Now that SSG Carroll's men are ok on plate carriers I'm splitting him to a new thread (as promised) so we can address other needs. 

• FOOD – microwavable anything, coffee, protein bars
• Hygiene stuff (they have no PX)
• Dog food, dog toys and dog care supplies (ear cleaners, flea collars, heart guard,etc)
• Replacement bladders for CamelBaks (100oz)
• CamelBak Talon assault packs
• Hiking Boots
• Gloves (WileyX, Oakley hard knuckles)
• Cold Weather Gear
• Cold Weather Socks
• Fleece Hats
• Weapons cleaning kitsKnives and multi-tools
• Carabineers, rappelling harnesses and Figure 8’s for rappelling
• DVDs

Colors of items can be ACU, multicam, tan/desert, or Green. NO BLACK, not good for concealment.

They will need hand warmers and other winter gear VERY soon.  It is taking a month for some packages to reach this location and this is the good time of year for mail.  If I'm guessing the altitude correctly, in October they could still have days in the upper 90's and nights when it's close to or below freezing.  Best price on handwarmers today: Amazon.com (but they will not ship direct to APOs)

Gear Coupon$

• USCavalry.com 15% off until 15-Sep-08  PNU1508 (Thanks Ruth)
• Opticsplanet.com 5% off until 30-Sep-08 LD09-08  (Thanks Kaylynn)

Gear ordered and shipped-

• 2 plate carriers RECEIVED - joCee&friends               
• 2 CamelBaks(ThermoBak Omega ACU pat) RECEIVED -joCee&friends            
• 2 plate carriers RECEIVED 2-Aug - Nana Nita/Anita          
• 10 Petzel headlamps RECEIVED 3-Aug - Old Nurse Ruth/Ruth                
• 2 plate carriers and 2 CamelBaks ordered 9-Aug RECEIVED– Junkie Fundraiser
• 1 Ghillie Suit ordered – ordered -16-Aug - AS Supporter RECEIEVED
• 2 Talon shipped 19-Aug RECEIVED - AS Junkie
• 1 plate carriers shipped-18-Aug RECEIVED - AS Junkie    
• 2 plate carriers ordered 16-Aug RECEIVED - Lilly   
• 2 Casio Pathfinder - shipped 16-Aug RECEIVED - Old Nurse Ruth/Ruth   
• 8 boresnakes - ordered via project boresnake (for details, follow thread back) 16-Aug? - Midwesterner in NY   RECEIVED
• 1 Ghillie suit – ordered – 18-Aug - Midwesterner in NY / Jeannine    RECEIVED
• 1 ghillie suit – ordered – 18-Aug - Junkie Fundraiser RECEIVED
• 2 Talon shipped - 29-Aug? - AS Supporter RECEIVED
• 2 Talon - ordered - 4-Sep - AS Junkie

 DVD Library - Movies ordered/shipped

• Young Frankenstein
• A Fish Called Wanda
• Earth Girls are Easy
• Airplane
• Mr. Deeds

I had the following on hand from when I cleaned out my Wal-Mart earlier this summer.  They are boxed up and I will get these in the mail today:

27  6-packs of hand warmers (162 warmers)

 5   6-packs of foot warmers (30 warmers)

 3  3-packs of "large" warmers (9 warmers)

Thanks   

Below is extracted from SSG Carroll's post on the Plate Carrier thread:

"To the Any Soldier Family,

This is SSG Kris Carroll with the 1st Platoon Scouts.  Your support has been overwhelming for us.  All Soldiers in the Platoon has their own plate carrier.  We do not need anymore gear but there are those out there who do.  1LT Jeremy Stratton's  3rd Platoon is the one of the other platoons in our Troop and they also need equipment like we have received.  I beleave he is listed on Any Soldier as well, if not I will make sure that he is.  It has been unbeleavable that you all have done this for us, we are truely indebted and humbled.  This has helped the Soldiers moral a great deal.  We did not expect anything and in turn we have been completely supplied with everything we put down, AMAZING!!  When we receive the boxes and care packages it is more than hydration bladders, cookies and plate carriers we see, it is a whole group of people thanking us for what we feel is our duty, no words could describe the looks on our faces as we time after time opened the packages in disbelief of what we have received.  So we say thank you for your service to your fighting Soldiers, Airman, Saliors and Marines.  I have tried to send out e-mail thank you's to when an email and name has been supplied from the box.  If I have not, becasuse some of the boxes come straight from the company, a BIG THANKS TO YOU.  There are also alot of people who work behind the sceans and your kindness has not been forgotton or gone unoticed.  And for our the wives, sometimes you feel that you come second but that is the furthest thing from our hearts,  we are fighting hard to get home to be back in your arms once again, we love you.  Thank you so much for this experience, everyone thank you so much. 

