I recently learned many soldiers in my husband’s unit where not getting the love and support they need while deployed to Afghanistan.  Some of the soldiers are female soldiers- and need “special items.” So I thought  – “I know our Blissfully Domestic readers would be the perfect group to jump in and show the love!”

Blissfully Domestic is adopting the 704th Brigade Support Battalion (BSB), a unit with the 4th Infantry Division based out of Fort Carson.

If you would like to support one of the soldiers of this unit, please leave a comment with your email address and I will get you a name of a soldier and their mailing address.  I know that they would appreciate the support.

What do they need? :

• Write a note. Send a card or picture. If you have kids, have them write a note or draw a picture; if you have a group of kids, make a long card out of white kitchen shelf paper; have them all write notes or draw pictures.
• Homemade baked goods, cookies or brownies. But not if they can melt – like chocolate. Your cookies may arrive broken into crumbs but, believe us, the Soldiers will love them anyway !!!!!
• Sports items like baseball caps, baseballs, footballs, volley balls, soccer balls, etc.  These would be used by Soldiers – or given as gifts from America to Iraqi and Afghani kids. And yes, it REALLY DOES make a difference.
• Handy wipes. Soldiers frequently find themselves deployed at checkpoints in Iraqi or Afghani neighborhoods for 3-7 days before they can rotate back to a larger and more adequately resourced Forward Operating Base (FOB).
• Newspapers & Paperback books
• Magazines (for guys and gals)
• Batteries – AAA, AA, and D sizes
• Puzzles, chess, checkers or other board games, playing cards/books
• Boot socks – Soldiers never have enough socks.
• Eye drops – non-prescription, moisturizing
• Powdered drink mixes like Gatorade or Propel, snacks, and some microwaveable items
• Audio cassettes, CDs, VCR/DVD movies (American standard) – even if slightly used
• PSP2, XBox360, MP3 Players & electronic games. If you send one, Soldiers will share it with lots of others.

You may have noticed our Soldiers are carrying candy (or a toy) as often as they are carrying a weapon. That is simply because kids love toys – and Soldiers love kids. With that in mind, we would add these items to a list of things you might send – assuming you were so inclined.  It does matter!!

• Small stuffed animals
• School supplies – pencils, pens, notebooks and paper, watercolors, construction paper, scissors, chalk, note pads, erasers, pencil bags, metric rulers and similar items. But no crayons – they melt.