My brother, Joe foo’ the Marine, will be heading to Iraq in January. I know I have a number of military readers, some who have been or are in Iraq, and he’d like some advice on what to pack and such. Please give him some good advice in the comments if you know any, as I want my brother to come back safe (he owes me money).
FIRST!
I can’t help with what he should pack, but be sure to tell him that he’s taking all our prayers and well wishes with him.
I’m not in Military, but have donated goods to be shipped to Iraq and Afghanistan; I can recommend many things.
xtra long shoelaces, breathable insoles, moisture-wicking socks, duo-fold t-shirts (campmor.com has decent prices), wetnaps, bugspray in the pump bottle, phonecards, magazines, sugarless chewing gum, razor blades, etc.
Best and good hunting to your Bro.
Ziploc bags. Lots of ’em, different sizes. A small (2″ or so wide) paintbrush. Canned air is great, but it runs out — the paintbrush is good for knocking the big pieces (relative — we’re talking sand here) out of/off of your laptop, camera, weapon….
Frank,
what you can do is get his in-country address ASAP and immediately start sending a weekly care package with gatorade powder, packettes (not the plastic tub) of wet wipes, an occasional bottle of tabasco sauce, good cigars and pogie-bait (ask Joe, he’ll explain).
Tabasco sauce comes in the MREs now, what you’ll need as far as meal rations go is different varieties of Mrs. Dash as the same 12 meals get old real quick. Ramen noodles are good, beef/chicken jerky a must, whatever tabaco product he likes to use.
Asprin and NoDoze comes in handy too.
Batterys for the walkman/Gameboy and the newest CDs/games will be appreciated. A deck of cards, portable chess board, and books for those long hours of waiting that the military is good for.
Hang in there Devil Dog, what your accomplishing over there is going to change the future for the better for a very long time.
Hey, Frank! Seems like your drawings and memo are now famous! I was reading through a thread this morning on rightnation.us and came across these:
http://www.rightnation.us/forums/index.php?showtopic=52764&st=20
http://www.rightnation.us/forums/index.php?showtopic=52764&st=90
You might need to scroll down..
So far, really great advice in the comments.. especially the small paint brush.. that’ll be great for keeping your weapon clean. I’ll also suggest pantyhose, to put over your vehicle’s air filter, and a couple of bandanas for your face. The sandstorms are incredibly nasty, and the sand is extremely fine grained, almost powdery.
What I missed the most was salty foods.. beef jerky took care of that. (THE best jerky is Sturgis BJ, from South Dakota, also home to Harley Davidson yearly rally:)) Also, a spray mister. Your ‘foo’ bro and readers might be interested in this site.. a great way to support our troops.
http://www.mistymate.com/coolourtroops.html
The (unmarked) airline we flew with let us have their pillows.. take one if you can. It was the perfect size and fit to roll into your bag. Check your boots everyday for critters and bugs. Bring warm clothes and an extra blanket if you can.. the ‘winters’ are extremely cold.. especially at night.
We managed to bring along one of those old fashioned tall coffee brewers (the kind you see in the mess tent.. think MAS*H) to heat water etc.. especially nice for taking bird baths. Bring some kind of wash bucket if you can, two if possible. One for washing, other for rinsing clothes. String to hang them. String for lots of things, actually.
The best MRE meal, IMHO.. heat up the beef stew, lay your hands on the MRE cheese and heat that too. Mix them up and gobble with the crackers. If your still there when it gets incredibly hot, put your MRE on top of the tent.. quick way to heat it up.
Lightbulbs.. however you get them.
I was in communications.. I highly suggest you befriend your local switchboard operator. We had ways of calling home, but didn’t appreciate people who abused that privilige (I just finished night-shift and canNOT think of how to spell that last word!! grrr).
OK.. stroll down memory lane done. Safe journeys, Joe foo, and know that we’re behind you 100%. E-mail me if you have suggestions for other donation websites, or if you or your buddies just want to chat.
I was Army, but what the hell..
Semper Fi!!
