Overseas care packages can be costly

MILWAUKEE – As kindhearted and patriotic supporters of U.S. troops are learning, generosity has its price. The cost is about a buck a pound.

Business firms, hospitals, schools and police are among those who have experienced the sticker shock of sending packages to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

And, as in any mission, those who plan ahead tend to suffer the fewest casualties.

Campaigns that have worked hard for cash donations to ship the gathered goods are reaching their goals, while others that lack money have become bogged down, with donated supplies sitting in storage.

Dennis Mehring, public information officer for the 440th Airlift Wing in Milwaukee, said he gets at least two calls daily from groups that have collected goods and want to know if the unit’s cargo planes can haul their packages to the troops for free.

The Airlift Wing transports troops and supplies to bases throughout the world, including the Arabian war zones.

“There’s not a lot we can do for them,” he said. “Federal law does not allow us to take these goods overseas. It’s considered unfair competition with civilian carriers. And we simply don’t have the room in our planes.”

One effort that’s managed to stay on top of its shipping costs is Marshall Towne Millwork of Brookfield, Wis., a maker of kitchen, bathroom and storage cabinets.

“If you’re going to do a big drive, you’d better get cooperation from local businesses to handle shipping costs,” said Victor Aiello, the firm’s area sales manager. “There’s a lot of support in the communities for troops, and when word gets out about a drive, people are giving.

“However, the postage is significant – about a buck a pound. If organizers on the front end ask for cash for shipping, I’m confident there’d be a willing response,” he said.