This might sound dumb, but how much do you send if you don't know of anyone over there?

While our oldest son was deployed last year, we found the "one rate" boxes from the post office worked best for us. With these boxes it doesn't matter how much it weighed, it was still the same price. If you know what you're sending is heavy, then you might want to consider this. The post office have certain boxes that are used for this. If you don't see them, be sure to ask for them.(We even sent a horseshoe set to him-boy, did we get our money's worth on that box!!) :wink:

Thanks to everyone who keeps our servicemen/women and their families in your thoughts and prayers.

is it not true that when sending items overseas that they need to go to a specific person not "just any soldier" for security reasons?We made a bunch of 'gators" for soldiers (necks scarfs made from very soft streatchable fleece,that could be pulled overe the face for protection from cold and biting sandstorms) but the mother of the soldier who started the project said they were only allowed to send packages over there as long as they went to a specific person,
Is this still true?

yes, that is still true. there are individual soldiers who sign up at a website ( www.anysoldier.com ) to be points of contact to whom you can mail packages to be passed out to any soldier in their unit.

The suggestions in this thread, however, are that members of this board get in touch with other members who have identified themselves as friend or family of deployed military. They will either give you their address and forward your gifts to their soldier, or they will get the soldier's permission to release his/her mailing address at the forward station. "Any Soldier" restriction does not apply. All the other rules about what we can send do still apply. See my previous post for basic information and links to more detailed official information from the post office.

when you get in touch with the individual quilter who has a deployed loved one, she/he will give you good ideas about what the soldier needs and how much.

Reference the One Rate Box idea ... here's a link to the post office if you want to buy one or more of them

http://shop.usps.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10152&productId=11699

Just a "feel good" note....At my guild meeting tonight, one of our members had a "show & tell" quilt that her son's cub scout troop made for "an injured soldier". These boys are 4th graders -- they sewed the blocks (rail fence) and she sewed them together & finished the quilt. They also made a book to go with it that will have a group picture of them all on the front, and pages with pictures of them working on the quilt, etc. Isn't that just the coolest thing?!!? :D

It truly is. Kids have big hearts.

My sister and I have been trying to find out about the "Quilts for Valor" program. Do any of you know about this and how you make contact with a local group.

(This is a group of quilters who make quilts for our wounded soldiers in the hospital. A quilt is given to them to keep.)

I picked my soldier and have started gathering stuff to send. Does anyone know if the cooler neck scarves have to be certain colors???

Barb C provided this website.
http://www.qovf.org/

I got this information from anysoldier.com

T-Shirts must be Brown for Army and Navy, Green for Marines, Black or Brown for Air Force.

Marine boot socks are black. White athletic socks for PT and sometimes under the boot socks. Scarves are not authorized unless issued, but this is normally 'command discretion'. Beanie caps are not issued but are often worn under a helmet at night, must be dark color.

not sure if the "scarves not authorized" refers to just the marines. my guess would be that any scarves sent should match the t-shirt colors.

The brown t-shirts the army wears are not dark brown. they are a medium sandy-brown, similar to this block, perhaps a bit "greyer" in tone.

Holy smoke! it just hit me. the guy i'm going out with is a soldier. he's been to Iraq twice and will be going again soon. Why don't I just ask him? Duuuuh. LOL

I'll let you know what else i find out about colors, etc.