# Sending "Any Soldier" care packages to Iraq -- yea or nay? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 19, 2003, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-any-soldier-care-packages-to-iraq-yea-or-nay/219882 "2003-12-19T00:36:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-any-soldier-care-packages-to-iraq-yea-or-nay/219882/1 "2003-12-19T00:36:50Z")
I learned of the existence of [www.anysoldier.us](http://www.anysoldier.us) today. What it is: you can send care packages to a sergeant in the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Iraq. He will then distribute them to fellow soldiers who aren’t getting any mail. The site is run by his family. Great idea, I thought. My mother was called up for service in Iraq. She didn’t end up going, but I was ready to send care packages. This seems like a good way to be just as supportive for someone else. But when checking around the Operation Iraqi Freedom section of the [Army’s website](http://www.army.mil/operations/oif/FAQ.html), I found this message: > [@](#): > > 1. I see above how I can support the troops. Is there anything I should not do? > > Answer: Yes there are things you should not do. There are many well meaning Web sites, TV stations, and charity groups that are promoting donations to overseas Servicemembers. While well intentioned, you should not use them and you should discourage others from using them. These unsolicited letters of support or care packages to Servicemembers raise a force protection issue, since anonymous donors are different from legitimate family members and friends. DoD has cancelled mail programs which encouraged the American public in general to mail to Any Servicemember (versus a specific deployed person). These new programs attempt to do the same thing by gathering names of Servicemembers to send mail. While legitimate mail from family members and loved ones is always encouraged, these donor programs, which collect and pass out Servicemembers’ names and addresses, is discouraged. This policy isn’t addressed on the [anysoldier.us](http://anysoldier.us) site. So. Should I respect the army’s official position – donate money, not goods – or is [anysoldier.us](http://anysoldier.us) or something similar worth doing despite the army’s position? I don’t oppose donating money, but frankly, it’s not as personal – or as much _fun_ – as creating my own care package. But I don’t want to feel guilty about circumventing army preferences. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-any-soldier-care-packages-to-iraq-yea-or-nay/219882/2 "2003-12-19T03:01:38Z")
Why don’t you send them something they _really_ need-a free trip home? At [www.heromiles.com](http://www.heromiles.com) you can donate your unused frequent flier miles so that, when they come back to the States they can get a flight from the three or four bases they arrive at to where they actually live. I’ve donated 5000 of my AA miles. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-any-soldier-care-packages-to-iraq-yea-or-nay/219882/3 "2003-12-19T03:26:07Z")
**Interrobang!?** , that quote you have is legitimate. A lot of times, any unnamed but addressed mail is sent back to the sender. On the other hand, if I got a package from someone I didn’t know, I’d be somewhat suspicious. . . In any case, you’re better off sending a letter first, establishing a repertoire with a soldier, sailor, marine or airman, and _then_ sending care packages. Don’t get me wrong. It’s awesome getting mail, and it’s also awesome that people support the “folks in the field”. It just raises concerns that unfortunately have to be raised. Tripler **Czarcasm** ’ **s** idea is nifty though! ---
**Author:** ![jmizzou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/edb3f5/32.png) [@jmizzou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmizzou)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-any-soldier-care-packages-to-iraq-yea-or-nay/219882/4 "2003-12-19T05:12:54Z")
These seem like the important ideas: > [@](#): > > DoD has cancelled mail programs which encouraged the American public in general to mail to Any Servicemember (versus a specific deployed person). These new programs attempt to do the same thing by gathering names of Servicemembers to send mail. While legitimate mail from family members and loved ones is always encouraged, these donor programs, which collect and pass out Servicemembers’ names and addresses, is discouraged. From what it sounds like, [anysoldier.us](http://anysoldier.us) seems okay. They’re not collecting names and addresses, and they are shipping everything to a specific soldier (just not the end recipient). ---
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-any-soldier-care-packages-to-iraq-yea-or-nay/219882/5 "2003-12-19T05:51:37Z")
**Tripler** : I totally understand the security terms, and I didn’t doubt that the quote was legitimate – it was from the army website, which is the horse’s mouth in this case. I’m thinking I’ll have to rechannel my efforts, which is not a bad thing. A care package would have been fun, though. (My original thought, when I saw the [anysoldier.us](http://anysoldier.us) site, was to send a care package to Any Soldier in honor of my mother, as a Christmas present – which isn’t as late as it sounds, because we’re celebrating Christmas with my mom in late January.) **Czarcasm** : I’ve seen that, too, but I have approximately zero frequent flier miles. Otherwise I’d do it in a heartbeat.