A great "Holiday Care Package" idea for the members of our Armed Forces in Afghanistan or Iraq

First, I hope that this message finds you and your families in good health and spirits.

Second, as we approach the holidays, I ask that you give some thought to performing a random act of kindness for a member of our military serving in Afghanistan or Iraq. You can perform this random act of kindness by:

1. Sending a Holiday Care package to a member of our Armed Services

or

2. Making a donation to the USO (http://www.uso.org/).


For the first option, a holiday package can be sent via the USPS to one of the Chaplain addresses found at http://www.cjtf101.com/files/CJTF101%20com%20RST%20MAILING%20ROSTER%20(2).pdf (skip the “Redeploying soon” addresses).

For example, my wife and I know someone at FOB Gardez so we are sending Holiday Care packages to:

Chaplain
Chaplain Section,
FOB GARDEZ,
APO AE 09354

with a note asking the Chaplain to distribute the gift to a Service Member who may not receive a holiday care package from home. 

However, you can select one of the other addresses and use the above format. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find addresses for a US Marine base but perhaps a reader of this can share a Marine base address.

The Holiday Care packages that Beth and I are sending includes Xmas candy (chocolate bar and jelly beans), socks, trail mix bars, a small packet of Oreo cookies, soap, and a Xmas card. The Xmas card is addressed to “A member of our Armed Services at FOB Gardez” and signed the Kelliher Family. We are not addressing the card to “a Soldier” because members of the Army, Air Force, and Navy are all stationed at the base and the term soldier would be inappropriate for members of the Air Force or Navy. In addition, we are packing the items in a Holiday theme gift bag before we place the bag in the box so that the idea of a Holiday gift is reinforced.

Incidentally, the large Priority Mail Flat-Rate box, only costs $12.50 to send to a overseas military zip code like 09354 and the box can be filled with a nice collection of candy, socks, soap, and other items.

Please utilize the list http://www.cjtf101.com/files/CJTF101%20com%20RST%20MAILING%20ROSTER%20(2).pdf to pick another base. We would like to show our appreciation at more than one base.

Please share the “Holiday Care package” suggestion with your friends, relatives, and co-workers.

Regards and Season’s Greetings,

Charlie Kelliher



Franklin, MA