Gift for a Navy Man

When my brother was in the Navy he loved to recieve home baked goodies and phone cards. You would need to buy world wide phone cards. Sam's Club and Costcousually have the best deals. He also liked hand held games and travel games. Maybe even a small mp3.

My husband is in the Air Force, and while he isn't on a submarine for months at a time, he has deployed to the desert for months at a time. I know that any type of game or movie that I could get for my husband was great. I don't know how much money you are willing to spend, or if you could maybe go in with a couple of family members on a more expensive gift, but I know that my husband really enjoyed having a PSP. He could use it on long flights to and from the desert and when he was in his tent for LONG periods of time. Also, try asking your brother-in-law if he can take a game system with him, like a playstation or an x-box. I know that space is limited, but he could have a set-up with pals that someone brings a game system that they all share, and maybe he could use some games for it...or even an attachable screen. My husband has an x-box, but didn't have a way to play it for a long time because he didn't have a t.v. to hook it up to, so I got him a screen that attaches to the actual box, so he could play and not focus on where he was.

If none of those things work, another idea could be for a digital picture frame. Pictures of family are usually their most prized possessions, and something that will rotate a bunch of pictures for him would be much appreciated I'm sure!!

Take care!!

First of all, please pass along to your brother, the gratitude of myself and my family for his service. My dad was in the Navy for 20 yrs and was away from home at one time for a year. When my dad was gone, we would send tapes back and forth of messages that we had recorded. You could have everyone in the family tell him what they have been doing or are going to be doing. I would also possibly send some of this favorite snacks. I had a boss at work that sent her (I think SIL) a huge container of cheese balls that you can get at SAMS or COSTCO. Lots of pictures is always nice as well. If he likes reading, you could get him a couple books to read during any free time he may have. If he likes word puzzles or suduko, there are puzzle books that you can get and send as well. I am sure that no matter what you send, he will be greatful as it is hard to be away from family ANYTIME but especially during the holidays.

Like Jeanne my dh is in the air force I was going to say basically what she said with one other item, card games. The guys get bored and it is great to have decks of cards. I find the clear plastic face cards at Target, they are great because they don't get ruined if someone spills a drink etc. they can get wet and clean right up, my dh loves those I always send him 2 decks so they can play canasta and other rummy games. my dh knows most of them but an idea friend had was to send rules to a bunch of the games so that they had ideas of new ways to play with the deck of cards
Simply Fun has a game called Drive that they all really enjoyed and it wasn't too large, my dh left his in Iraq so that the other airmen could keep playing it and I will send it to him again when he deploys this next year

In a similar vein to the other responses, my thought was a Nintendo DS Lite. I got one last year and love it. Very portable and tons of games. I like the brainy ones like Word Coach and Crosswords, but there are tons of other kinds, too.
Also not terribly expensive and lightweight if you need to ship. Good luck!

Look at Amazon.com at the Kindle.....
very cool!

K.,
My husband was on Subs in the Navy. These are his suggestions:If he does not have a notebook, and his eyesight is decent, take a look at some of the new sub compact notebooks that have screens less than 10 inches (diagonal). Those are very compact, have longer battery life and find nicely into tight spaces. I recommend an extra battery if it is available. Make sure a DVD Rom is included in some way.

If he is a smoker, cartons of cigarettes are like GOLD!

If he is taking an MP3 player or other electronic device that uses batteries, a big pack of batteries is a great idea (Costco has AA packs that contain 48 batteries). Rechargeable are nice, but there is no guarantee it could be used.

Digital Photo Frame filled with photos (Small ones, less than 8 inches so it can be put nearly anywhere)

Instead of a physical book, give him an electronic book that he can read on a computer. if he doesn’t have a computer get him an Electronic Book Reader (or see above about computers).

A PDA is wonderful for reading electronic books, keeping track of shifts and schedules and works as an alarm (although not a loud one). Very useful on the surface too!

Here is a silly one. Give him about 100 feet of cheap string. While the submarine is on the surface, go down below to the middle submarine and tie one end of the to the right side of the bulkhead (wall), high up (so people don’t walk into it) and the other end to the left side of the bulkhead. Then when the submarine dives deep under water (several hundred feet). Take a look at the string. 

A good pen, decent paper and envelopes, and a lot of stamps. Everyone loves receiving mail!

EVERYONE LOVES RECEIVING MAIL!!!! Get together with whomever is running the FamilyGrams lists and find out how to send message, emails, and especially written letters to him.

Midway in patrol, the ship usually comes up for air and picks up supplies and mail. Send him a goody box full of treats! Letters too. Keep in mind, mail and boxes could be opened for inspection.

Ask me more 

S.

As the wife of a submariner, I highly suggest an ipod, journal, or PSP.
Good luck and give your brother the best of wishes from all of us!

There's a keychain now that holds like 80 digital pictures. They were on sale last weekend for $10, but are usually $20. You could take a whole bunch of new pictures of everyone in the family and download them before you send it. All the other ideas are great too!

I have 2 sons in the military. Some of the the favorites are: laptop, portable DVD player with headphones, (keep mailing him new $5 DVD's),PSP, IPOD video/MP3, or on the less expensive side: digital picture keychain, travel size board games in small case, subscription to a favorite magazine, bunch of family pictures stored on DVD, or if you know someone with a DVR, record a bunch of episodes of his favorite TV shows. Good luck and please thank him for his service.

I agree about the i-pod or m-p 3 player
the capabilities are impressive. They hold video--pics--and musicit is small enough and personal too .

Go in with the fam and get an iPOD where he can watch movies and TV shows via download (or GC to the iTunes store), music, store photos etc. Its like a mini-laptop in all it can do.

my husband who was in the national guards says a small mp3 player or something simular would be a nice thing. he can download games, music, and even other things.