Gifts for Someone Getting Deployed Funny

When you're far apart from your sweetie because of deployment, a care package is a great way to ship your love overseas! We compiled a list of 12 deployment gift ideas that spouses and family members can give to their loved one stationed overseas. We also list down things you should avoid giving as deployment gifts.

What To Avoid in a Deployment Care Package

Before we dive into things to definitely pack, it's important to know what items to cross off your to-buy list.

There are some big categories to avoid when gift-giving for a military deployment:

Alcohol: do not send booze, beer, spirits, liquor or hooch to your loved one on deployment. First, its illegal to ship alcohol in the mail. Second, alcohol is generally frowned upon when on deployment except in very limited circumstances. Third, some of the locations your loved one may be deployed might actually have bans on alcohol for religious reasons.
Weapons: similar to alcohol, the USPS generally discourages people from sending weapons in the mail. Many weapons, like mace or firearms, require licenses to carry. Third, your loved one likely has access to weapons, for official purposes only, while deployed. They don't need more.
Illegal Substances: if it's illegal to buy, sell, possess or use a substance in the US, then it's not a great idea to send it in a care package. That includes substances that are sold in gummy candy form or which are incorporated into baked goods. Your soldier gets regular drug tests that they cannot fail. So keep your gifts drug-free!
Things that Melt: gummies, chocolates, candles and other things that melt in high temperatures should be generally avoided unless they are carefully packed. No one wants melted chocolate bars all over their new white socks.
Breakable Things: unless your gift is carefully wrapped, stick to items that are fairly sturdy. Much like melted chocolate, glass shards are not a pleasant surprise.
Pork: due to the high deployment rate to predominantly Muslim countries over the past 20 years, care packages should avoid pork products in order to respect the religious beliefs of those nations.

If you avoid these 6 categories, you should generally be in the clear. When in doubt, leave it out!

Personalize What You Give

Just like your soldier, sailor, airman or Marine, every deployment care package will be different. Knowing your person in the military will help you personalize a great gift just for them!

Ultimately, the goals of sending a gift to a deployed service member is to share encouragement and love. We love military care package ideas that will help those deployed stay uplifted and mission focused!

Send Love with Family Care Packages

Send a care package from the whole family! Having the kids get involved will help make it more special for their deployed parent, aunt, uncle or grandparent.

Encourage the kids to draw pictures or write cards to include in the care package. Then pack in small items and little luxuries that you know your loved one will enjoy.

Consider these little luxuries for deployment:

non-chocolate candies that don't melt
fancy bar soap
lotion
lip balm
Kindle gift cards
luxurious shampoo or conditioner

Spiritual Items to Send on Deployment

Keeping the faith can be challenging on deployment. Your loved one may not be able to access regular religious services or participate in fellowship groups. But you can curate an awesome faith on deployment gift package that will help them focus and stay hopeful.

Spiritual and religious gifts include:

a pocket copy of their religious text
a code for a digital text study
small religious items, like a saint medallion or prayer beads
videos of you or the kids praying so you can worship "together"
a letter from their spiritual leader at home

Knowing that the folks back home are keeping you in their prayers can be a huge boost for someone on deployment.

Funny Gifts to Keep Them Laughing

Honestly, sometimes you just need a good laugh. Curating a deployment gift to give someone the giggles can be a hoot for you on the home front, too!

Some hilarious (or at least, amusing) gift ideas include:

whoopee cushions
toilet spray for before they go
funny socks or slippers for their down time
scratch & sniff stickers
funny movies

Really, packing a box full of funny things truly does depend on what makes your person crack up. However, it's always a little bit silly to add in fake bugs, spider or snakes.

Favorite Deployment Care Package Food & Snack Items

Nothing beats home cooking, especially when your loved one is existing on MREs (meals ready to eat) or chow hall food for weeks at a time. Pack a box full of special food items they love or things to add a little spice to their plate. Even though they have access to food, having ways to mix it up or personalize can really help keep morale high in the ranks.

