CPT Private RallyPoint Member 50289 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I found out today that I will be deploying to Afghanistan later this year. This will be my first deployment and I am thrilled that I am getting this opportunity.&amp;nbsp;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;I am curious if anyone would mind assisting with helping me determine what I may need to purchase and pack for my deployment. This could be anything ranging from military gear to comfort items and neccessities. I have time to purchase these items in small purchases so that it does not kill my budget.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Also, if you have ideas of things NOT to purchase and take....please let me know.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Thank you in advance!&lt;/div&gt; 2014-02-03T14:48:54-05:00 CPT Private RallyPoint Member 50289

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I found out today that I will be deploying to Afghanistan later this year. This will be my first deployment and I am thrilled that I am getting this opportunity.&amp;nbsp;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;I am curious if anyone would mind assisting with helping me determine what I may need to purchase and pack for my deployment. This could be anything ranging from military gear to comfort items and neccessities. I have time to purchase these items in small purchases so that it does not kill my budget.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Also, if you have ideas of things NOT to purchase and take....please let me know.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Thank you in advance!&lt;/div&gt;

2014-02-03T14:48:54-05:00 2014-02-03T14:48:54-05:00 1SG Private RallyPoint Member 50293

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Sir,<br><br>Your unit should be able to provide you with a basic packing list of what you need to get you rolling. Some additional things that I always took with me was a lot of baby wipes, plenty of chap stick, sunscreen, and some things to keep your mind occupied during down time like books and music. <br><br>As for things not to buy or bring, my biggest suggestion is nothing with synthetic materials. I of course can not say what you will be doing over there, but as an Engineer Officer I can guess, and synthetics like Under Armor are a no-no. <br><br>Just remember that whatever you bring, you have to bring back, and having to mail stuff through the post office from over there is not cheap.<br><br>Best of luck over there sir, be safe, and good hunting.<br>

2014-02-03T14:54:20-05:00 2014-02-03T14:54:20-05:00 1SG Private RallyPoint Member 50294

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Sir,<div><br></div><div>A few extra pairs of running shoes, twin size bed sheets, and a lot of good music. For a Combat Engineer you should also pack extra gloves and sun glasses.</div><div>Sapper Clear the Way!</div><div>V/R</div><div>1SG Haro</div>

2014-02-03T14:54:38-05:00 2014-02-03T14:54:38-05:00 SGM Private RallyPoint Member 50312

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>You definitely want to take some sheets - no telling if the PX will have any when you get there.<div><br></div><div>You also want to stock up on basic toiletry items. Our PX didn't carry any aerosol shaving cream and they told my wife she couldn't mail it out to me. Of course the 3-4 cans I packed in a duffle bag with me made it there just fine. Some days our PX wouldn't even have soap so any of the basic items are a necessity to stock up on.<br><div><br></div><br /><div>Mail takes some time to get out there so I suggest you find out your mailing address and ship yourself a few boxes a day prior to your departure.</div><br /></div><div><br></div><div>Your unit will provide your packing list. Just make sure you bring enough cold weather gear but don't get crazy. Our unit made us take our Gen III grey parka and pants over and they never even got pulled out of the plastic bag.</div><div><br></div><div>If you don't get a packing list hop back on here and I am sure anyone here can shoot you a current or old one.</div>

2014-02-03T15:14:08-05:00 2014-02-03T15:14:08-05:00 CPT Private RallyPoint Member 50319

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>A great comfort item I would recommend to anyone about to deploy would be an Amazon Kindle.&amp;nbsp; The basic reader is very inexpensive and you can take an entire library of books in one of the pockets of your laptop bag.&amp;nbsp; You don&#39;t even need to pay for a book to have a ton of great reading material.&amp;nbsp; Go to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.gutenberg.org/">http://www.gutenberg.org/</a> and have a ball!&amp;nbsp; These are all books that are now public domain and legally free to download.&amp;nbsp; Over 42,000 free ebooks include some of the greatest works of classic literature ever written.

