From what I hear, the unit I am going to in November is going to Iraq in March… I talked to a friend who has been there once to get advice on what stuff I should bring, and here are some items… but what kind of each would you reccomend? Cost is a concern, but need good quality too:
GPS - must be able to give at least an 8 digit grid coordinate of location (with wgs-84 datum)
laptop case - can absorb shock well but MUST protect from sand (lots of sand) … I found one called Pelican that sounded pretty good, its $170.
Knife - very sharp, very durable, folds down and about 4 inches or so in blade length
Sunglasses - two kinds : solid black, and yellow-lens shooting glasses ; I don’t want anything that breaks easily, but I really don’t want to pay much for sunglasses.
MP3 Jukebox - I think the Napster one is nice… I don’t want to pay anymore than $250 and I want around 20gb … would like it to be able to save/play playlists…
When the time gets closer, watch the temperature over there. Keep in mind that desert does not always equal hot.
Shower curtain and line to create a private space.
Plastic baskets to hold personal items.
Candy that will not melt.
Plenty of personal hygiene items. Wet wipes are a good idea.
A knife is good, a leatherman (or equivalent) is better.
Extra socks. More extra socks. Did I mention extra socks?
If you can afford it, go to REI or other high end outfitter and get a the best quality insulated, self-inflating sleeping mat you can find.
Keep in mind that this is a fairly harsh environment. It’s easy for expensive electronics to get damaged, either in transport or in the field.
And now for some unsolicited advice. DON’T WHINE. Yes, it sucks. It sucks for everybody. Whining about how much it sucks will make it suck more, not less. Bad morale in your unit will raise the level of suckitude way over what it has to be, so if anyone else starts whining about how much it sucks, tell them to stow it.
Good luck, and take care of yourself and your comrades.
2LT Ileen Verble, USAF, NC, half of whose flight is currently in Irag.
Or if you want a knife that’s a good knife without a bunch of gadgets, I’d recommend a Spyderco Endura. Personally, I think Victorinox/Leatherman type things are very handy as tool gadgets, but pretty lousy as knives.
Depends on where you are going to and what you are going there to do.
For what I (used to ) do, I would recommend new unfaded DCUs, a new unfaded DCU helmet cover. Your favorite LBE (or LBV if you prefer). Duct tape of course. New high-quality underwear and cushioned-sole socks.
Grab a spare tourniquet for your battle rattle. (Hope you never need it.) While your shaking down the doc for stuff, get some triangular bandages. They make excellent head clothes and neckerchiefs.
As for hot sauce, not to worry. It has been in the MRE for years now.
All in all. you would do well to post this question at TankNet
Not in the army personally, but my brother was deployed to Iraq and he would second the powdered gatorade suggestion. I guess the stuff they use to purify the water makes it fairly unpleasant by itself and the gatorade makes it more palitable. I seem to recall him saying that the guy with the powdered gatorade was the most popular guy on base
I am a CPT, waiting my turn to go to the sandbox. As for sunglasses, check out Wiley-X: they have interchangable lenses, and they do a good job of keeping out the dust and debris.
ALthough it’s been mentioned before, there is no such thing as too much powdered Gatorade and baby wipes. Also, bandanas will be useful, as well.
I have a pal who just got back a few months ago (a three-month set up tour ended up being 18 months) and his requests for care packages went like this:
Powdered Koolaid (those little individual packets). He could get sugar from the mess but not anything else.
Anything snack-related that could be easily stored. Pringles were in high demand.
DVDs for the soldiers in his company (he was XO of a water-supply company).
Comic books and other light reading. He said the biggest problem was boredom. Except when his company was on the road they were completely secure so most of their downtime was dull as ditch water.
I don’t mean to bring down the energy here, but don’t forget the standard pre-deployment paperwork: a will and a power of attorney. (Not that you’ll need the will, of course.)
I’m a bit confused by the question - when you say your ‘unit’ I take it that means military, right? But won’t the Army supply you with most of these things? Sunglasses, GPS, knife, wont you get given them for free? Or does the army expect you to bring your own?
A few of my coworkers had sons stationed in Iraq and we put together care packages to send overseas. Among the top items were wet wipes, eyedrops, lotion, canned meats(vienna sausages and specialty spam were big hits), sunscreen, and other minor luxuries which help break monotony. Some shredded spam sprinkled over a lump of otherwise tasteless scrambled eggs for breakfast feels like a feast after a few weeks in the desert. You would be amazed at the kind of things you can cook up with even a handful of ingredients to mix in with what the military provides. According to the Marine moms care package site baby wipes and food aren’t as critical as they once were. Showers have become more available and food supplies have gotten better. Current top of the list items that returning troops said they didn’t have enough of were letters and photos from home(not much you can do about this except maybe pack extra photos, even of ugly old aunt Bertha), and socks. Socks seem to be in short supply for some reason.
Um. Has the Army started providing Kevlar armor yet? If not, you might want to let family/friends know that would be a grrrreat present. Not sure just how much it costs now, but as of a year ago, it was kinda expensive for one person/family to get without budgeting unless they had a very good income level, or ran up their credit card, or were prepared to sacrifice a bit. Even if you only get the basic minimum (like what cops [COLOR=Blue](God bless & preserve 'em) get when they’re going on raids)[/COLOR].
They (and we) DO want you to come back, y’know.
Dunno if you’re religious or, if so, what flavor. I’m sure I’m not the only Christian here whose church has a prayer list for the military in Iraq. If you’d like to be on my church’s prayer list, send me a message (email link on my profile; not suggesting you post your realnym, even though some do; same goes for anyone else deployed or deploying, BTW). And, if you’re either Xian or Jewish, do not forget the 23rd Psalm. It has calmed the nerves of many a person in tight situations, and you’ll always do better in a crisis if you’re calm.
Sorry I’m late on this one. I was in the hospital for testing 15th & 16th, and I got out just in time for the board’s crash.
