Project Afghanistan Hunt Club

The recent announcement of Project Afghanistan Hunt Club by Stabley Outdoors reminded me how thankful I am to all the great strangers and family members who sent unsolicited care packages during my deployments to Operation Desert Storm/Shield, Operation Enduring Freedom/Iraqi Freedom and just because.

Care Packages

My wife and I and my office adopt a service member each month.  We gather odds and ends through a central collection box and send them out.  As a twenty year Navy veteran it is something I strongly believe in.  Although these service members are generally deployed from the local area surrounding Naval Station Great Lakes, IL they are usually strangers to us. 

While Project Afghanistan Hunt Club is an opportunity to support our outdoors service members don’t stop there.  Adopt your neighbor’s son, daughter or grand son.  If you visit an online talk forum, ask if anyone has a deployed loved one defending our nation.  There are also organizations that connect service members with good hearted people like yourself and vice-versa.  Go to A Soldier’s Wish List to “Adopt a Trooper” now.  The last Trooper I adopted from there was also an avid outdoorsman. 

Getting Started

Unsure where to start?  The following tips can get you on the right path, but again A Soldier’s Wish List is a valuable resource for everything mentioned below. 

• What to send?  Visit A Soldier’s Wish List for a list of commonly requested items.  Theme packages are good.   Put together an elk hunting accessory package with calls, books and trail snacks or a day-at-the-beach-package with sun screen, lip balm, reading material, flip flops and snacks.  Snacks are always key. 
• The United States Post Office has free flat-rate boxes available for shipping your care package.  Regardless of weight they cost $11.95 to mail; a great bargain when shipping heavier items.  You can use whatever box you want, though.     
• If you have experience with shipping overseas note that shipping rates to FPO and APO addresses are usually much cheaper. 
• People are often confused by the service member’s address.  Most will have military rank or specialties listed before names, organizational specifics in the body of the address and an “FPO” or “APO” and an “AE” listed before the zip code.  Trust what you are provided and copy it onto the box.  Print legibly.  
• A customs form will be required.  Fill out the contents’ section as best you can, but don’t become overly concerned if you can’t fit everything.  We’ve sent hundreds of boxes and never encountered a problem.  Unless you’re sending personal items specific to an individual check block 17, “Treat As Abandoned.”  That’ll allow the unit to distribute the contents to other service members.  Usually the organization’s chaplain handles this.  See A Soldier’s Wish List for additional information on customs’ forms.
• Tape the box up well.  It has a long, rough journey ahead of it.  It’s sad to get a box of your favorite ‘tater chips only to discover the bag was smashed and they all leaked out…
• Put a quick note inside thanking the member for his or her service.  Include your address if you wish.  I always liked to thank those who sent packages to me, but don’t expect it.  They are often busy protecting life, limb and country to write back.

Some Things Don’t Change

I started my Navy career before the advent of e-mail.  “Snail” mail was something I truly appreciated.  That hasn’t changed for our military so get on out there and show ‘em your thanks.

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