What to give a soldier

December 7, 2007 4:14 PM

What to give a new soldier about to deploy?

Our nephew has finished basic training and will soon deploy to Iraq as a Calvary Scout. I have seen lists of what soldiers already in Iraq request, but what can we give him for Christmas (prior to his deployment) that he will find useful?

posted by Northwest to society & culture (17 comments total)

An iPod or Zune. It contains a fantastic amount of media in a very small form. If you get a video capable device, you could even put some short videos from loved ones back home on it before you give it to him.
posted by Nelsormensch at 4:24 PM on December 7, 2007

Yeah, an ipod touch with a half dozen movies and his favorite albums ripped onto it. Also, there's wireless internet in plenty of places within the green zone, so i'm told, but lines to use computers for email can be long, so this would have the benefit of making internet access easier too.
posted by luriete at 4:28 PM on December 7, 2007

There are a few previous threads around this topic, which have good suggestions too.
posted by LobsterMitten at 5:11 PM on December 7, 2007

A small electronic game to help past the time, like a handheld Yahtzee or Tetris. Or a Game Boy Advanced, although those seem to go through more batteries.

A deck of cards and Hoyle's Rules of Games.

Does he have any hobbies?
posted by Kioki-Silver at 5:22 PM on December 7, 2007

Body armor.
posted by klangklangston at 6:48 PM on December 7, 2007 [2 favorites]

send him off with some pictures of home--not just people, but the house itself. might be nice to look at something familiar that isn't green or khaki, and it's nice to share with the civilians.

more practically, we sent my uncle and cousin off with lots of handi-wipes, unscented glycerin soap, earplugs, and sunscreen.
posted by thinkingwoman at 7:11 PM on December 7, 2007

A swiss army knife or the Leatherman or Gerber multi-tools. If you can, get it engraved with his surname and last four ssn.

A 1-quart nalgene wide-mouth water bottle for mre beverage mixes.

Sleeping bag liners (purchase commercially or easily made by sewing a twin flat sheet into a bag)

LED Keychain light.
posted by Kioki-Silver at 7:29 PM on December 7, 2007

Some kind of light yet comfortable hiking socks, like these.
posted by Brian James at 7:46 PM on December 7, 2007

Pictures from home

Stamped/addressed envelopes and phone cards

A Nintendo DS would be a great thing over there, but you might want to make sure he's got a safe place to keep it before you give it to him.

Definitely the iPod...if he's based in the Green Zone, he might even have wireless to play with the iTouch stuff and that he'll be able to keep with him.

A little dremel or something that he can use to engrave everything he owns. EVERYTHING that is not cloth gets engraved...no, really, everything. I loved my time in the Navy, and I would have trusted my life to the people I worked with...my stuff on the other hand, nope. I also used to keep a list of the brand names/models and serial numbers in a little notebook...if the laptop gets stolen you'll want dead tree backup and thats not just protection against the in country theft, but the lowest bidder movers that'll deal with his barracks stuff.

Some kind of moisture wicking socks, he may have already dealt with the socks/undies stuff from talking to his classmates.

If he's meeting up with his unit already in the sandbox, remember that he will be carrying everything he owns on his back. Little stuff that'll get him going now and tons of packages when he gets there...those lists are easy to find and once he gets there he can tell you what sort of situation he's got there.

The noice cancelling headphones are great for stateside barracks, but leave em out of the war zone...you WANT to hear everything there :)

Get his address and start mailing stuff a few days bfore he leaves so he won't have to wait too long to start getting cards/letters. And then send em...early and often
posted by legotech at 10:49 PM on December 7, 2007

http://projectboresnake.org/ I had a friend that left a couple of years ago and just returned. These little gifts seem to have been appreciated by many. Point of disclosure: I did not send them myself but rather heard through another friend that the unit had appreciated them.
posted by Odinhead at 10:55 PM on December 7, 2007

This is going to get me in trouble, because it'll be the second time I've pimped them, but I hear tell the troops love Surefire G2s in Tan. The problem with these wonderful survivalist baubles, however, is that the batteries are mighty expensive. But eye-searing brightness has its price.

Also, a definite +1 on the boresnake. Those little guys weigh almost nothing, take up very little space, and make rifle cleaning go much faster.

I don't have specifics on this, but maybe someone who knows more could elaborate. Could he perhaps benefit from having something to give out to the local Iraqi kids? Candy? Soccer Balls?
posted by Doctor Suarez at 11:14 PM on December 7, 2007

Nintendo DS, plus a game that has TONS of replay -- I've been going through Puzzle Quest lately, and it's fantastic for that. I can't say I'm competent enough to know what to put it in though.
posted by effugas at 2:05 AM on December 8, 2007

Endorsing the Bore Snake idea - I'm not in the military, but they make cleaning my firearms a LOT quicker and easier.
posted by mrbill at 4:22 AM on December 8, 2007

Phone cards. My husband's cousin is stationed in Iraq, and his wife recommends this site for ordering. They will even send them directly to your nephew once you have his address.
posted by candyland at 7:37 AM on December 8, 2007

Maybe not the best gift to get from an aunt or uncle, but a soldier friend of mine tells me that um, certain adult novelties are a hot commodity over there.
posted by samph at 2:39 PM on December 8, 2007

Boresnake++. If he's infantry, he probably needs a 5.57mm rifle snake and a 9mm pistol snake. For the rifle you want the .22 snake--yeah, those big ol' M16's shoot .22 caliber bullets. The pistol snake will be marked with something like .38/.357/9mm. You can get them at Walmart, or just about any well-equipped outfitter.
posted by Netzapper at 8:35 PM on December 8, 2007

Thank you everybody for the suggestions, we'll chat with him while keeping some of these ideas in mind.
posted by Northwest at 2:58 PM on December 10, 2007