Attn: Any Soldier
Would you like to send a care package to a soldier in Iraq but have no idea of what to send, who to send it to, or how to send it?

Here is just one idea.
Sergeant Brian Horn is a sniper with the 173rd Airborne Brigade and has a reputation for taking care of his soldiers. He has agreed to help distribute the contents to the soldiers who are not getting mail any packages that come to him addressed "Attn: Any Soldier". He is aware of this and happy to help.

Suggestions for what to send:

Anything that does NOT melt!! Remember, they are living with 1130 days and no A/C or refrigerators...
Good quality dehydrated foods (believe it or not)
Canned foods that are easy to eat.
Packaged fruits (like those snack cups)(throw in a plastic spoon...)
Powdered drinks (like pre-sweetened Cool-Aid, Gatorade, etc)
Do NOT send liquid stuff unless it is sealed (like in a vacuum bag)
Towelettes (the anti-bacterial pre-moistened types)(ALOT of these!!)
Simple things...combs, AA-batteries, paper, pens, envelopes
DEET insect spray
Sports stuff (baseballs, old gloves, frisbees...)
If you are rich: Game Boys. (Can trade a Hummer for one ;)
(Idea: ask your kids to ask around to collect GameBoys and the games they don't want anymore...)
Reading stuff, car magazines, comic books, standard soldier-reading material...
Many more ideas, better ones you probably have.
Still too expensive for your budget? A Letter, from you, your children, or the kids at school, is THE best thing in the world to get when home is so far away.

Do NOT send insured or registered. This surprised me. Brian has to go to base camp to get these items and he does not go there very often at all.
Send in easy to handle boxes (say under 10 pounds) and wrap like Godzilla will handle it because he will. A suggestion is that Walmart sells boxes for 95cents that are 11 3/4 x 8 x 4 3/4 inches (CB-12). These are easy to pack, won't weigh too much and are easy to handle. Mine have averaged about 6 pounds and cost about $6 to mail.

Be assured that this is no scam. We send Brian plenty of stuff, this is a way to help the soldiers that don't get the family support that Brian does. If you have any concerns, questions, or suggestions, please email me and I will get back to you quickly.

Sgt. Brian Horn
Attn: Any Soldier
Scouts, HHC 1-508th ABCT
173rd Airborne Bde
APO AE -----