Deployed to IRAQ
Sep 17th, 2004, 04:57 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 487
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Deployed to IRAQ
My son and his company have been deployed to Iraq, they leave in a month. he asked me to post this to ask if anyone that has returned can give advice on conditions and "things to know" the Army may not tell you. He is really worried about things like sand fleas. Any help or advice is appreciated.
Sep 17th, 2004, 05:51 AM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,711
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
AN.....This isnt exactly what you asked for, but I received this email from a friend of a friend.Just wanted to share it.....
http://webbpage.topcities.com/soldier.html
Godspeed to your son..........Stephen
http://webbpage.topcities.com/soldier.html
Godspeed to your son..........Stephen
Sep 17th, 2004, 06:00 AM
#4
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have a friend in Iraq that says it is about 110 degrees during the day. It goes down to about 70 at night, but she said with the high temps. during the day it feels freezing at night and she wishes she brought more sweatshirts.
Not sure about anything else...she just got there. Best of luck
Not sure about anything else...she just got there. Best of luck
Sep 17th, 2004, 06:03 AM
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,203
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My son is about to start his 2 tour of Iraq.
The only 3 things he wanted while he was there was a pair of goggles like motorcross bikers wear, they are lightweight and allow air in but not sand. He said the helicopters kick up so much dust and these were helpful. I bought them new on eBay... I even got camo color, for 25.00.
He needed TONS of socks. I never asked why but we bought them at Sam's a dozen at a time. He said keep 'em coming.
Last but not least, Trail Mix... again, from Sam's. He really likes the stuff and evidently they can't get it there...
Send things often... he really liked getting things from home, even though it was next to impossible to get him to tell us WHAT he needed/wanted.
All in all, my son valued his experience in Iraq. He does not dread going back. Strange.
The only 3 things he wanted while he was there was a pair of goggles like motorcross bikers wear, they are lightweight and allow air in but not sand. He said the helicopters kick up so much dust and these were helpful. I bought them new on eBay... I even got camo color, for 25.00.
He needed TONS of socks. I never asked why but we bought them at Sam's a dozen at a time. He said keep 'em coming.
Last but not least, Trail Mix... again, from Sam's. He really likes the stuff and evidently they can't get it there...
Send things often... he really liked getting things from home, even though it was next to impossible to get him to tell us WHAT he needed/wanted.
All in all, my son valued his experience in Iraq. He does not dread going back. Strange.
Sep 17th, 2004, 06:08 AM
#8
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
arkansasnurse--no help or advice. Just a thank you to you, your son & his company. It takes bravery & courage to serve your country, especially voluntarily!! May he take with him the knowledge that he goes with our prayers, and thank you for serving the greatest country in the world!! God Bless America!!!!
Sep 17th, 2004, 06:12 AM
#9
Guest
Posts: n/a
Arkansasnurse, please tell your son that I said thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for his service to this country. I will keep him (and you) in my thoughts and prayers! (Sorry I cannot help with advice for his tour there. When doing "goodie boxes" last year for our troops there, we were advised to pack queen-size panty hose -- the guys wore them to protect from the fleas -- and lots of boxes of the pre-moistened wipes .....) Godspeed to your son...
Sep 17th, 2004, 06:21 AM
#11
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 453
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Arkansasnurse - please thank your son for me - as other have said, good luck and Godspeed.
At my church we have had a continual drive for one members' Army son who is running convoys in and out of Fallujah (!!). Here's what he's appreciated most:
Dried fruit/trail mix (make sure there's no chocolate or nuts - they can melt/go rancid)
sunblock/lip balm block
letters (even random "you don't know me, but..." ones)
magazines with pictures of the US (outdoorsy type ones, with mountains, lakes, etc. - his mom said all he sees is sand and he would love to see a forest and a decent sized hill!)
