Give Thanks to our Troops!
Learn how to make your paracord bracelet, request a shipping label and find other important information listed below! We can't thank you enough!
- A guest post from Operation Gratitude’s Special Projects Coordinator and Paracord Team Leader, Kelly South
I receive hundreds of emails every month asking countless questions, and I wanted to not only answer the most common questions, but also some others you may not have thought of.
One of the main questions we get is if we still need bracelets, and the answer is a resounding YES!
We want to put a bracelet in each and every care package that goes out the door, and that is quite a task, since we send 100,000+ care packages per year. Since we can’t do this alone, we need you to keep working and sending your bracelets in.
The other questions we get are directed to bracelet-making specifics, and I will hopefully cover them all right now.
So here we go!
A Simple Piece of Rope...
Many people don’t understand how important a paracord bracelet is, and it’s not just about how they are used in an emergency.
Most commanders allow our troops to wear our bracelets with their uniforms, and that’s a rare exception to the uniform code. Troops tell us that every time they look at their bracelets they have a feeling of home. They smile a bit longer, breathe a bit easier, and they know in that moment, that they are not forgotten.
It’s hard to imagine that a simple piece of rope can be that important, but it truly can. It isn’t just a simple piece of rope. It’s a piece of the person who made it, the group that decided to send them in, and a reminder that we are here for them. It seems so simple, and yet, it means so much.
As you make your bracelets, picture a Marine, a Soldier, a Sailor, or an Airman standing in front of you. Think of the smile you just created, and the pride with which it will be worn.
Believe that the time you spend making each bracelet is far beyond what you had intended, and for that, know that you have their thanks as well as mine.
- Make Your Care Kit
Care Kit Examples
Elements Care Kit
This Care Kit is ideal for troops that will be in need of relief from cold weather, mosquitos, and other uncomfortable environments. The average cost to build one (1) Elements Care Kit as defined below is $9.00.
- 1 Travel Size Hand Sanitizer (2oz)
- 1 Travel Size Mouthwash (1.2oz)
- 1 Travel Size Sunscreen (1oz)
- 1 Travel Size Body Powder (1oz)
- All Purpose Wipes (30 wipe pack)
- Insect Repelling Band or Wipes
- Hand and/or Toe Warmers
- Gallon Size Freezer Bag
Hygiene Care Kit
(6 ITEMS)
Deployed troops may not always have access to a store or even water. Hygiene Kits are great for anyone deployed overseas.
- 25 count: All-Purpose Wipes vs. other wipes for face and hands
- Travel Sized Tissue
- Travel Sized Q-Tips
- 1 Disposable Razor - individually packed
- 3 fl. oz. Shower Gel (can be used for shaving)
- 2 fl. oz. Mouthwash
- Gallon Size Freezer Bag
Patrol Care Kit
These are ideal for troops that will be away from base for generally 2 days. The average cost to build one (1) Patrol
Care Kit as defined below is $8.00.
- Shower or Body Wipes
- 1 Disposable Razor
- 1 Travel Size Deodorant (0.5oz)
- 1 Travel Size Hand Sanitizer (2oz)
- 1 Travel Size Lotion (1oz)
- 1 Travel Size Mouthwash (1.2oz)
- 1 Travel Size Nail Clippers/Emery Boards(0.5oz)
- Gallon Size Freezer Bag
Please don't forget to fill out and include your donor form with details about who you are and what you are sending so that your Care Kit recipient can personally thank YOU!
If you need another form you can print out by clicking the button below
