Gift ideas for those in Afghanistan
Discussion
My daughter has her mobilisation date to go to Afghanistan on the medical extraction team.
I wanted to get her something she could take with her which would be useful but also survive the living conditions.
Ideas?
(PS until she got her mobilisation/deployment date things had been quite distant and not too concerning, now I am beginning to s
t myself with worry, reassured only by the skills of the Chinook pilots and the trainng she is undergoing).
Fun:
iPod or Netbook
bunch of audio books
good compact camera (eg top end ixus)
you could load the ipod with photos or voice messages from home. If she has fast internet access you could learn to make a podcast/mp3 with the family for her to download?
Practical
Leatherman
All purpose penknife (a good victorinox)
A range of Icebreaker base layers in different styles/thinknesses (isn't the Afghan winter quite cold?) and their stuff is great for many temperatures
A good pertex jacket (montane / buffalo etc) - I think Buffalo supply Nato or at least to Nato standards
iPod or Netbook
bunch of audio books
good compact camera (eg top end ixus)
you could load the ipod with photos or voice messages from home. If she has fast internet access you could learn to make a podcast/mp3 with the family for her to download?
Practical
Leatherman
All purpose penknife (a good victorinox)
A range of Icebreaker base layers in different styles/thinknesses (isn't the Afghan winter quite cold?) and their stuff is great for many temperatures
A good pertex jacket (montane / buffalo etc) - I think Buffalo supply Nato or at least to Nato standards
Best wishes to her. Depending on where she is, getting power is a problem out there so if you get her an electronic device (lots of peeps have ipods/laptops/video cameras) then consider buying a solar charger to top the power up.
Personally, if it was my daughter, I'd go all out and buy her one of these:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breitling#The_Breitli...
It may just save her life if she gets stuck somewhere.
Personally, if it was my daughter, I'd go all out and buy her one of these:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breitling#The_Breitli...
It may just save her life if she gets stuck somewhere.
My wife is out there just now, so I speak from first-hand experience. I think she has said on numerous occasions, the best two things she has out there are her iPod Nano, filled with MP3s, audiobooks and tv episodes (handy when at PBs, FoBs and MoBs) and her netbook, again with an external hard drive filled with media. It gives her something to switch-off with when she's not working.
I also got her a Gerber Suspension multi-tool which has come in handy loads of times, and a Choob from Trekmates; handy for keeping cool when outside the fence.
Amazon send to BFPO now, which has come in very handy. I've sent loads of stuff out this way.
When she's out there, register for an e-bluey account and write to her as often as you can. Personally, I write to my wife everyday and she says that it's nice to get news from home, however insignificant it might seem! You can attach photos which also seem to help keep morale up.
Other than that, do try not to worry; far easier said than done, but she'll be well trained before going out. There may be long periods where you hear nothing due to Op Minimise being in force (comms are closed down when someone is killed) which does, unfortunately, tend to happen quite frequently.
I also got her a Gerber Suspension multi-tool which has come in handy loads of times, and a Choob from Trekmates; handy for keeping cool when outside the fence.
Amazon send to BFPO now, which has come in very handy. I've sent loads of stuff out this way.
When she's out there, register for an e-bluey account and write to her as often as you can. Personally, I write to my wife everyday and she says that it's nice to get news from home, however insignificant it might seem! You can attach photos which also seem to help keep morale up.
Other than that, do try not to worry; far easier said than done, but she'll be well trained before going out. There may be long periods where you hear nothing due to Op Minimise being in force (comms are closed down when someone is killed) which does, unfortunately, tend to happen quite frequently.
T350 Al said:
My wife is out there just now, so I speak from first-hand experience. I think she has said on numerous occasions, the best two things she has out there are her iPod Nano, filled with MP3s, audiobooks and tv episodes (handy when at PBs, FoBs and MoBs) and her netbook, again with an external hard drive filled with media. It gives her something to switch-off with when she's not working.
I also got her a Gerber Suspension multi-tool which has come in handy loads of times, and a Choob from Trekmates; handy for keeping cool when outside the fence.
Amazon send to BFPO now, which has come in very handy. I've sent loads of stuff out this way.
When she's out there, register for an e-bluey account and write to her as often as you can. Personally, I write to my wife everyday and she says that it's nice to get news from home, however insignificant it might seem! You can attach photos which also seem to help keep morale up.
Other than that, do try not to worry; far easier said than done, but she'll be well trained before going out. There may be long periods where you hear nothing due to Op Minimise being in force (comms are closed down when someone is killed) which does, unfortunately, tend to happen quite frequently.