A big, hearty Amen on the Mrs. Dash seasoning. Bring lots, as your buddies will bum off of you. I brought three bottles and ran out in two months. When you ask for more in your letters home, do so BEFORE you run out as the mail runs slower than frozen molassas.
Also, bring the right socks. Specifically, artificial, polyester white running socks with a kind of spandex stretchy quality. (Sorry I can’t remember the brand I had last year. But you should know them while shopping, they feel “squishy” when you give them the Charmin Test.) Why? You will be hand washing your laundry. I had one pair of these socks and they were the only ones that rinsed completely clean. After drying, I could have used the others for hammering nails.
Something good if ya cand find them (I coudn’t, but some of my teammates shared with me in the 120 degree heat of Diwaniya) is a couple of green Coolmax fabric t-shirts for under your cammies.
Extra screens for your electric shaver, AND extra Mach 3 blades for your razor. Trust me, your electic will break.
And green listerine looks just like green peppermint, ahem, schnapps. Not sayin’ nothin’… I’m just sayin’…
Semper Fi, bro…
Cash. $10 spent buying some food or a toy for some of the locals will end up protecting you more from bullets and bombs than a flak jacket.
Be Safe, Joe Foo! Our thoughts will be with you.
Don’t know what you should pack. But if you run into Sgt. Tritt (a Marine), say hi from his Aunt VW. Wishing you the best.
I will include you in my prayers, and all our brave men and women trying to bring peace to that troubled society.
Steve Bragg
DOUBLE TOOTHPICKS
Not in the military, but sending prayers for the safety of Joe foo’ & the rest of the boys over there!
Bring ’em home safe & sound!
Amen.
Ach! Sorry!
And Girls!
Bring them home safe & sound too!
Amen again!
In addition to a LOT of things already mentioned, bring a P-38, a good canteen and a lightweight tarp/ground cloth. And who can forget…100mph tape.
Semper Fi.
Here’s a short list, Frank:
Pre-moistened Towelettes for cleaning up. Water is at a premium.
Re-Chargable Electric Razor. See above.
Extra socks. Extra Underwear. DEET bug repellant.
Extra toothbrushes ans towels For personal use and cleaning sand from weapons.
PS2 and LOTS of DVDs if possible.
Fruit and Cereal Bars. McEllenny’s Tabasco, Season-All Salt for MREs.
Finally, tell Joe to trust his senses, be safe and come Home in one piece.
Jack.
for the record, formerly a Marine and formerly in Iraq.
1) non liquid weapon lube. graphite maybe( heard good stuff about MILITEC-1 available at militec-1.com) we only had CLP and the sand/dust played hell with our weapons.
2) extra mags and a bandoleer or break away bag to keep em in. i realize you are a tanker, but it is better to have ammo and not need it that need it and not have it.
3) i am a big fan of the chest rig over body armor for vehicles.
4) lots of porn ( sorry to those of you easily offended. helps pass the days. this should also be included in care packages in case anyone wondered. also a good bargain tool for other Jarheads.
5)at least 4 cartons of cigarrettes, wether you smoke or not. good for other Jarheads or for locals. Iraq has plenty of smokes you can aquire, but they taste like shit and aren’t packed very well.
6)spare e tool if you have the space. took me forever to get mine replaced and in some areas the ground is hard as rock.
7)copy of Hoyles rules of games. spades gets old after a few months.
give em hell
Godspeed to Joe foo’ and all our troops.
I was in Haiti during Operation Tropical Eagle in 95 The thing I remember most was there was only one TV show that was in english everyday at 4:30 the tent would gather together to watch Power Rangers.
The advice, Learn to Dislike TV before you go, Saves time.
dental floss
foot powder
sunscreen
granola bars
dried fruit
tennis balls — for throwing at or to the kids
Frisbees
My brother is a Staff Sargent in the Marines. And, if your brother doesn’t like Iraq, and wants to come home quickly, he can do what my brother did. Punch out a Brit corporal. Back in the states inside of a week. Of course, there is still that pesky Article 15, NJP still hangin about his head….
baby wipes, bottles of hand sanitizer, a SpecterGear SOP sling with ERB for his M16A4 or M4. Hard candy, maybe some snuff to stay awake on duty.
