MotoMail.com It was my best friend. One of my guys was way out (Darkhorse 3/5) and we had virtually no communication with him for 6 months. MotoMail allows us to e-mail them and the e-mails get printed out and delivered. It made me feel good knowing that I could 'talk' to him any time I wanted... though they only got deliveries every few weeks.

Also, yes the USPS lets us ship the flat rate boxes at a discount. I sent tons of stuff, but one call he made in the middle of the night was that he wanted Ramen, Energy Drinks, and Cigarettes and Chewing Tobacco. I was FLOORED as he didn't smoke or chew, but he said he could use those things to trade other guys for things he wanted. lol I refused to buy them, but allowed one of his friends to buy them and I shipped them. Why that seemed justified in my mind I'll never know.

Also, socks and underwear. The only way my guy had to do laundry was by hand, and that was only on occasion. They would wear socks and underwear for days on end. I always alternated a package of each in every package I sent. Oh, and a couple thermals. It get's cold. Magazines were a favorite of his also. Lots of time people get those lists, and so everyone sends the same stuff over and over. Just take your best guess based on what you know about him. Packages take ABOUT three weeks. I sent a package about every other week.

Plan for a lot of what you send, to be left behind. They don't have a lot of space to bring stuff home.

Also, check out MarineParents.com, defendersoffreedom.com just off the top of my head, to get on the list to have packages mailed to him.

Good luck to him and all his loved ones. It's super hard for us back home waiting..., being left back here and always wondering how they're doing.

When my Navy son was on his last ship, he asked me to send either goodies that he could stuff in his mouth and eat quickly, OR enough for all his buddies. Said that when he got a large package from home, he would go back to his bunk and on the way see his friends on either side of him and following him all the way!!!! Lots and lots was his wish!!
And when my brother was in Vietnam, we hunted all over till we found tropical chocolates...otherwise he said he could open the package and pour it into a glass!!! He missed his hard chocolates!!!

Will anyone be there to see him off? It means so much to them to have a familiar face to send them off and greet them when they come back.

All of the other links are a great place to start, once he gets there and gets situated they will let family and friends know what their email and their mailing address.

Care packages are a life line to home, getting a box means everything to them. A friend of mine that's stationed I send him Phone Cards so he can call me, I send Capri Sun juice to him, crystal light packets, crackers and cheese, little mini packs of cookies, try not to send anything with chocolate in it or on it as it melts, magazine's, books, mini containers of shampoo, soap, etc. Socks are always needed they get a form of jungle rot or foot fungus from the heat and their boots.

Depending on where deployed you can not send some materials. Letters and cards are greatly appreciated. When my son was in USAF basic training I send a card or letter every day and a "week long" letter. I did the same a few years later when my neice was in USAF basic training. Just ANYTHING to let them know someone at home cares.

Thank you for all of the good information. This gives me a lot of good ideas and places to start.