Care Package - question for grunts

[Upland]

Sent a couple of care packages out to a friends son, The feedback was that Copenhagen was the most appreciated item. Paperback books also are popular.

 

[smokey-seven]

Wickedcoolnam said

The popular items were telephone calling cards

In what denomination? I have no idea what a call home from the stan costs.

 

[Picton]

I wasn’t sure if calling cards were still useful in today’s digital world, so I didn’t suggest them. But when I was in twenty years ago, they were always good to have. Denomination doesn’t matter; you keep using the card until it’s out.

 

[smokey-seven]

Denomination doesn’t matter; you keep using the card until it’s out.

Yea but if it's an 19$ call to home, it would be nice to send an ammout to cover a few calls.

 

[Picton]

Yea but if it's an 19$ call to home, it would be nice to send an ammout to cover a few calls.

True.

I THINK these people can usually Skype or FaceTime these days. Which is a far cry from Kosovo in 1999. Our entire battalion had a single KY-68, which we used to call the local operator in Dover, Delaware or Alexandria, VA, who then routed the call manually to whatever stateside landline we wanted to reach.

Everyone got like five minutes at a time, the connection was always bad, and it often got dropped... but it was free.

 

[M60]

True.

I THINK these people can usually Skype or FaceTime these days. Which is a far cry from Kosovo in 1999. Our entire battalion had a single KY-68, which we used to call the local operator in Dover, Delaware or Alexandria, VA, who then routed the call manually to whatever stateside landline we wanted to reach.

Everyone got like five minutes at a time, the connection was always bad, and it often got dropped... but it was free.

Calls to home. Damn! Couldn't do that in my day. I'll bet skysoldier would have liked that too.

 

[smokey-seven]

Calls to home. Damn! Couldn't do that in my day. I'll bet skysoldier would have liked that too.

Well, technically, you could call home, the problem was getting to the place where there was a phone.

 

[M60]

Well, technically, you could call home, the problem was getting to the place where there was a phone.

Lol. That's what I meant. Guess I should have explained that we weren't issued a long distance calling device. Wouldn't have helped if were. There were no cell towers either.

 

[Karmavore]

Hey guys, I’m 2 months into a 6 month tour and stationed in a dusty part of Afghanistan. I can tell you everyone I am deployed with appreciates your kind thoughts and wishes. Where I am it takes about 10-14 days for a delivery from Amazon to get here, and I’ve had to buy a couple of things that aren’t available from the small PX, like a watch, and it’s been easy and convenient. This is a far cry and much improved from other deployments I’ve had in the past. The Morale Network here is great, we get 100gb every month to use and the coverage is awesome. All you have to do is enable WiFi calling and put your phone in airplane mode. Calls and FaceTime have made it easier to keep in contact with people back home.
One of the things I appreciate is a good cup of coffee and my friends and family have sent me gift cards to the local Greenbeans coffee shop on base. These are popular where I am, and if you have people that love a coffee at one of the bases they have a shop at it probably would be appreciated.

Military Coffee Cards from Green Beans Coffee

 

[M60]

Hey guys, I’m 2 months into a 6 month tour and stationed in a dusty part of Afghanistan. I can tell you everyone I am deployed with appreciates your kind thoughts and wishes. Where I am it takes about 10-14 days for a delivery from Amazon to get here, and I’ve had to buy a couple of things that aren’t available from the small PX, like a watch, and it’s been easy and convenient. This is a far cry and much improved from other deployments I’ve had in the past. The Morale Network here is great, we get 100gb every month to use and the coverage is awesome. All you have to do is enable WiFi calling and put your phone in airplane mode. Calls and FaceTime have made it easier to keep in contact with people back home.
One of the things I appreciate is a good cup of coffee and my friends and family have sent me gift cards to the local Greenbeans coffee shop on base. These are popular where I am, and if you have people that love a coffee at one of the bases they have a shop at it probably would be appreciated.

Military Coffee Cards from Green Beans Coffee

Thanks for the heads up. Stay safe and thanks for what you do every day.
Merry Christmas.