2007 Care Package Commitments
JanuarySteve & Virginia
FebruaryDenny & Linda
MarchDarrell & Marge
AprilVictoria
MayCarl & Wanda
JuneAmber
JulyJeff & Meredith
AugustChris & Laura
SeptemberJohn & Crystal
October      
November      
December      

Eric shipped off to war shortly after Thanksgiving. He is deployed in Baghdad, Iraq with the 293rd Military Police Company. He is the turret gunner for his patrol team. He will be deployed for one year.

Regardless of your position on this war, Eric is fighting for you and doing his duty to our country. He deserves our unwavering support.

Soldiers love to hear from the folks back home; it means so much to them to have contact with the outside world. Your words, letters and packages will bring a lot of comfort to Eric while he is far from home and in a battle zone. Nothing can replace is the feeling a soldier gets from a letter from a loved one far away.

You can support Eric during his deployment by committing to send a care package to him while he is deployed, providing items of comfort that can be hard to come by in a battlezone. By having everyone commit to a specific month, Eric will be able to get care packages throughout his deployment instead of a whole bunch at first then none for months.

To volunteer to send a care package, pick a month and send an email to virginia@engleberts.net.

IN EVERY CARE PACKAGE:
The #1 requested item is letters. A cool idea is to start writing letters the month before you will send your care package. Several short letters giving details of what is going on at your house will be a pleasure to receive and read. Let the kids write letters to include too.

You don't have to wait until you send a care package to send a letter either. When days go by without getting anything at Mail Call, it's very demoralizing.

Eric's mailing address:

PFC Mattos, Eric F.
293rd MP Co, 2nd Platoon
FOB Caldwell
APO AE 09324

Email: eric.mattos@us.army.mil

Use First Class Postage for letters to APO addresses. See special instructions for mailing packages



Care Package Information
General Guidelines and Suggestions
WHAT TO SEND
Here's a complete list of Suggested Items for Care Packages. This list is not meant to imply that you should include every item. That would be a big box!

Pick a "theme" and send items from that category or just send a variety of items you think Eric might like. Another advantage of sending smaller sized items is that you can throw in several. They won't go to waste because soldiers share. There will be at least one or two soldiers in Eric's unit that won't get letters or packages from home.

The sand and wind are intense in some overseas locations, so some of these things are specific to that need. According to soldiers who have already been in-country, the most often requested items are: letters, cigarettes & tobacco products, batteries, socks, drink mixes, and reading material; in that order.

Even though Eric doesn't smoke, he'll be able to use these coveted items to barter for access to other soldier's goodies, DVD, CDs, etc.
TIME TO ARRIVE
It takes 3-4 weeks for packages to arrive. So if you want your package to arrive in February, for example, you'll need to mail it in January. Smaller boxes arrive more quickly. Large or heavy boxes can be delayed. Please see Packing Tips



FLEA COLLARS
No matter what you hear, do not send Eric flea collars designed for dogs and cats. Soldiers are being warned not to wear them, even over boots. The collars are designed to repel common house fleas and there is no evidence they work against sand flies. Meanwhile, the chemicals in the collars have not been tested for safety with humans, and can cause allergic reactions and sores that may become infected.



PROHIBITED ITEMS
Prohibited items include firearms, ammunition, pork and pork byproducts, religious items contrary to Islam, pornography and sexual items and alcoholic beverages.
POCKET SIZE OR TRAVEL SIZE
Keep item size small: pocket-size, travel-size, sample-size are ideal. Keep in mind that Eric will only have only a duffle bag, rucksack and one footlocker (33" L x 15" W x 17" H) to store all of his clothing and equipment. Any time he has to spend away from his FOB, he will need to carry his gear or stow it in his HumVee. Also, sand is going to get into everything. Small sizes allow the item to be used up quickly or tossed without much waste when it gets cruddy.

SENDING CAMERAS
I encourage you to send disposable cameras. If you do send a camera, make it the sturdier waterproof camera. They apparently keep the sand out a little better.

If you'd like to have copies of the pictures, enclose a small, pre-addressed padded envelope with the camera and put the proper return mail postage on it. Keep in mind that the camera and/or film may not be in good shape when you get it back. Be sure to get double prints and send the copies to Stephanie. She'll be compiling a scrapbook for Eric while he's away.

DO NOT Publish Photos from War Zones any where! Something that appears innocent to us may be a risk to show others, especially online.