Q. What information do you need from me to sponsor a troop?

A. I obtain your name, email address, location and the number of troops you would like to sponsor. I use your email address to send you the information about your troop(s).


Q. How does this work?

A. Once I receive your request, I will send you the names and addresses for the amount of troops you want to sponsor. Then it is up to you to send them care packages, letters, cards or emails throughout their deployment. You take care of all shipping costs.

Q. What is a "Troop"?

A. When I say "sponsor a troop", that means 1 person. I cannot say soldier because many of the troops are not soldiers. I have airmen, sailors and marines. So I say, "troop" to classify all of them.

A Platoon or Unit consists of more than one person. I have platoons and units as little as 5 people and as many as a few hundred.


Q. How long does it take to receive a troop to sponsor?

A. I am a one woman team and I also have a full-time job. I try to answer emails each night when I get home from work. Please be patient. I receive a lot of letters, questions and requests.


Q. What type of information do I receive about the troop(s) if I sponsor someone?

A. Upon filling out the form to be a sponsor, I will give you the following information about your deployed troop. Name, address, expected date home, where they are deployed to, and their branch of military. Sometimes I am also able to give you their hometown, an email address and items they would like to receive in a care package.


Q. Can I make certain requests when signing up to sponsor a troop?

A. Most of the time, I can give you someone from a certain branch or a male or female. Please understand that all troops who submit their information need care packages. I will try to work with you, but sometimes I can not give you what you are looking for and you will have to settle for what I have in my database. Please do not request someone of a certain age, religion or location.


Q. If I give you a name of a deployed troop, can you locate them for me?

A. No. Please do not ask me to find your old boyfriend, cousin or neighbor that is in Iraq or any other place. I do not have the time or resources to do this. But, if you have their address, I can help you with what you can send to them and how you can do it.


Q. How does TroopCarePackage.com get the names and addresses of troops?

A. The addresses I receive have been given to me by troops who visit my Website and would like to receive mail. Family and friends who have deployed loved ones also submit their information. Many soldiers also submit those in their unit who don't receive much mail.


Q. How do I fill out a Customs Form?

A. For help with customs forms, click here.


Q. What can I send?

A. Most of the troops tell me what they want when they sign up. You can also find a list of suggested care package items here.

Please do not use this program to send hate mail to the troops. They have enough to deal with.


Q. Can I send religious materials?

A. Bulk quantities of religious materials contrary to the Islamic faith cannot be sent to military instillations located in Muslim countries. Religious items for the personal use of the addressee are permissible.


Q. Is there anything I am not allowed to send?

A. Yes, DO NOT SEND pressurized or aerosol items (such as shaving cream), chocolates (they'll be soup in the desert), pornographic materials, alcohol, bulk religious materials or pork or items with pork by-products.

Also, people have written and asked about sending silly string to the troops so they can spray it into a room and detect trip wires. Since the silly string comes in an aerosol can, it is considered a hazardous material, meaning the Postal Service will not ship it by air.

Liquid Hand Sanitizer is refused. Prohibited for International Military mail for it consists of flammable alcohol prooperties.

Batteries - Lithium is restricted in International mail so you must identify what type of batteries you are sending (ie Alkaline AA batteries, AAA nickel Cadmium batteries (Ni-Cd), AA Nickel Metal Hudride (NiMH) batteries, etc.

Sunscreen must be marked non aerosol. If it is a product that is possibly aerosol, it will be refused.


Q. Do I have to send a care package or can I just write letters?

A. You don't have to ship your troop care packages. Letters, cards and emails are a nice moral booster too. Send letters in a regular envelope with a regular stamp. It's a good idea to include a pre-addressed envelope to yourself (or postcard) and/or your email address if you would like a reply.


Q. How much does it cost to ship a care package?

A. Sponsors must carry the cost of shipping through the US postal service. Care packages can only be mailed through the USPS. Costs will be based on weight, package size and APO or FPO address.

I suggest using the USPS Flat Rate boxes. No matter which Flat Rate Box you choose, the postage is $8.95, regardless of weight or destination. This is anywhere in the U.S., and DOES include any APO/FPO mailing address as well.

