US Troop Support Foundation
We have  added this page for Parents , children and Spouses of combat troops. We hope it helps  with questions and answers as well as  sharing views and info.  If you have something you would like to share please feel free to send it to ustsassistance@aol.com and we will review it for this page.  
  When a loved one goes overseas, it effects not only the one going but many of those around them. 

We will try to answer  as many questions as possible
about what to do and not to do.

Care packages..  
Care packages can be sent by flat rate box priority mail through the post office for $13.45
The price of postage on these went up as of Jan  2012.The boxes are free through your local post office or through USPS on line.  You can also order other supplies such as , other size boxes, address labels and custom forms and Custom forms envelopes free of charge through USPS.
  Note: only the lg size flat rate boxes are discounted for APO  & FPO addresses.   There are now 2 Large flat rate boxes . One  is  12x12x5,  the other is only available in some areas and is called a game board  box  lg flat rate.  ( Both are  $13.45  to mail since they are both considered lg flat rates) Other sizes you will be charged the regular flat rate fee or  per lb and any over 12" on a side in size will add to postage rate.
The larger flat rates  (that  now costs $13.45 to mail) that became available  in Mar 2008   that are ordered through USPS  will have an ASY   ( America  Supports  You )   logo  printed on  them ! The ones that do not have this label on them are still only $13.45 as long as they are lg flat rates.

What are APO and FPO's
APO and FPO's are American addresses overseas.  When you mail something to an APO or FPO, you are actually mailing it to an American address.  The package goes from your local post office to an APO or FPO   post office here in the states and then on a military flight , space available , to its destination.

How long does it take to get there?
We send most care packages priority. It has taken an average of 6- 8 days. We have gotten emails from guys and gals that have recieved them in as little as 4 days.  DO NOT PLAN ON 6- 8 days. It can take as little as 4 days and as long as forever.  DO NOT TRY SENDING  A Rotisserie CHICKEN IN A ZIP LOCK!  IT WILL NOT WORK !

Homade canned food  will  ship if  sealed and packed properly.  Make sure you follow  all instructions in a canning manual and pack all jars  well to avoid  coming unsealed  or breaking! 

 What should I send in a care package?
Every person is different and  depending on the Branch of Service they are in and where they are stationed will depend a lot on their needs. Also remember the weather. It is not good to send Chocolate in the summer time . It does get  over 140 degrees in some areas , and chocolate does not do well in heat.  Chocolate  can be mailed and is more likly to survive the mail  between winter months.  Chocolate items  such as cookies normally survive at any time of year.  Be careful sending any choclate that can melt in heat.
All of  them love something from HOME!
  So to stay with general items we will suggest the following.
If your son or daughter loved your homemade pie, then can a jar of the pie filling and send  them.  Almost anything can be canned. Just make sure the jar seals properly and  after it cools   wrap it in bubble wrap, place it in a zip lock and box it up. Home is where the heart is !
Cards, letters, ( emails are great but letters can be carried in a pocket and read  over and over), Pictures,  Phone cards ( please read about phone cards below, not just any will work!!!),   Snacks,   Jerky, Lunch to go,  Hickory Farms  packs,  favorite cookies, favorite candies. Microwave  items, snacks, anything  that can be eaten without much preparation.  They do not have all the emnities  of  a home Kitchen.   However  you can can  items  such as  apple pie filling  and  favorite homeade foods  and  as long as you can them per  canning directions,  you can send  special  food items. Make sure they seal correctly, wrap in bubble wrap and pack well to avoid jars breaking. 
  ALWAYS Remember Holidays !   Just because they are 6000  plus miles away does not mean they are on a different calendar.  
Remember to send a little extra in care packages. They share with their commrades. 
They  will not be able to celebrate with the family at home, but they will be able to have Christmas and other holidays  with their "family " in arms. Not all have the space for  Christmas trees and  for other holiday  items , so
please check with them first !
They have  "down time"  and during that down time,  they enjoy relaxing and  trying to make it as much HOME  oriented as possible!  CD's, DVD's, sports items, new magazines and  luxury items  are wonderful.   Food and snacks are always welcomed! Most  ( not all) have microwaves available now. 

Remember  snacks  do not last as long as hygiene!
 
We have provided a recipe for a homade
item. 
( scroll to bottom of page for this) We hope to add more recipes later.  Ask them what they would like.  If they use tobacco,  don't tell them about healthy choices when they are in a combat zone.   They are dodging IED's and Bullets. I assure you tobacco may not be healthy, but neither is war!   If they ask for it and it is legal to send them, PLEASE SEND IT !

If you cannot afford to  purchase enough to fill
a large flat rate, at least send a card or letter, or even a new magazine  in an envelope. Every piece of mail is a way to show they are not forgotten! You  are welcome to sign them up with us for care packages! It is free to you and them and we will see to it that they are taken good care of. We will not share any address info with anyone outside our Directors.


Calling cards / Phone cards

Many units now have Satellite phones. These do not require a calling card. However  AT&T  Global cards are still used when troops are in transit.