Great ideas and great reassuarance guys, many thanks. I am hoping the NHS will give her her owed holidays before she goes so I can spend some time with her.I also got her a Gerber Suspension multi-tool which has come in handy loads of times, and a Choob from Trekmates; handy for keeping cool when outside the fence.
Amazon send to BFPO now, which has come in very handy. I've sent loads of stuff out this way.
When she's out there, register for an e-bluey account and write to her as often as you can. Personally, I write to my wife everyday and she says that it's nice to get news from home, however insignificant it might seem! You can attach photos which also seem to help keep morale up.
Other than that, do try not to worry; far easier said than done, but she'll be well trained before going out. There may be long periods where you hear nothing due to Op Minimise being in force (comms are closed down when someone is killed) which does, unfortunately, tend to happen quite frequently.
voicey said:
Best wishes to her. Depending on where she is, getting power is a problem out there so if you get her an electronic device (lots of peeps have ipods/laptops/video cameras) then consider buying a solar charger to top the power up.
Personally, if it was my daughter, I'd go all out and buy her one of these:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breitling#The_Breitli...
It may just save her life if she gets stuck somewhere.
She will be at the hospital most of the time, so there should be power, although I understand the medical extractions are sadly quite frequent. She tells me that (hopefully) they get quieter periods so I did think about a Kindle as books are quite heavy and bulky.Personally, if it was my daughter, I'd go all out and buy her one of these:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breitling#The_Breitli...
It may just save her life if she gets stuck somewhere.
Wish her luck. Lots of it. And when she gets home give her booze, good food and a massive hug. She'll need all three.
When sending stuff, bear the prohibitions in mind:
http://www.bfpo.mod.uk/mail_prohibitions.htm
Send her things that will make her laugh and take her mind off the job. Magazines, sweets, CDs, DVDs, books and little creature comforts are good. Some people try and get booze through but if I were you I wouldn't try as if it gets to her and she gets caught with it she will kiss goodbye to her Operational Allowance - which will be a lot of money! Also things that make her think of home but be careful not to make her homesick...
She'll get 30 mins of free calls per week for free, with an extra 30 added over the Christmas week if she's there for that. You can top it up if you like:
http://www.paradigmsecure.com/our_services/family_...
Finally, whatever you're sending REMEMBER THERE'S A FREE PACKET SERVICE TO AFGHANISTAN THROUGH BFPO. But also remember this means there is a LOT of mail heading that way. If you're sending something valuable, send it Special Delivery! And remember, good packaging is king; these packets will need to stand up to transit through Royal Mail, then thrown on a truck, then thrown on an aircraft pallet, then thrown onto another truck, then thrown off it again, then thrown into a mailbag, then thrown onto a helicopter, then thrown across a room to her! Put the stuff in a box, pad it if needs be, then wrap the whole thing in a bin-liner and put the address label on the outside SECURELY. If you decide to send toiletries, wrap them in bags seperately inside the box.
When sending stuff, bear the prohibitions in mind:
http://www.bfpo.mod.uk/mail_prohibitions.htm
Send her things that will make her laugh and take her mind off the job. Magazines, sweets, CDs, DVDs, books and little creature comforts are good. Some people try and get booze through but if I were you I wouldn't try as if it gets to her and she gets caught with it she will kiss goodbye to her Operational Allowance - which will be a lot of money! Also things that make her think of home but be careful not to make her homesick...
She'll get 30 mins of free calls per week for free, with an extra 30 added over the Christmas week if she's there for that. You can top it up if you like:
http://www.paradigmsecure.com/our_services/family_...
Finally, whatever you're sending REMEMBER THERE'S A FREE PACKET SERVICE TO AFGHANISTAN THROUGH BFPO. But also remember this means there is a LOT of mail heading that way. If you're sending something valuable, send it Special Delivery! And remember, good packaging is king; these packets will need to stand up to transit through Royal Mail, then thrown on a truck, then thrown on an aircraft pallet, then thrown onto another truck, then thrown off it again, then thrown into a mailbag, then thrown onto a helicopter, then thrown across a room to her! Put the stuff in a box, pad it if needs be, then wrap the whole thing in a bin-liner and put the address label on the outside SECURELY. If you decide to send toiletries, wrap them in bags seperately inside the box.
plg said:
buffalo
This.Green would be best, it also depends on her CO if they'll let her wear it. Seeing they're not standard issue anymore it will depend on how keen her CO's eye is & how strict they are with non-standard dress. Given the pressures applied to the troops by the Operation, they may be OK with it.
