing homework, chili cookin' on the stove, tree covered in snow... whatever you'd like.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top