Toss the mini-mag lights and get either a Surefire (cheap G2 Nitrolon) with spare batteries and bulbs or a newer Inova X03 (LED) with spare batteries. Inova isn’t necessarily field proven as its new on the market, but its bright and doesn’t need replacement bulbs, you can get it at Sharper Image for about $70.
Tubes of shaving gel (non-aerosol can be shipped), spare razors, Old Spice, deodorant, spare tooth brush.
Spare AA batts for everything else.
Gatorade or something to make the water taste like something else.
Maybe a (vintage) canvas water bag (not a “desert bag”). Find them on ebay or from Cheaper than Dirt to keep water cool. A good knife and a diamond sharpening stone (DMT has a flip stone). Learn the proper use of QuickClot.
Grab and read the TTPs on IEDs from all over the net.
Whatever his higher ups say, bring all the parts to his Interceptor OTV (including crotch guard). Don’t use graphite on the M4/M16A4, it reacts with the aluminum, he can use CLP but he has to clean it properly and regularly.
Just some things I’ve heard from my BIL. (I’m unofficial gear acquisition guy from CONUS for a couple deployed Marines in IIMEF,24MEU).
I am a civ so what do I know, but we sent a package before and loaded it with things like gum, hard candy (lifesavers etc), playing cards, travel sized games (like battleship etc), flavored coffee cream, koolaid (anything to flavor the water), crossword puzzle books, pens/pencils, note pads and envelopes, old reader’s digests (I had a bunch laying around) basically anything that can be traded for something else or given to the locals as gifts or treats (i.e. we are good Americans after all).
Thanks for serving and making the sacrifice!
Best of luck, take care and keep you head down.
For a little heads up on what it like, have him tune to secludedcircus.com. My kid (if you can call a Marine a kid) is over there on his 3rd tour, but since he’s in Comm, he can usually keep his site updated. ((Cept his A/C got KIA’d other day)
Hard to beat a LED Headlamp. Batteries last forever, and leaves your hands free for reading late at night (or whatever). Ideally get a white and red one, or one that has changeable lenses.
I had a couple of 5(?) gallon storage tubs. They sell them at target etc. They fit in a seabag and under a cot and keep the dust out of your stuff.
An iPod. They kick ass.
I had a bottle of “rooster sauce” (scirichaya?) it’s a thai hot sauce that isn’t too hot and has a good flavor. Apparently it’s toxic enough that nothing will grow in it even if it’s not refrigerated.
ziplocks. gallon size
A blog.
Info at A Line in the Sand:
http://missick.blogs.com/warblog/2004/09/preparing_for_d.html
Cleanliness/Health
-Waterless bathing towlettes
-Hand sanitizing towlettes
-Soft-bristled Toothbrush (Oral-B CrossAction or Crest MultiCare are good)
-Fluoride toothpaste
-Oral-B Brush-Ups (finger-mounted tooth brushing sleeve) linky: http://www.oralb.com/products
-Dental Floss (Reach woven w/fluoride is good)
-Hand lotion
-Eye drops
-Q-Tips
-Soap/shampoo
-Foot powder
-Nail clippers
-Shaving razor/refills/after-shave lotion
Food
-MetRx Big100 bars (trust me, they’re worth it)
-Gatorade powder
-Powdered milk
-Favorite seasoning powder
-Dry cereal mix/trail mix
-Instant soup
-Sugar-free gum
Recreation
-Various magazines (sports, automotive, Maxim-type, comic books)
-Batteries (AA, AAA, C, D)
-Portable music player/video game unit
-Lighter
-Harmonica (if you’re into that)
Personal
-A picture or two of favorite people (family, friends)
-Letter paper, pencils, pens, envelopes, stamps
-A good small pillow
-A good plush towel
-Under-Armour shirts; I have found Hanes makes good moisture-wicking boxer-briefs and sleeveless shirts, work as good and are cheaper
-Good, cushioned socks (mid-calf, knee-high)
-Ear plugs
-Sunglasses
-A good pair of gloves (tactical-type)
-Religious material (if you choose)
Gear
-Weapon cleaning kit/supplies
-Multi-tool such as Leatherman or Gerber
-A good knife
-Binoculars
-Long-battery life flashlight (LED flashlights are good, but expensive)
-Small personal light w/red or blue bulb for inside tank/APC (the kind that clips onto zippers and key rings, looks like a trapezoid)
-Camelbak system
-100mph tape/Duct tape
That should get you started. The other posters have really good tips, so read through them all and see what is/is not feasible. Kick some ass over there!
