Hi everyone!  Our cub scout den sent our unit some pinewood derby car kits and some of the soldiers will build and then race the cars.  I ordered medals for 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place and am going to ship them in a padded envelope.  Now I highly doubt that these would rank up there with tobacco products with theft issues but I was trying to think up a general/ambiguous description for them to put on the customs form anyway!  I would greatly appreciate any suggestions!

 Have a great day!

Why not just call them craft kits?

Gran

Ah, this brings up a VERY interesting question...  do they actually read the customs form BEFORE opening the box?  I wonder if we can get some soldier feedback on this one?  If I were to guess, I would say they tear right into those babies!   They might not even realize there's a customs form attached if they haven't really received many packages before.

Any other input? 

Oh, and I like Gran's idea-craft kits.  You could call the medal awards "ribbons," which is true, but the reader might not zero in on the type of ribbon you mean without seeing it.

I remember my brothers all doing that when they were cub scouts:)  Your guys will love those...what a great idea...I am sure it will bring back a lot of happy memories for them.  This could be a very compeitive pinewood derby...hopefully someone will have a camera to take some pictures so your cubscouts can see their soldiers having so much fun!! 

p.s...I think craft kits is a good description

Thanks everyone for the suggestions!  I did label the derby kits as craft kits - glad to know that was a popular choice.  I guess I'm also concerned about the density of the metal awards and that my not giving an appropriate description could raise security suspicions and simply putting award medals might pique someone's intrest thinking they are real combat/service medals!  I'm probably over thinking this! 

If I use a bubble mailer and the pkg is under 16 oz. then I don't need the white customs form but need the green correct?  I haven't used the green one yet - does it also ask for a description? 

 The unit has been wonderful to our cub scout den and I emailed my contact to see if they would be interested in building/racing them and several soldiers were enthusiastic about it.  The NCOs are building the track and giving prizes or a day off for the winner - hopefully something fun to do when the weather is less than pleasant!  Hopefully there will be plenty of big kid fun for them!

Thanks again for everyone's help!

Kristin

Yes, the green form asks for a description. But the space is so small that you can be pretty generic.

How about calling them "metal game pieces"? Or "replacement parts"? 

This sounds like a really fun project for everyone involved! Good luck!

It depends on the interpretation of the individual postal clerk as to whether you can use the green form.  We had one tell us that any kind of package going to the middle east had to have a white customs form.

Gran

I've been using the green form on my small bubble mailer packages, but I have had some conflicting info on when you can use them. One P.O. says anything under a pound, another one says 13 oz. and under. (I tend to go to the P.O. that lets me use them on packages for up to a pound.) I've heard from several of the receivers of the packages that they're arriving just fine.

If it were me, I'd go with a green form filled out - but don't be surprised if they ask you to fill out the white one.

The best way is to keep it simple. Use the barest description, declare it a gift and value it as zero. 

I frankly don't think customs cares as long as something is written on the form. The green forms are for smaller, lighter packages. You must use the larger white forms for bigger packages - those measuring over a certain number of inches - and/or heavier ones. I think it is anything over eight pounds. 

My son and I have been sending boxes of all sorts of things for more than four years and I quickly learned to fill out the minimum on the white forms, rather than list twenty different items. 

 When sending any kind of food, I mark it as "snacks", notebooks, pens, pencils, etc. are "school supplies", personal care items become "soap" or "shampoo", bedding (towels, sheets and pillow) might become "Pillow". Boxes of stuffed toys, toys, books and magazines need only a plain word or two description, but if I also include any kind of food or snacks, which I often do to fill up any empty spaces, I write "(name of item) and snacks". 

I have had boxes make it from the east coast where I live to Bagdad in five days. The only delays I have had have been with oddly shaped boxes, like the time we sent donated baseball equipment in a long patio umbrella box that we stuffed so full it was diamond shaped. I am sure customs was curious about that one, but it made it to Kirkuk eventually.

Sarah H:

The best way is to keep it simple. Use the barest description, declare it a gift and value it as zero.

I frankly don't think customs cares as long as something is written on the form.

I think where most people have issues is at their local POs - some are okay with very general descriptions, and some ask for very specific lists. I go to a few different Post Offices, here in my little town and in neighboring towns, and they all have slightly different interpretations of the rules. I've found it's easiest to just go along with what they request, because none of them have been unreasonable about what they want on the forms.