MAIL CALL!

Humbled Infidel that's a good question. And those are good items you mentioned too, although some are kind of on the pricey side. I think the best way is to adopt a specific Marine/sailor/soldier and tailor your care package to his needs. Some may need better fire retardant gloves than others. We all do have the standard issue, but keep in mind not all conduct rigorous missions, and not all weapons endure the relentless desert sands. There are many unique jobs carried out by the Marines within the Regiment. Some require those items more than others, and some don't require those items at all. It all depends on who you're sending your care package to.

The best advice that I can give for a standard care package is provide compact items such as snack-sized goods (breakfast bars, chips, crackers, peanuts), things that can easily be stowed away and can stuff in pocket on the go. I would also say the same for toiletries (shampoo, soaps, toothepaste, toothebrushes, sunblock, asprin). Another suggestion would be current magazines (Time, Maxim, National Geographic, Car and Driver, Sports Illustrated..).

Although, these may not be personal items. They do go a long away. I'm sure there's a lot out there that already know this since they've had five years to perfect it. But at least it's a general idea. If you have any other questions, just let me know. I am more than happy to help.