2014-02-03T15:21:12-05:00 2014-02-03T15:21:12-05:00 1LT Private RallyPoint Member 50412

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Converters.  We fell in on the crazy British electrical system there and nothing will work unless you have a converter plug.  Some things will only work if you have an actual voltage converter that is also good with frequencies.  Just check all the things you plan to plug into power and see if they're rated for 220~240V.<br><br>I asked the exact same question prior to going to Iraq and no one thought of mentioning converters.  They did have them for relatively cheap or free in country, depending on where you ended up.

2014-02-03T17:28:51-05:00 2014-02-03T17:28:51-05:00 LTC Private RallyPoint Member 95942

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div><p>You will get about four bags of stuff right before deployment after being told you can only take two bags overseas. Be careful of what you put in the connex as not really confident it will make it safely....</p><p> </p><p>Buy external hard drive, have a personal laptop, and a good full-sized pillow. Rest you can get in theater or issued.</p>

2014-04-07T17:27:56-04:00 2014-04-07T17:27:56-04:00 1SG Private RallyPoint Member 104510

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Resiliency!

2014-04-17T12:35:12-04:00 2014-04-17T12:35:12-04:00 1SG Private RallyPoint Member 104528

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Ask for a copy of your BN or BDE packing list Sir! That will be a lot of stuff and mandated by the leadership in your organization.

2014-04-17T13:02:45-04:00 2014-04-17T13:02:45-04:00 SGT Bryon Sergent 104529

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>&lt;p&gt;CASH, the guys that you are replacing is going to sell alot of there stuff as they don&#39;t want or need&#39; or want to mail home! TV&#39;s, Converters, fridges, xbox&#39;s, playstations, MICROWAVES, and the such. I haven&#39;t been to afgan but going soon. When I went to Iraq and we closed it down, after right seat left seat, they started selling all the stuff they had. Sometimes really cheap!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And I second the baby wipes!!!! all you can get! there awesome for cleaning everything, non-sented hypo. Bathes, and especially the port a johns! Lysol! don&#39;t know who and what has been on that bed!!!!!!!!! I used a can on each side of the matress and wall locker. Don&#39;t want the coodies!&lt;/p&gt;

2014-04-17T13:03:29-04:00 2014-04-17T13:03:29-04:00 SGM Private RallyPoint Member 104556

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Laptop/Netbook with an External hard-drive full of movies!!&lt;br&gt;

2014-04-17T14:56:38-04:00 2014-04-17T14:56:38-04:00 CW2 Private RallyPoint Member 104632

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I just got back in September. It depends what you will be doing but I have a few items I like(d). <br /><br />1. Garmin small GPS (not the replacement DAGR but the small wrist wearable ones that give you a ten digit grid ASAP)<br /><br />2. Iike the Oakley fire retardant gloves but they tend to get fuzzy and fray a bit. <br /><br />3. I like the iPad mini over the Kindle suggestion. It's the kindle plus more. <br /><br />4. SIM card cutter. The SIM cards over there are full sized so you need a cutter to put them in your iPad or iPhone or android. Check depending what phone you have. So for the iPhone 5S you need a nano cutter but for the 4S a micro cutter etc. You can even get data plans there and iMessage. <br /><br />5. I brought my own awesome pillow and once I got settled in I bought a mattress pad from Amazon and had it sent over. Was $100 but it was memory foam and it made my life heaven every night. <br /><br />Good luck and stay safe.