The Post Office also offers a Priority Mail APO/FPO Flat Rate Box. These boxes are 50% larger than the $8.95 boxes and they only cost $10.95 to ship to military personnel serving overseas. Pick them up at your local Post Office or order the flat rate boxes on the USPS Website in packs of 10 or 25. There is no charge. Order boxes by clicking here.


Q. How do I address a care package? I've never sent anything overseas.

A. SAMPLE ADDRESS

Brown, Steven
HHC 10th BSTB
FOB Troops
APO AE 09342

I will supply you with the troop's mailing address. I will have it written exactly how you are supposed to write it on the package or letter. I will also supply you with the directions for shipping a care package overseas. For more helpful mailing instructions click here.


Q. How long does it take for my package to get to the troops?

A. It should only take about 1-2 weeks for packages to arrive in to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Q. My packages were returned, why?

A. Sometimes the troops move to a different location, and sometimes they are sent home. Please do not ask me to locate your troop or find a forwarding address for them. I do not have the resources to do this.

If you think something may have happened to your troop, you can search for their name on the Department of Defense Confirmed Fatalities Website located here: http://icasualties.org/oif/BY_DOD.aspx


Q. I haven't heard from my troop, are they ok? Will I get a reply?

A. Many of these troops have a lot on their minds. They can be out on long missions, not get enough sleep, or maybe they just don't get the time to write a letter. Computers are usually limited on the bases. Sometimes there are only a few computers to serve hundreds of troops.

Please do not ask me if something has happend to your troop. I do not know these military members personally and I deal with hundreds of deployed troops. If you do not get a reply and would like to have another address, just sign up to sponsor a troop again.

If you want to increase your chances of getting a reply, include your email address, a pre-addressed envelope to yourself (or postcard), a few pieces of paper, and maybe a pen and put them in your package that you ship to them. No need for a stamp on the envelope. In your letter to the Troop, ask him/her to drop you a quick note and ask if there is anything in particular you can send. Hopefully you will get a reply then.

If you think something may have happened to your troop, you can search for their name on the Department of Defense Confirmed Fatalities Website located here: http://icasualties.org/oif/BY_DOD.aspx

Q. How do I know if my troop received their package?

A. The only way I know to make sure that your package arrived at it's destination is to ask for Delivery Confirmation at the post office when shipping your package(s). But, I have personally not had much luck with this program and I have received many emails from people who have used this method when shipping packages overseas only to find that they never receive an update on their packages.

This service is supposed to give you the date, ZIP Code and the time your article was delivered. If delivery was attempted you will get the date and time of attempted delivery. You can easily access this information online or by phone. It will be a fluorescent green Delivery Confirmation label.

Q. Do I have to ship them care packages the whole time they are deployed?

A. That is up to you. I provide you with their Expected Date Home, that way you know how long they are going to be overseas incase you want to ship them numerous care packages and letters throughout their deployment. Remember, even 1 care package or letter helps to make a difference in their lives.

Q. How do I pay to ship a lot of care packages or does TroopCarePackage distribute funds to help others with shipping costs?

A. Many people have written to me asking for donations to help cover their shipping costs for care packages. Unfortunately, I do not distribute funds to others to help with shipping costs.

Before you even begin collecting items for the troops, I would think of ways to pay for the shipping costs.

I have contacted USPS, FedEx, UPS and DHL to request help with shipping care packages, and none of them would offer support. I have also contacted numerous U.S. legislators for guidance and support, and that didn't go very far either.

Check with your local military base or military recruiting office. Sometimes my local armory puts together care packages and they will ship them to troops overseas. Also, visitors to my site have been able to secure funds for shipping costs through military recruiting offices and/or military bases.

Contact your local newspaper. See if you can get a short article written about your care package event and what you are doing for the troops. Explain your situation and see if people will make a contribution to help. I think you will be overwhelmed with the amount of people that want to assist you.

Check with local restaurants and clubs. Some of them might be interested in doing a fundraising event for your cause.

Make donation cans and set them up at your local grocery store, pizza shop or gas station.

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Do you have a question that was not answered here? Email me at angel@troopcarepackage.com