Most everyone had good comments, just wanted to emphasize a few and add a few of my own.
Under Armor… not enough can be said about this stuff. It runs $20 a shirt or so, but well worth it. I also recommend he give up underwear if he hasn’t already. Less to wash, no funky fungi.(I don’t know if jarheads do that kind of thing, but paratroopers do.)
Shades… If you’re not issued WileyX’s, make the investment. I have the SG1, and they are great. Also, if you’re not issued goggles, ESS (Eyeware Safety Specialists) makes a great Lo Profile goggle
Headlamp… Petzl makes a great one, it’s called the Zipka. It’s headband is retractable into the lamp itself. Go for the one with five LED’s.
Surefire… I agree that the G2 nitrolon is a good model. Also, that model uses the same battery as Pluggers (Military GPS). If you can get some love from your supply guy, you’ll save some money that way.
Chest Rig… If you’re not going to attach pouches to your IBA, that’s a good way to go. LCE’s just get in the way.
DryLube… unless you’re a SAW gunner, stay away from DryLube. Keep your weapon clean, light CLP. I use Militec at home, never tried it in the sandbox.
As for all the other foodstuffs, etc… The PX will have just about everything you’ll need. Care packages will supply the rest. I would take either a hot plate or hot water pot. It’s amazing what you can cook with one of those. Mrs. Dash is okay, but most MRE’s now come with a variation of that stuff or crushed red pepper. I recommend one of those multi spice containers they sell in the camping section of WalMart.
Other than that, go with your unit packing list. Email if your bro has any questions, Mr. J.
Jon
My dad was in Afghanistan and he said his camel pack was his best friend.
Well, my war was before you, Frnak, was born, but a couple of shaving brushes are worth their weight in gold, one to dust and one to apply oil. Plenty of ziploc baggies to keep them clean.
UNSCENTED Deep Woods Off.
Check six, Joe Foo. Don’t do nothin’ heroic over there.
I forgot to add these: elbow grease, a bottle of headlight fluid, and a left-handed smoke shifter. Of course, depending on how long Joe Foo’ has been a Marine, he’s probably already been sent to the q-master or the commissary for those.
One thing we’ve all forgot to mention and have all probably used is condoms! Great for keeping the sand out of the barrel of your weapon.
Extra sunglasses as the ones you have now are going to get worn and broken.
Electrical tape, the field operative’s all-purpose duct tape!
Stationary, but there is no need for stamps because the mail is free in warzones.
G.I. Joe foo’ – let all of us civilians know and it shall be sent, along with our prayers that you fight the good fight and return home safely. You make a difference and you make all of us proud to be your countrymen. May God Bless you. Hey…remember the children may be the only hope the Middle East has…treat them well.
good luck and Godspeed Joe foo’. Give em hell!
Have to agree with everything Turkey listed. Make sure you have something to prevent your skin, escepially lips, cracking. A nail file is great for cleaning finger/toe nails. Go to a gunshop & ask advice on cleaning fluid (I always hated the issued stuff). 1st time I was in the field I took a folding basin for washing self/clothes. I got funny looks, but before end everybody was asking to borrow it (take 2 if you have room).
Stay alert, stay safe. Good luck!