What to send to Afghanistan?

[weddingseason]

Friend's brother serving out there so I'd like to send a parcel but I don't know him that well and have no other forces connections so was hoping you lovely ladies could tell me what I should send?

So far anyone I ask just says porn which I'm sure I can do but is there anything else that would be appreciated?

My DH said defo no baby wipes, they got millions sent by charities and no-one wanted them.

I sent things like Reggae Ragge sauce, Daves Insanity sauce, HP, onion chutney, any type of sauce/relisht hey could use to perk the food up basically, as they were on rations only for a long time. Pringles, other crisps, popcorn, flapjacks, biscuits, cereal bars, sweets like Haribo, laces etc. Mints, lemon sherbets, all that sort of stuff.

I also sent diet coke as they really struggled ot get it where they were, also bottles of diluting squash.

I did send things like the olives you get in little packets, parmesan cheese, whole salamis/chorizos, tins of crab/lobster, packets of decent (ish!) tuna steaks. Also part baked bread, tins of pate etc. All these things might be a bit odd to send to someone other than your DH though, as they could be classed as odd things to send. All lasted perfectly well though, but I didn't send them around Christmas time.

DVD's go down quite well too, things like the Monty Python films, stand up, comedy series box sets etc.

I sent some really random things to my Ex when he was out there a couple of years ago - he got a christmas hamper with lots of luxury tinned pates and relishes, I even sent him a pith helmet and a comb for his newly grown moustache!
The trouble is that they have money burning a hole in their pockets and if they have good internet connection - which a lot of them do, if only on occasion - then they seem to buy everything that they really need themselves.

Those sherbert filled flying saucers went down a treat too

BiL was in Afghan with the RMR 2 years ago. He asked us to send herbs and sauces that could be added to food.

When DH was in Iraq 5yrs ago Haribo was big currency!

You can always try firms like Boxhappy who will put together a box of suitable items for you.

Alternatively look at Boxhappy then nick their ideas and put the box together yourself - quicker and cheaper (although I may be slightly cynical as still waiting for Boxhappy to get DH's b'day present to him ordered 11 weeks ago.....)

I've had requests today for more mince pies as the Americans keep nicking them and DVDs of sitcoms like Allo Allo, Blackadder, Father Ted and Fawlty Towers (maybe down to DH's age?!) Have also sent a Bond DVD and the Wizard of Oz as essential Christmas viewing!

Baby wipes - in prodigious quantities. Just brilliant if you cannot wash properly.

I send my husband things like noodles, pasta, spam, canned hot dogs, those packeted bologneses, pesto, the flavoured rices, corned beef, tinned salmon and crab, nandos and reggae sauce! and chocolate doesnt melt now so have sent him loads of chocolate, instant soups, biscuits, haribo, other sweets, made cakes and brownies with my son and sent those, pictures, magazines.....all of which he is pleased with. FHM, zoo and nuts all got through from me to him, from civvi post office to bfpo to afghan.

Now I may be saying something controversial, but imho, I feel that the welfare and morale of the boys out there is more important than the offensive to culture issues.

When my dh (has done 3 tours of Iraq/Afghan) sends parcels out for mates, he fills them with good quality fresh coffee, sweets (wine gums/haribo), lads' mags (and yes, some porn), jerky, decent foot powder and soap/shower gel, sugarfree chewing gum.

When I used to send parcels to dh on his last tour when we were based in Germany, the post office out there would scan the parcels in situ and they then went straight out to theatre. Tell me please, how an xray machine can pick out the difference between FHM, Zoo or Men's Health?!!!

I know that whisky used to get out too. Apparently there was nothing more relaxing at the end of being under contact for a sustained period than sitting down with your muckers with a splash of whisky in your coffee to help calm the nerves. It was never abused, and there was only ever enough for each man to have a dash, but it was a tonic after the fighting.

And why not??

Because it is offensive to the host nations that we are trying to build good relations with!!!! The welfare and morale of our troops is important but their lives there will be much, much harder if good relations are not developed and maintained.

And whilst scanners cannot ascertain the contents of magazines the random searches at customs do so, as has been said numerous times, it is up to the sender whether they take the risk.

I believe that good relations are encouraged and maintained by a lot more than some copies of FHM lying around.

If the morale of the troops is high, they will perform better, conduct themselves better and be more likely to regard their missions with a more optimistic and generous outlook. If they're denied some 'luxury goods' they are more likely to get bored, disillusioned and could perhaps get up to (possibly destructive as far as the host nation is concerned) mischief.

For those soldiers stuck out in the patrol bases for weeks on end I think this is pretty important.

call around your friends and try to get loads of single US dollar notes - they are like gold dust because its easy to get fives and tens, and local traders claim to not be able to change dollars and so things like coke can cost $5 if you don't have change..

I think you need to improve your knowledge of the situation and the delicate work being undertaken before making such assumptions and deliberately ignoring guidance set in place by people with much more understanding of these issues than you- the regs are put in place by the MOD for a reason!! If troops cannot do their job without porn and alcohol then they are in the wrong job - and you seriously misjudge and do them a huge disservice if you honestly think that that being denied 'these luxuries' will affect their professionalism.