 Sincerley,

1st Platoon Scouts

So far this is what the 1st Platoon Scouts have received,

3 Guille Suits, 10 Petzle head lamps, 4 Camelbacks, 2 Camelback Talon Assault Pack, 14 Plate Carriers, 7 GPS's, 2 Casio Pathfinder watches, 20 phone cards, 12 Care packages of food/hygein items, about 15 Boresnakes, and I hope I am not forgetting anything...and will keep you updated as/if more comes in... Thank you again!!  "

The 1st Platoon Scouts have a new update dated 18-Sep with revised wish list.

Keep those letters and prayers coming.

Note: a 12 pack of soda wrapped in a sheet set (and of course tripple bagged) fits in a large FRB.  It took a couple tries to get it in without bulging, but it does work.

SSG Carroll included a link in his post for replacement hydration bladders from Tactical Taylor http://www.tacticaltailor.com/3lhydrationbladder.aspx (and as usual, I was not able to find a better price than he did).

• Snacks and Microwavable Foods: Including, but not limited to: Triscuits, Wheat Thins, ramen noodle, cup o’ soup, Easy Mac, Microwave popcorn
• Hygiene items
• “Dog stuff” – I will try to find out what size dogs these are.
• Boresnakes- used to clean out the barrels of the weapons, ones needed .50 Cal (just a few), 5.56mm/.223/.22 (the most needed and any of the three work for the M-4), and 7.62mm/.308 (just a few)Batteries – AA and AAA
• Cheap tooth brushes- Used to clean weapons
• Replacement hydration bladders and nalgene bottles
• Fleece hats, scarves, gloves (green, tan or black)
• Good socks (any color)
• Sheet sets and blankets
• Books, magazines, local newspapers, DVDs
• DVD projector-“ this in no way is expected and our last on the priority list. During the winter we will have alot more down time due to weather. It would be nice to be able to have the platoon sit down and watch a movies together to pass the time instead of being huddled around a lap top. This also would be left to the next unit to enjoy.“
• Prayers- “the best gift we can get, please keep them coming, we need them and they help alot.”

• Young Frankenstein
• A Fish Called Wanda
• Earth Girls are Easy
• Airplane
• Mr. Deeds
• Napoleon Dynamite

JoCee,

I am packing a couple of boxes for SSG Carroll and his guys to include:

1. 1 large box with 36 Easy Mac
2. AAA batteries (2 packs of 6 batteries each)
3. DVD - 10,000 B.C.
4. I'll send today's Dallas Sunday paper
5. some cheap toothbrushes - 2 sets of 8 each, were $1 a set at Walgreen's
6. microwave popcorn

I have 5 sets of sheets I need to wash first and will get those shipped.  I have 2 fleece blankets I will send with the sheets.  Thanks to another junkie Sheila, I scored an EXCELLENT price on irregular Thorlo COld Weather Mountaineering socks.  I ordered some, they will be here Thursday.  Will wash those and ship them out early next week.  SSG Carroll will get 30 pair of the socks.

I am going to look into getting a DLP projector for SSG Carroll.  I work for the company that makes the DLP chip and maybe I can get one of our customers who make the projectors to sell me one at cost.  I'll keep you posted on that...

JoCee, I am so glad YOU are organized, otherwise I could never keep track of all this, so thanks! 

Thanks

I don't have the same model GPS that they do, but mine eats 2 batteries every 3 days.  I'm pretty sure that the headlamps Ruth sent take AAA batteries too.  I'll try to send some AAAs this week also.

They will LOVE the Thorlo's.  Those should be great for patrols.  I'll ask if they have fabric softener there (improves performance of this particular sock).

I don't know how many sheet sets and blankets they still need, but they have been sharing stuff with the other platoons there.