We suggest purchasing phone cards through  Aafes,  PX or BX.
The cards  are AT & T Global or AT&T ship to Shore cards.  ( we have alink to order these  on
our how to help page. You do not need to have military ID  to order these for troops!)
The ones you find at other stores such as Walmart  or Sam's Club etc.. are not under government contract and the  card is charged 5 to 1 on minutes used and many have an additional charge to activate them. 
Most phone cards not purchased through aafes  do not work! EVEN IF THEY SAY INTERNATIONAL ON THEM, THEY NEED TO BE AT&T GLOBAL OR SHIP TO SHORE !
Cards purchased through  the PX, BX or aafes charge only 3 to 1 and have no activation fee.  You can also add minutes to the cards  by calling AT&T and charging it to your credit
card.  Before mailing the card to the service member , scratch off the silver  strip on back , xerox the  front and back of the card and keep the info in a safe place. This prevents having to buy
another card and the service member waiting for another card to arrive.   

What should I tell them and not tell them?
That is a hard question. They do not want to be
left in the dark on things.  Tell them what you think they need to know but think it out first!  They probably need to know if Mom is in the hospital with a terminal  disease. They dont need to know a kid has the flu.   Dont burden them with worry if  you dont have to. 
They have enough on their plates! 
Think  things through. They cannot disipline  the kids from  6000 miles away. They cannot fix the garbage disposal  from 6000 miles away.  Somethings  you must learn to take care of your self  or ask another service member or
foundation for help.   Each unit  has an FRG.  ( Family readiness group)  .  FRG's  are there for a reason.  They are there to help!
Foundations are set up for a reason.  They are there to help!  

If I need  help with an answer where  do I go ?
Call or email  us. If we can't answer it , we will direct you in the right direction, or we will find you the answer.

Remember  our Troops  are busy and  they are adapting and over coming many obstacles.   As Military families we must do the same.  Please help each other as  military families. Stick together.  We may not all be in the same Branch but we are all in this together!

Please  take in mind some folks are just mean  and some are just ignorant.  Ignore those that make stupid comments  and be Proud to be a Military family!

Army Knowledge Online (AKO) - All soldiers are eligible for an account on AKO, and they can authorize family members to have a guest account. When you sign up, you will be issued a us.army.mil email account, which under some circumstances may be the only email that can get through to your soldier. The site also has a file sharing area where you can upload pictures and other files. If you need to share financial information with your deployed soldier, this area is secure enough to safely do it.

MyPay - This is the official place on the web, for your soldier to go look at his/her LES (Leave and Earnings Statement).

TriWest - This is the official site of TRICARE, the Army's health insurance, for our midwest region. You can look up local doctors on this site to make sure they are in the system, so you don't get a bigger bill than you have to.

Military.com - A source of military news and opinion that you might not get in your local paper or TV. This might help with those crazy acronyms, and explain why the military does some of things it does.

Military Money - While some of the advice on this site is geared more towards active component forces than to the Guard and Reserves, there are plenty of good articles that most people can benefit from. Families of newly deployed soldiers will want to check out the article entitled Telephone Tips For Military Families to see how they can save money.

lowermybills.com - Helps you shop for the cheapest long distance that tailor services to the military, but trates. Signing up for a good international plan is advised, since calls to and from overseas can be extremely expensive.

USAA - A mutual insurance company for military members and their dependents. Consistently rated one of the top insurers in the nation, and rated one of the best companies to work for. There are other mutual insurance companies his one also has a bank. If you get one of their free checking accounts, not only can you pay bills online, but they will also pay for a certain number of your ATM fees every month.


Now  for recipes !!!!!!

Brownies in a jar!    We got this  recipe  from one of the wives and we tried it and it works well and the  troops  seem to love it .

You will need:

3-4  "Ball" canning jars  pint size

1   13x9  Brownie mix

1   13 x 9  baking pan

 wash and prep  jars
.

 Mix brownie mix as directed on box

Pour batter into jars  up to  right below the "B"  in " Ball" ( make sure not to get on trim of jars) 

Set jars in  9x13 pan upright.  

Bake as directed on box.   Time
may vary with oven.

 

Remove from oven and immediatly  place  lids on jars.  As the jar seals you will hear a "ping " sound.    You will also notice the lids  have a caved  point in the center.   Let cool before packing them.  These will stay good for up to 6 months. 
Many of the troops ask for home baked cookies.  These can be sent.  They must  be packed well.   Small  zip locks of pop corn  hold  them in place and seem to be the best packing.  Seal each cookie in a container or a food seal bag to keep them fresh.

Chocolate candy and gummies   do not mail well in summer heat.   Check temps on a world weather  report  for the area they are in before mailing  items that may melt.   Send a variety.  No one  wants to snack on the same thing everyday. 
 

 

You may donate onine  by going to the bottom of any of our web pages and clicking on the donation link!


No personally identifiable
 information is collected from 
USTSF's website

You may contact US TROOP SUPPORT FOUNDATION  by email at
ustsassistance@aol.com
or by phone at 816-224-4729

You may contact US TROOP SUPPORT FOUNDATION  by email at
ustsassistance@aol.com


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