These guidelines are set in place by civil servants in the MOD - not the military themselves.

They are made by the same people who decide that we can be paid less of an overseas allowance or that the rules for being eligible for boarding school allowance are being made tighter and tighter. I know that's a different discussion, but basically it comes down to the fact that these 'regs' are made NOT by the people most affected.

My knowledge of the situation and the delicate work undertaken is most current and bolstered by first-hand information. No one can undermine my opinion of the work OR professionalism of the troops who are at the coal face and I at no point implied they were dependent on porn or alcohol - I merely stated that that these were luxuries that would (along with mail from loved ones - which also arrives sporadically at the front line) do a great deal to improve morale.

BFPO guidelines also forbid the passage of pork products to this theatre, but salami products are a very popular treat to send in parcels and the soldiers are fed pork products both in ration packs and 'fresh' rations.

I am not going to argue further, if as you insinuate, you are personally involved in establishing good relations in the host countries and have first hand experience then fair enough, otherwise I maintain that you need to develop your knowledge/experience of these issues further before choosing to ignore the regs endorsed by the Chiefs of Staff (who were fairly military last time I checked)

I love the way you call them 'host countries' Penguin. Belgium may be a host country for those of us here, but I really don't think that Afghanistan can be described as a 'host' nation - being a host would entail being pleased that someone was there, and having invited them too.

military term scary (and a lot of people are glad we are there but that is a different discussion)

Slightly off the point, but a friend of mine (female) who was in Afghanistan last year asked me to send her books and nice "girly" things. She specifically said that they were overloaded with porn - all the generic boxes from wellwishers were full of it, and it wasn't something that she particularly wanted!

Having been a Forces wife for almost 25 years, and a Naval daughter for all of my life, I am well aware that it is a military term Penguin. I live in a host nation and have done for 4 and a bit years, so I am well aware from both NATO and the EUMS what exactly a Host nation is. I would not describe Afghanistan as that. I would also disagree that a lot of people are glad we are there. I think we need to be there, but am not glad about it at all.

Penguin, I very much doubt that the Chiefs of Staff spend their time sitting around discussing what should and shouldn't be allowed to reach their deployed service personnel. I think they have better things to be doing with their time.

These are not military issues, but political, and these decisions are made not by the military representatives but the politicians and civil servants. The same lot who decided we should be there in the first place, and numerous other gems.

Let's not tar the ones 'who were fairly military last time you checked' with the same incompetent brush.

er .. the term 'host organism' is also used for parasitical (-ve) or symbiotic relationships are in operation.. which means its quite a good term combined with the idea of being guests of at least one side...

heroine

What is the point in trying to explain anything I wonder? I could bomabrd you with evidence and cite examples of people who are glad we are there but no doubt that would be torn to shreds as well.
Host nation - term used by personnel in Afghanistan hence why I use it.
Chiefs of staff are not involved in the policy making (obviously!) but approve it and sign it off.
No tarring, but what a fantastic support thread this becomes as soon as someone with some military experience other than her OHs tries to explain something she actually knows about in answer to a valid question....

Well the Chiefs of Staff have to 'approve' and sign off policy to give it the military stamp, but they also 'signed off' a 7000 troop cut. It's common knowledge that our generals are forced to be political pawns at no fault of their own.

Having military experience doesn't give you carte blanche to patronise those providing answers to valid questions, whether these answers are in strict adherence to BFPO guidelines - or god forbid, Queen's Regs, or not. It comes across as a bit of a jobsworth attitude.

Oh, and don't presume you're the only one with military experience.

I disagreed with your opinion and, having recent and valid experience of this issue, pointed out the flaws in your argument ffs. At what point did I say I was the only one with military experience? I have experience of this issue, hence why I commented!!!!!

I'm sorry that you see disagreement as being patronising, I'm also sorry that you see this as being 'jobsworth'- I happen to think (thanks to my knowledge and experience) that there are some guidelines with sticking to.

By all means get personal, but it doesn't detract from the fact that exposing Afghans to porn causes great offence and as long as Afghans are employed on bases there is a very real risk that this will happen.

What I disagree with is the fact that the thread turned from being a request for ideas into someone taking the moral highground when it wasn't asked for - or necessary.

Everyone knows porn exists in Afghanistan (by Afghanistan I mean the visiting troops' bases) whether in hardcopy or on hard drives. People will continue to send it out - or take it out in comfort boxes. It's not going to end anytime soon. I feel that there was no need to imply to the OP that it's a serious no-no to include contraband in parcels.

In my original post, I was simply suggesting that there were items I knew featured frequently in parcels.

And I still maintain that the upkeep of high morale among the troops is paramount.

...what I object to is people asking for advice and being led to believe that something is acceptable when it isn't, regardless of the 'people get away with it so it must be ok' mentality.
But to each their own, life is too short to get bogged down in stupid disagreements where two people are obviously never going to agree, people can read the thread and make their own judgements on what they send.