Tane 214 sent a lot of handwarmers last week - enough to get them started.  I have some more but will hold off and concentrate on food.  I sent assorted snacks of zero nutritional value yesterday and will try to make up for that little indiscretion at the store today.  I ordered 4 replacement hydration bladders this morning.

 That's a great movie & I'm praying for that projector .

Hi JoCee,

Have you heard anything about using denture cleaning tablets to clean the bladders in the camel baks?  I saw a request last year.  If so, I have a large box that only has a few missing.  They were for my son's retainers and like all good teenage boys, he rarely used them and then lost the retainers!!!

Vicki

Hey Vicki,

I just use a mild bleach solution to clean mine, but if they're putting drink mixes in the CamelBaks they would need something stronger.  I'll ask.  I believe that the Nalgene bottles he's asking for would be for drink mixes (which is why they would need both).

Got a bag of dry dog food for the pooches while out and about yesterday.   Probably won't last them long but it's a start.  The dogs probably don't like MREs any better than the Soldiers do!

Hi JoCee, I'm still in CA but got signed on at the library, I was having withdrawal symptoms!  LOL   

Just wanted to say you have done a tremendously wonderful job of coordinating for our guys and us!   It made it possible for the right equip. to get to the right guys without us sending blind and having some inundated and maybe some not getting what they needed.  Thank you so much!

I saw Kristopher said they got 20 phone cards, hopefully those are the ones I ordered, will try and e-mail him when I get home to see where they came from.  Ordered 100 for Rodriguez too.  If it is those they were free and I'll repost the site so we can keep them supplied.

 Darn, the comp is telling me my time on here is ending!!   Bye    Anita

Lilly:

Got a bag of dry dog food for the pooches while out and about yesterday.   Probably won't last them long but it's a start.  The dogs probably don't like MREs any better than the Soldiers do!

It's my understanding (from civilian applications, of course) that dogs LOVE MREs.  However, they give them really, really bad gas - it will bring tears to your eyes   Real dog food significantly improves quality of life for the soldiers.  Thanks Lilly 

Thanks Anita,

The link to the phone cards would be great.  Thanks for getting those out to the guys.  I feel guilty now.  I've got this awesome internet access when I'm home but I've been "too busy" to use it most of the week.  I'll try to do better.  Update here and under Plate Carrier thread follows.

Update:

1st Platoon Scouts are good on plate carriers and ghillie suits.  SSG Carroll says that they feel like "the chosen ones."  Great work!

SSG Carroll included a link in his post for replacement hydration bladders from Tactical Taylor http://www.tacticaltailor.com/3lhydrationbladder.aspx (and as usual, I was not able to find a better price than he did).

• Snacks and Microwavable Foods: Including, but not limited to: Triscuits, Wheat Thins, ramen noodle, cup o’ soup, Easy Mac, Microwave popcorn
• Hygiene items
• “Dog stuff” – I will try to find out what size dogs these are.
• Boresnakes- used to clean out the barrels of the weapons, ones needed .50 Cal (just a few), 5.56mm/.223/.22 (the most needed and any of the three work for the M-4), and 7.62mm/.308 (just a few)Batteries – AA and AAA
• Cheap tooth brushes- Used to clean weapons
• Replacement hydration bladders and nalgene bottles
• Fleece hats, scarves, gloves (green, tan or black)
• Good socks (any color)
• Sheet sets and blankets
• Books, magazines, local newspapers, DVDs
• DVD projector-“ this in no way is expected and our last on the priority list. During the winter we will have alot more down time due to weather. It would be nice to be able to have the platoon sit down and watch a movies together to pass the time instead of being huddled around a lap top. This also would be left to the next unit to enjoy.“
• Prayers- “the best gift we can get, please keep them coming, we need them and they help alot.”

 DVD Library - Movies ordered/shipped so far

• Young Frankenstein
• A Fish Called Wanda
• Earth Girls are Easy
• Airplane
• Mr. Deeds
• Napoleon Dynamite
• 10,000 BC
• George of the Jungle

I ordered 15 watch caps (knit hats) online today, Wigwam brand which has a good reputation for durability and warmth.  Will ship these out to SSG Carroll as soon as I get them in, expected in a week or so.