Send Military Care Packages with Ease

Armed Forces Day is annually observed in the United States on the third Saturday in May. This year, it’s on May 21. And regardless of how you feel about war or the United States’ involvement with military activity domestically and overseas, in my humble opinion there’s something to be said for acknowledging those who put their lives on the line to protect our basic freedoms. The hubster and I know some people who are in the military right now, and when we looked into sending care packages to them, we found that we were in for an organizational treat. We were so grateful for what we learned that we’re passing along a few tips and ideas for sending military care packages with ease.

• Make good use of the United States Postal Service’s program that makes the mailing process a cinch. Simply call 1-800-610-873 to request a USPS Military Care Kit. The USPS delivers this kit to your home at no charge, and it includes a variety of flat rate boxes.To send your care package, the flat mailing rates for these boxes are as follows:  A small box costs $4.95, a medium box costs $10.95, and a large box costs $12.95. In my experience, it takes approximately 7 days for military personnel to receive care packages mailed from the United States. Of course, this can vary…but if you want to send a care package to a member of the armed services in time for Armed Forces Day, now is the perfect time to put together a lovely package.
• Not sure what to include in a care package? The Internet is teeming with lists and ideas about favorite military care package items, as well as the items that should never be included. Yes, some items are prohibited. When putting together the care package, consider what the recipient would like and what items they might want to share with others. Games, snacks (individually wrapped to avoid having them mingle with sand), music, books, and magazines are all great ideas. We recently sent a bouquet of cloth flowers to someone…get creative!
• Recognize that military personnel are in varied terrain and climates. Care packages should be packed with this in mind.

If you don’t know anyone in the military but would like to send a package to a deserving member of the armed forces, please visit the USO online for details!

* Photo by Robert Linder