Either that, a Leatherman or some decent breatheable boots & some thick socks for the nights. The standard issue Hi-Tec ones are OK, but not the best.
Also, a Paradigm card with some credit, also look into the US phone cards too- some of the land lines (on a US base) can be used to dial out to civillian numbers.
Nothing worse than arriving safely & not being able to let your family know back home. It could be a few days before you hear from her.
Hope she keeps safe.
BTW, I have a few mates on Tactical Medical Wing in the RAF- they do Casevac by Heli/C130/C-17 etc... I could ask some of them what would be useful out there?
I take it she is Army?
Edited by Vidal Baboon on Tuesday 14th September 10:14
silverMX said:
Wish her luck. Lots of it. And when she gets home give her booze, good food and a massive hug. She'll need all three.
When sending stuff, bear the prohibitions in mind:
http://www.bfpo.mod.uk/mail_prohibitions.htm
Send her things that will make her laugh and take her mind off the job. Magazines, sweets, CDs, DVDs, books and little creature comforts are good. Some people try and get booze through but if I were you I wouldn't try as if it gets to her and she gets caught with it she will kiss goodbye to her Operational Allowance - which will be a lot of money! Also things that make her think of home but be careful not to make her homesick...
She'll get 30 mins of free calls per week for free, with an extra 30 added over the Christmas week if she's there for that. You can top it up if you like:
http://www.paradigmsecure.com/our_services/family_...
Finally, whatever you're sending REMEMBER THERE'S A FREE PACKET SERVICE TO AFGHANISTAN THROUGH BFPO. But also remember this means there is a LOT of mail heading that way. If you're sending something valuable, send it Special Delivery! And remember, good packaging is king; these packets will need to stand up to transit through Royal Mail, then thrown on a truck, then thrown on an aircraft pallet, then thrown onto another truck, then thrown off it again, then thrown into a mailbag, then thrown onto a helicopter, then thrown across a room to her! Put the stuff in a box, pad it if needs be, then wrap the whole thing in a bin-liner and put the address label on the outside SECURELY. If you decide to send toiletries, wrap them in bags seperately inside the box.
Some great tips there.When sending stuff, bear the prohibitions in mind:
http://www.bfpo.mod.uk/mail_prohibitions.htm
Send her things that will make her laugh and take her mind off the job. Magazines, sweets, CDs, DVDs, books and little creature comforts are good. Some people try and get booze through but if I were you I wouldn't try as if it gets to her and she gets caught with it she will kiss goodbye to her Operational Allowance - which will be a lot of money! Also things that make her think of home but be careful not to make her homesick...
She'll get 30 mins of free calls per week for free, with an extra 30 added over the Christmas week if she's there for that. You can top it up if you like:
http://www.paradigmsecure.com/our_services/family_...
Finally, whatever you're sending REMEMBER THERE'S A FREE PACKET SERVICE TO AFGHANISTAN THROUGH BFPO. But also remember this means there is a LOT of mail heading that way. If you're sending something valuable, send it Special Delivery! And remember, good packaging is king; these packets will need to stand up to transit through Royal Mail, then thrown on a truck, then thrown on an aircraft pallet, then thrown onto another truck, then thrown off it again, then thrown into a mailbag, then thrown onto a helicopter, then thrown across a room to her! Put the stuff in a box, pad it if needs be, then wrap the whole thing in a bin-liner and put the address label on the outside SECURELY. If you decide to send toiletries, wrap them in bags seperately inside the box.
She is quite excited, and we are all hoping the tour is a quiet one. She is already plotting to get boxes of extra goodies via the family to take out to the FOB people who get the s
tty end of the stick. The no alcohol rule won't bother her too much as she has been a fairly serious sports woman at times in the past 10 years. She is also brushing up on her doggie first aid skills in case a search dog needs a medical hand (dog lover) and no available vet. Vidal Baboon said:
plg said:
buffalo
This.Green would be best, it also depends on her CO if they'll let her wear it. Seeing they're not standard issue anymore it will depend on how keen her CO's eye is & how strict they are with non-standard dress. Given the pressures applied to the troops by the Operation, they may be OK with it.
Either that, a Leatherman or some decent breatheable boots & some thick socks for the nights. The standard issue Hi-Tec ones are OK, but not the best.
Also, a Paradigm card with some credit, also look into the US phone cards too- some of the land lines (on a US base) can be used to dial out to civillian numbers.
Nothing worse than arriving safely & not being able to let your family know back home. It could be a few days before you hear from her.
Hope she keeps safe.
