Care Packages, the good, the bad, the wish we had…

Commentary
By Air Force 2^nd Lt. Natassia Cherne

Provincial Reconstruction Team-Nuristan- Public Affairs

FOB KALA GUSH, Afghanistan- Care packages are wonderful moral boosters, but often families and friends are at a loss for what to send their soldiers, sailors, Marines and airman. Today, I asked my fellow servicesmembers what some of their favorite and least favorite care package items were. Here’s what I found out.

At the top of the list of the good was, Double Stuff Oreos, a favorite among the Security Force members of PRT Nuristan. Number one bad item was baby wipes.“When Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom kicked off, we couldn’t get enough baby wipes, but at Hotel Kala Gush, as we like to call it, there are plenty of showers,” said Army Capt. John Mosby.

The best answer of items we wish we had was by Army 1st Lt. Julia Malouin, “While you can never have enough double stuff Oreo’s, it would be great to get holiday decorations once in a while. It’s easy to be completely detached from the American calendar here in Afghanistan, as well as, losing track of the day and time, so getting holiday or birthday decorations are great reminders of what’s going on back home.”

Below is the list of the good, the bad, and the wish we had.

The Good…

1. Double Stuff Oreos
2. Drinks: Koolaid, green tea, drink mixes for water, Caprisun’s, and juice boxes 
3. Name brand snacks: Pop tarts (cherry, smores, brown sugar) Milano cookies (double stuff),Cheeze Its, dried fruit, cereal bars, nut mixes, Ricecrispy treats, lunch-to-go, fruit-roll ups, gushers, cliff bars, granola, natures made granola bars, zebra pies, etc. 
4. Coffee, coffee mattee creamer (hazelnut, French vanilla, and Irish cream) 
5. Toiletries: body wash, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, etc. 
6. Entertainment: war movies, books (especially good British or American literature), magazines, the latest music, local newspapers 
7. Good candy: JollyRanchers, tootsie rolls, twizzlers, M&M’s etc. 
8. Gum 
9. Copenhagen Snuff (for people who like it) 
10. Lots of pictures of family, friends, and good looking famous people
    

The Bad

1. Baby wipes
2. Bad candy: the cheap stuff no one eats at Halloween and peeps
3. Dominos and cards (love them, but we have enough)
4. Sunflower seeds
5. Anything that will get crushed, hard, or melt in the mail
6. Hotel soap and toilet paper
7. Snacks that we have to cook, even in the microwave
8. Things people don’t like themselves
9. Beer cozies, we can’t use them!
   

The wish we had…

1. Decorations for holidays and birthdays
2. Internet and better webcams, we want it so bad!
3. College t-shirts, ECU, but I could be biased
4. Calendars
5. Posters, like Jonas brothers and Miley Cyrus (request from PRT Nuristan Security Force)
6. Romantic Comedies (also a request from PRT Nuristan Security Force)
7. Maple syrup, honey, and good peanut butter, we are always running out
8. Hangers and good boot socks
9. Chocolate, it melts, but how we miss it, especially Snickers
10. Slim Jims, jerky, and good bread
11. MONEY, this is a wish list!