Americans support the troops with food, soap, DVDs

Four years into the war in Iraq, private support for US soldiers looks as strong as ever.

from the March 23, 2007 edition

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What's inside that box?

Care packages sent through AnySoldier.com, and a host of other organizations, include anything from snacks to toilet paper to books about Islam.

"The most common thing that we've seen in care packages recently and in previous deployments I've participated in has been snack items, small hygiene products, reading material, writing material, cards and letters, those kinds of things," says Edwards.

A number of people like to send candy, but service members ask that people please consider the nutritional value of what they're sending. "A little [candy] is fine, just not a lot," wrote hospital corpsman 3rd class Adam Shepherd in an e-mail from Al Taqaddum, Iraq. More popular is beef jerky and low-carb snacks.

For nonfood items, soldiers say they appreciate foot powder, high-quality toilet paper, baby wipes and old DVDs. More complete lists can be found on donation websites. Army Pvt. Tyler Moore, from the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment in Baghdad, enjoys the support packages. "It builds morale for the soldier just to receive something from back home," he says. "The soldiers want to know that someone else other than their family supports them."

Operation Quiet Comfort is one of several organizations that specifically helps wounded soldiers. Among other things, volunteers make quilts from old blue jeans to keep injured soldiers warm on long flights home on cold cargo plans. Each quilt takes 20 hours to make.

"It's not what is sent that makes us appreciate the packages. It's just knowing that people are thinking of us that matters," says Specialist Adam Lamberson in an e-mail from Scania, Iraq.

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