BTW, I have a few mates on Tactical Medical Wing in the RAF- they do Casevac by Heli/C130/C-17 etc... I could ask some of them what would be useful out there?
I take it she is Army?
Edited by Vidal Baboon on Tuesday 14th September 10:14
Boxed sets of her favourite DVDs compressed down onto a USB key / ipod i.e. sex and the city / lost / 24 are an absolute godsend for us. There's nearly always somewhere to plug them in, or the i pod you can watch on its own.
The naafi is effectively a small spar shop, so wherever she is, she'll be able to get the sort of things you'd find there. It's stuff to while away the time off that counts, some of it shared with others, some of it your own.
Things like a nintendo DS and a handful of different types of games are also a good call.
The naafi is effectively a small spar shop, so wherever she is, she'll be able to get the sort of things you'd find there. It's stuff to while away the time off that counts, some of it shared with others, some of it your own.
Things like a nintendo DS and a handful of different types of games are also a good call.
I made a long post but erm decided not to post it.
Just wanted to say good on her for going and I hope she has a quiet time.
Things I would take - DVD box sets, books, CD as they have barter value aswell as entertainment.
Also to sumerise part of my unposted post without the crap,
Leatherman, pocket torch (photon micro light etc), a lighter (a bic will do, but a silva might be better etc zippos are ste) a first aid kit/survival kit/possibles pouch/mend stuff kit and a watch gps (suunto etc but a pain in the ass to charge) are worth keeping on her person.
Just wanted to say good on her for going and I hope she has a quiet time.
Things I would take - DVD box sets, books, CD as they have barter value aswell as entertainment.
Also to sumerise part of my unposted post without the crap,
Leatherman, pocket torch (photon micro light etc), a lighter (a bic will do, but a silva might be better etc zippos are s
te) a first aid kit/survival kit/possibles pouch/mend stuff kit and a watch gps (suunto etc but a pain in the ass to charge) are worth keeping on her person. ShadownINja said:
Flak jacket. 
Solar G-shock watch of some sort? Or a solar Pro Trek with compass function?
Cheaper to buy from the BX out there IMO.Solar G-shock watch of some sort? Or a solar Pro Trek with compass function?
Edited by ShadownINja on Tuesday 14th September 11:53
Also, most of my mates are on TSW so are deployed awful alot at 24hrs standby. My mate always takes a Sony e-book type thing (I have no idea what it's called, but basically you upload books to it to read)
This saves taking 2-3 books & taking up valuable storage space. Not to mention being able to upload several on there. He also has a lap top with a memory for storing 'stuff' on.
Adding on to the torch, maybe a head torch may also come in handy?
Edited by Vidal Baboon on Tuesday 14th September 11:59
Some really good advice so far, especially regarding the packing, and to avoid the prohibited items list. Do get an e-bluey account. This is my second tour and this location is not as well served as my last, but my record for receipt after sending was 17 minutes. Internet is widely available but often very slow, so bear that in mind, and the limited number of terminals can make getting on difficult.
I would avoid sending clothing or equipment once she's out here - she really is unlikely to need it, and the issued kit is very good. Small torches are very useful - although you can get them here very cheaply. Most toiletries are available, but I still appreciate deliveries of my favourites. I also especially appreciate magazines. Her favourite sweets will be good too, but don't send chocolate.
My best buy was an IPod Shuffle. Perfect for the gym and other phys. A lot of the guys use Kindles/e-book thingies and they seem to be very good too. If she hasn't got one already, get her a decent (but small) digital camera.
She's doing a great thing. Be very proud of her and try not to worry too much. Above all, don't under-estimate the power and worth of good old-fashioned letters and photos. It usually takes a couple of weeks to get out here but mail is great for morale. And if applicable, make sure you post really early for Christmas. Good luck to her; I bet she'll love it.
I would avoid sending clothing or equipment once she's out here - she really is unlikely to need it, and the issued kit is very good. Small torches are very useful - although you can get them here very cheaply. Most toiletries are available, but I still appreciate deliveries of my favourites. I also especially appreciate magazines. Her favourite sweets will be good too, but don't send chocolate.
My best buy was an IPod Shuffle. Perfect for the gym and other phys. A lot of the guys use Kindles/e-book thingies and they seem to be very good too. If she hasn't got one already, get her a decent (but small) digital camera.
She's doing a great thing. Be very proud of her and try not to worry too much. Above all, don't under-estimate the power and worth of good old-fashioned letters and photos. It usually takes a couple of weeks to get out here but mail is great for morale. And if applicable, make sure you post really early for Christmas. Good luck to her; I bet she'll love it.
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