What can be mailed (and how) to our Troops?

I came across this link today while in search of something else and thought I'd share it with you all. You probably already know all the in's and out's of care packages... but just in case:

The following is a list of highly desirable items for deployed troops. It is recommend that you keep the boxes small, about the size of shoe box or a Postal Service Express mailing box for easy transportation.

Books Cameras (disposable) Camper style foods Candy Cards Chapstick Dental floss Facial tissues Fast food Hot Sauce packets Flashlights Girl Scout cookies Gum Magazines Nerf toys (small footballs, etc.) Odor Eaters (for boots) Pencils Pens New DVDs, CDs and players Handheld electronic games Battery Operated Fans, Misty Mates or other cooling products Commercially wrapped packets of Trail Mix, Beef Jerky, Nuts, Ready To Eat Tuna or Chicken Salad kits Individual packets of moist towelettes Packets of Stationary Travel Size containers of Foot Powder Tobacco Products Unsealed personal cards and letters

Personal message Phone cards Playing cards Postage Powdered drink mix (non-alcoholic) Razors Sardine Sheets of stationery Snacks* (cookies, granola bars) Tea bags Toiletries (travel sizes) Toothbrushes Toothpaste Travel games Travel mugs Disposable Cameras Valentines Puzzle, Word Game and Crossword books Cookies, Energy Bars, Sunflower Seeds, Candy Packets of Powdered Cold Beverages Commercially sealed Lip Balm Novelty Items New Knit Hats and Gloves New T-shirts (sizes Large and Extra Large)

How to Send Care Packages:
Keep the packages small (no bigger than a shoe box). Larger packages take longer to be delivered and are more cumbersome for your Marine to haul around. Smaller, more frequent packages are likely your better option. The U.S. Postal Service offers FREE boxes for Priority Mail. You can also order free boxes from the USPS online store (for use with Priority Mail shipping ONLY). The Recommended size is the #4 or #7 box.

Packaging Tips:
Use plastic bags with zip-style closures for everything. They keep out sand, they keep out rain. Resourceful Marines are re-using them for all sorts of things. Quart size are great to keep their wallets and personal photos with them, in one of their many pockets, and they stay dry. If you're shipping a liquid (shampoo, eye drops), or items that are likely to melt or drip (Chapstick, deodorants, chocolate) be sure to pop it into a tightly sealed plastic bag first. That will help keep the rest of the items from getting gooey or ruined, just in case.

The following items are PROHIBITED:

• Illegal substances
• Alcoholic beverages
• Explosives, including fireworks.
• Offensive or obscene materials, including photos, drawings or any other material which may have the potential to offend members of the opposite sex, members of another race, background, nationality or ethnicity; anything which would make uncomfortable, someone who is deeply religious, conservative or modest

[The page where I found this info: http://www.usmc-mccs.org/News/deploy/mailtotroops.asp]