2014-04-17T16:13:39-04:00 2014-04-17T16:13:39-04:00 SrA Private RallyPoint Member 105797

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Active Duty AF so this will vary, I've been deployed to Kandahar once already, going back to Bagram soon enough. Most people have probably already hit the high points, but hygiene are probably the one thing I would recommend. The BX at Kaf was cleaned out as soon as items came in, so your best bet is to stock up early or have a system in place to get more shipped in if possible. <div><br></div><div>Winter months get cold, I wore my fleece regularly, and I probably wouldn't have minded a decent pair of gloves. When I left it was snowing in Manas, though that place is closed down now. I'd be prepared for it in some form or fashion. </div><div><br></div><div>Plan for comms back home, either skype, sim cards etc. Unsure of where you'll be but the main areas all have internet connections of some type. </div><div><br></div><div>Ipad/kindle/tablet etc, probably a great idea, make sure you get some kind of otterbox for it, dust was a huge issue for electronics at Kaf. </div><div><br></div><div>Boots, depending on regs I'd look at getting something you prefer, I know our standard issue aircrew ones are terrible for the area. Danner while expensive are a favorite of mine. Going off of that I bought a decent bag to take stuff in as our issued bags weren't something I cared to trust, your mileage with that will vary obviously. </div><div><br></div><div>Small backpack for the plan works wonders though, get you through checkpoints faster and you won't have to worry about space. Also 72 hour bag for your trip there, things happen and you may get stuck somewhere. </div><div><br></div><div> Small items, batteries, flashlights, survival gear etc. I'd plan on having it shipped or take it with you. BX may or may not have stuff when you get there, I'd plan for it now. </div>

2014-04-19T03:53:31-04:00 2014-04-19T03:53:31-04:00 SGT David Dodge 105803

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>If you don't have one already, get a bore snake for every caliber you have.   And the first chance you get clean all of the CLP of of your weapons and use milspec.  It made a world of difference in keeping your weapons dust free.

2014-04-19T04:17:45-04:00 2014-04-19T04:17:45-04:00 SSG Private RallyPoint Member 106214

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>One of the things I did prior was create 'Ship me' boxes. Anything I thought I wouldn't be able to get over there, I had prepacked in flat rate boxes and had my wife send me one once a month or so. Didn't need to worry about the NEX/Shoppette/BX/PX/Haaji shop what have you not having what you wanted.

2014-04-19T18:26:39-04:00 2014-04-19T18:26:39-04:00 CPT Private RallyPoint Member 131755

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>FRAGO!!!!!!!!!<br /><br />Ok, so it looks like I will be heading to Kuwait now. Does anyone having any suggestions for Kuwait. I know a lot of what has been suggested still applies, but I wanted to see if anyone had any further suggestions that would be Kuwait specific or if there are certain things that I should wait until in theater to purchase. I am 90% sure that I am heading to Camp Arifjan. I know that they seem to have pretty well stocked PXs and other facilities, so this could throw a bit of a different spin on things.

2014-05-21T11:13:30-04:00 2014-05-21T11:13:30-04:00 CPT Private RallyPoint Member 182463

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Quick update: I am heading to Djibouti now! If anyone has any specific ideas of what I should take the Djibouti that may not have already been mentioned, please let me know.

2014-07-20T13:35:27-04:00 2014-07-20T13:35:27-04:00 MSG Michael Murphy 1072294

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Take as little as possible, The CIF will insure You are equipped with Proper gear for Your area of deployment. As far as Civilian stuff the opportunity in any theater to buy s..t will always be there. A portable DVR always has been a must have

2015-10-28T15:23:54-04:00 2015-10-28T15:23:54-04:00 SPC Private RallyPoint Member 1350704

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Hard drive full of movies and tv shows.

2016-03-03T12:22:43-05:00 2016-03-03T12:22:43-05:00 SGT Private RallyPoint Member 3561629

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Ear plus and ‘breathe right’ not for u but for that bunk mate who does.. lol..

2018-04-20T13:40:22-04:00 2018-04-20T13:40:22-04:00 SGT Aric Lier 3561704

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>take yeast, fliechmans bread type is fine, have family member set up to mail ground corn ....... take a good pressure cooker remove the relief valve and insert a copper line...... have it go up 6`8 inches and then coil downward into a cool water bath.... and the end nozzle should flow up and then into a bucket....... you will make lots of friends and get anything you need!!! try running a few koolaide packs to change it up!!

2018-04-20T14:05:25-04:00 2018-04-20T14:05:25-04:00 2014-02-03T14:48:54-05:00