Try these food ideas for a deployment care package:

hot sauce
flavored salt or seasonings
a favorite drink mix, like Nuun
beef jerky or turkey jerky
ketchup and mustard
chips, pretzels or other snack items
protein bars
protein powders

Personal Care & Hygiene Items They Need

Showers could be few and far between on deployment. And laundry facilities might be nonexistent. You, however, can send a little relief in your next care package! These are necessities, yes, but when you're far from home it can be hard to get even the basics.

Stuff the box with these items to keep your loved one smelling fresh and clean:

bar soap
solid shampoo and conditioner
dry shampoo powder
baby wipes
toothpaste or toothpaste tablets
new toothbrushes
gum
fabric refresher
hand sanitizer
feminine toiletries
lotion
foot powder
new socks
fresh underwear
sunscreen

Items to Send a Touch of Home on Deployment

Sometimes, the things you miss the most on deployment are the little touches from home. Build an awesome gift that includes all of those special everyday items. Even when your person is bunking down in a tent, having something that feels like home can help keep spirits bright.

super soft pillows
silky or cooling pillowcases
a soft blanket
new sheets
fabric spray
pictures and photos

Clothing Care Packages for Deployment

To be honest, your person on deployment isn't going to need much in the way of clothing. They'll be in uniform on the daily. And the only time they'll be out of uniform will be when they're sleeping or exercising. But you can still keep their limited wardrobe looking fresh.

Clothing care package essentials:

flip flops or shower shoes
new PT shirts
underwear
socks
boot socks

Oh, and if your loved one is promoted while deployed, sneak a few extra rank insignia into that next care package. Knowing you're celebrating with them from the home front will make the moment even more special.

Care Package Ideas to Keep Them Entertained on Deployment

Even though your military loved one will be go-go-go while deployed, there will still be moments of downtime. Send over a thoughtful gift to help them stay occupied and engaged even when the mission hits pause.

You might think about packing:

an e-reader
gift cards for ebooks
slim paperback books
magazines
puzzle books
small jigsaw puzzles
travel sized board games
decks of cards
pre-stamped envelopes with stationary and pens (enough to share with the rest of unit, too!)

Trading books and playing games together can also help build unit morale!

Care Packages to Keep the Romance Alive

Distance can make the heart grow fonder, but only with a little effort. Keep the flame burning bright with thoughtful gifts straight from the heart.

Romantic gift ideas include:

letters to "open when"
photos of the two of you
gift cards for ebooks to read together
romance challenges, like Love Dare
"I love you because" book that you've already filled out

It's definitely not easy to stay connected, especially during a stressful deployment. And while it might be tempting to get a little R-rated with your care package items, please skip those racy photos or videos. Keep things PG-13.

With Love, From Mom

So many care package ideas lists are focused on military spouses, but military moms love to send gifts overseas, too! Knowing that Mom (and Dad) are back home thinking about you can help deployed troops get over the rough patches more easily.

If you're sending a care package to your deployed child, you might want to pack:

childhood photos
letters to "open when"
favorite (non-perishable) snacks
notes from other family members
small tokens of affection with links to favorite memories growing up

Jewelry on Deployment

Okay, huge caveat: do not send any expensive, valuable or that might impeded the mission to someone deployed overseas.

Here's why you want to avoid jewelry gifts:

it might get stolen
it might get lost
rings could get stuck and cause an injury – de-gloving is a real and dangerous injury
bracelets could get stuck and cause an injury

Now, if jewelry is still on your "must send" list, you might want to consider these options:

silicon rings that flex
new chains for dog tags
silicon or rubber bracelets

Mostly, if you're sending jewelry, it should be something that can be broken or lost without a second thought but that carries meaning.

Keep reading…

11 Tips to Handle Surprise Deployment Extensions Like a Pro
Here's How to Deal with Long or Extended Deployments
9 Proven (and Easy) Ways to Hack Deployment

Meg Flanagan is a teacher, blogger and military spouse. She owns Meg Flanagan Education Solutions, an education advocacy service dedicated to serving families on the K-12 journey. You can find Meg on Facebook. Meg is also available as a freelance writer and personal education advocate!

sligostrans.blogspot.com

Source: https://jomygosh.com/2022/03/71-deployment-gifts-ideas-what-to-give-and-what-to-avoid/