If I may speak from expierence here, the care packages and "thank you's" are very much appreciated. When I was in Desert Storm and in Iraqi Freedom, it always amazed me what the public would do for Soldiers. In Iraq, there are quite alot of Soldiers who don't get any mail at all...none. We would get care packages about once a month, usually about 10-15 of them, we always made sure they went to the Soldiers who didn't recieve any mail. It would always bring big smiles to their faces, kinda like Christmas time. It doesn't matter what you donate, DVD's, CD's, pens, paper, candy, magazines, whatever, it will definatly be well recieved and cherished. A few suggestions I have, if you buy phone cards, make sure they are AT&T global phone cards, they are the only ones that can be used there. Don't bother buying stamps, mail is free for deployed soldiers, and most importantly, don't send chocalate or anything else that will melt, because it will melt, trust me!
But honestly folks, it's just such an awesome feeling when you get mail in combat. Sometimes when you are over there you think that the outside world has forgotten about you. And when you get that once piece of mail, it turns your whole week around.
On behalf of the Army, I thank you for all that you do.