gum/hard candy
travel-sized deodorant
last but not least - powdered Gatorade or other replenishing drink mix (evidently the water can taste pretty bad at times, and they LOVE the Gatorade - eek)
At my church we have had a continual drive for one members' Army son who is running convoys in and out of Fallujah (!!). Here's what he's appreciated most:
Dried fruit/trail mix (make sure there's no chocolate or nuts - they can melt/go rancid)
sunblock/lip balm block
letters (even random "you don't know me, but..." ones)
magazines with pictures of the US (outdoorsy type ones, with mountains, lakes, etc. - his mom said all he sees is sand and he would love to see a forest and a decent sized hill!)
gum/hard candy
travel-sized deodorant
last but not least - powdered Gatorade or other replenishing drink mix (evidently the water can taste pretty bad at times, and they LOVE the Gatorade - eek)
Sep 17th, 2004, 06:24 AM
#14
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,692
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I also want to add a big thank you to your son and his company. I'll be thinking of them and praying for a safe return.
I have a friend calling today who is a military wife whose husband is probably going over yet again to Afghanistan or Iraq (voluntary). I'll ask her for some advice and will try to post later this afternoon.
Martha
I have a friend calling today who is a military wife whose husband is probably going over yet again to Afghanistan or Iraq (voluntary). I'll ask her for some advice and will try to post later this afternoon.
Martha
Sep 17th, 2004, 06:26 AM
#15
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,738
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Arkansasnurse,
I can only send you huge amounts of Good Wishes for both you and your dear son.
Please give him our Best & Good Luck wishes too, with Thanks and hopes that he comes home soon, safe and sound.
I sent this thread to a couple of friends who have sons recently returned from Baghdad.
God Bless!
I can only send you huge amounts of Good Wishes for both you and your dear son.
Please give him our Best & Good Luck wishes too, with Thanks and hopes that he comes home soon, safe and sound.
I sent this thread to a couple of friends who have sons recently returned from Baghdad.
God Bless!
Sep 17th, 2004, 06:33 AM
#16
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,749
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I do not have advice, but did want to pass along my thanks. My dh recently retired from his military career, so this is something near to our hearts. The one thing that stands out from when dh was deployed was to keep all correspondence positive. He did not have the time to worry about things at home and preferred to not know anything negative. So I guess that is my only advice
Sep 17th, 2004, 06:35 AM
#17
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,203
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My son can email us almost daily from Iraq, so he did not use the cards... We shipped the trail mix with M&M's and nuts with no problems at all.
From Tx it takes a box a couple of weeks to arrive in Iraq. The trail mix is always gone within a few days of arrival!
I think understanding your son's unit will help determine what he may need.
My son was in pretty decent makeshift barracks, with cold A/C.
So, his needs were different from the poor guys in tents.
He will have some idea of what he needs as soon as he gets there... Some of the guys want stuff like BBQ sauce and cold brew iced tea bags.
From Tx it takes a box a couple of weeks to arrive in Iraq. The trail mix is always gone within a few days of arrival!
I think understanding your son's unit will help determine what he may need.
My son was in pretty decent makeshift barracks, with cold A/C.
So, his needs were different from the poor guys in tents.
He will have some idea of what he needs as soon as he gets there... Some of the guys want stuff like BBQ sauce and cold brew iced tea bags.
Sep 17th, 2004, 06:40 AM
#18
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,203
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
mms... isn't it the truth!
Being deployed is stressful enough... seems the Army always screws up your paychecks, too.
My husband retired after 22 years in the Army and I always made sure to let him know we did need him but we were making do and all was well.
Being deployed is stressful enough... seems the Army always screws up your paychecks, too.
My husband retired after 22 years in the Army and I always made sure to let him know we did need him but we were making do and all was well.
Sep 17th, 2004, 06:55 AM
#20
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,749
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
TxTravelPro--One deployment we accidentally received an extra bonus! Yes, $$$! It took forever to convince them that they overpaid us. Course most of the time the pay problems were the other direction. Several times paychecks just stopped coming. I will say that dh's career was full of adventure! The best part for me is that it opened up the world of travel to me...I had never left the west coast before that. DH just retired several months ago from the Navy...he definitely misses it, but at the same time loves being home more.
