Saturday, May 24, 2014

Deployment: Care Packages

So I have been thinking since I am out to sea for around a month what are some things I will want/need sent to me when I am gone for 9-10 months... Here's a list of things I came up with and others I asked said would be good.

Themes for Care Packages are always good it brightens up our day.

Food Ideas
1.) Chewing gum - The store doesn't sell gum it’s a big thing being out to sea everyone always wants gum.
2.) Baked goods - We will do anything for cookies and they don't always have them in the galley and I have found myself begging to have the CS's (Culinary Specialist) sneak me a few baked goods. Ones from home are way better anyway.
3.) Peanut Butter
4.) Sunflower seeds
5.) Beef Jerky
6.) Candy
7.) Nesquik
8.) Mio
9.) Crystal Light
10.) Siracha/ Other Hot Sauce

Work Out Stuff
1.) Pre Work-Out and Protein- Most of us go to the gym and we need a recovery protein which can get expensive on the ship and Pre work-out that little bit of extra energy to keep you going when you are tired most people on the ship work up to 12 hour days.
2.) New works-outs like P90X that they come out with.
3.) Gym Clothes
4.) Shoes
5.) Supplements
6.) Health Magazine- to keep them on a healthy track as much as you can be on the ship.

Necessities
1.) Cold Packs- Vitamin C Airborne, Nyquil, Daily Vitamins. We tend to catch colds underway and ships Medical isn't always the best with getting us Natural vitamins to help get through a cold and they don't give you Nyquil which will help you sleep when you have a cough. Some sailors also like taking Melatonin right before bed. They say it works just as well as a sleeping pill but keeps you from being drowsy waking up the next morning.
2.) Socks
3.) Underwear
4.) Deodorant
5.) Face Wash
6.) Body Wash
7.) Shampoo/ Conditioner
8.) Tampons
9.) T.P.
10.) Baby Wipes
11.) Disinfecting Wipes
12.) Fabreeze
13.) Laundry Pods, Softener, and Dryer Sheets
14.) Sun Screen
15.) Lotion
16.) Toothpaste and Toothbrushes

Ways to Pass the Time and Keep In Touch
1.) Notebook
2.) A Book filled with pictures and quotes from the family. They Guys call it the "Touchy Feely" Book.
3.) Puzzles and Games -Something to do on our off time to keep us from going crazy. I personally love word searches. UNO is always a fun game most people know and easily put away and so is a deck of cards.
4.) Stamps- They are always good I love sending out and getting mail.
5.) Pictures- Family and Friends and what they are up to. We don't always get internet hours when we want to look at facebook. The Guys also said they would love pictures of there Wife’s and for them to spray there perfume on letters and stuff ;).
6.) Phone Cards- They are a life saver when you are missing home and just want to call your loved ones but keep in mind we can't always call when we want too.
7.) Lottery Scratchers- Just cause.
8.) Books
9.) News Articles
10.) News Letters on the family and how everyone is doing.
11.) Study Material to pass those tests, we have a lot of them.
12.) Mp3- with new Music
13.) Hard Drive- with Movies and TV Shows, New Movies or old because we miss out on the new movies that come out and old movies to keep us remembering home.
14.) Portable DVD Player
15.) Label Maker

Off The Wall Items
1.) Shock Therapy
2.) Chillow
3.) Snuggie
4.) Learn to play guitar DVD
5.) Scuba Gear

A good thing to remember is stay in touch as much as you can with your Sailor via email and letters and they should do the same with phone calls and such. It also never hurts to ask what they need/want to because not everyone is the same. It would be smart when sending candy to be careful not to send anything that will melt. Also be careful not to send anything illegal. Videos are cool to send of the family and wanted. Video skits are cool we miss our funny sarcastic family. Family events would also be a good thing to get videos of. We like to keep up as much as possible if you think of a funny quote and picture to put up on facebook tag us in them or shoot us an email we love seeing stuff like that.
Your Sailor should also send you things while they are on deployment from all the different countries they go too. Like Shot Glasses, Ball caps, T-Shirts, Hoodies, And Postcards.

Hope you all Enjoy. J

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