my oldest son is going back over to A-stan again and has got the whole going on the year long trips down to a packing sceince at times of what he takes does not take with him on this tours of duty ..

he has a ipad and i was wondering what to get him for the unit for this want he going to take with him for this tour instead of a laptop and all the items is needs for use overseas .

i know that he got the travel sleeve case and the dock for it ..so i was wondering what else beside the two following things on the ipad..one the ipad ins set up to replace the ipad if something happens to it over there and two a itunes gift card ..

when he needs something he will email a list of items that he wants and can not get over there and i will ship them out to him useing USPO mail service to his APO and he get them as need..

beside the normal junk food i send him along with the dvd movies and personal grooming supplies etc ..is there anything else i should send over to him for useing the ipad when he overseas..

Honestly when I go back to Afghanistan I will bring a cheap, small laptop so I can change the movies and whatnot with my iPad.

In addition I would add the following things:

- IF he is going to be at a big enough base where they have wired internet (no, not government internet but regular internet that the soldiers can pay for) like at Bagram AFB, get him an Airport Express. You set it up once at home, and then you take wired internet and plug it into this, which then plugs into a wall outlet and you have wireless internet.

- If he is taking a camera, get the camera connection kit (unless he decides to bring a laptop)

- Perhaps get the component cable out set...many soldiers, even on remote firebases like I was at, find ways to get 27" TVs and stuff from the locals.

I would probably think about screen savers and cleaning products ie screen wipes etc.... Good luck to your son and please thank him for his contribution.

I would get him a tough case like talked about in the accessories area.

Next time I deploy, I'll have the folks that want to hook me up send me iTunes gift cards.

Always great to have a stack of redeemer points handy for apps, games, and tunes..

Seems like you have the rest covered. Which branch is your son serving in?

Thanks very much to all the vets here and current active duty members for your dedication and service - it's nice to know I have fellow Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen enjoying their iPads as I'm enjoying mine.

GET SOME!

My first question would be - can he take just the iPad with him for a year -- without any kind of laptop to sync with? I've actually been thinking about this question for a while - being able to have your iPad without a laptop / desktop.

Whatever case / cover you get him - you probably should consider a nice cloth type case that zips closed so that dust is kept out.

iPad Defender Series Case // OtterBox.com This is what I was referring to help get through the rough handling an iPad would take.

as far as i know he going to the biggest base there and staying the whole year ..he in the Army G2 area .. he said this tour is stuck at the base all year long with no outside the fence time as far i know he beening stuck in a office setting ..on the last couple of tours he e-mailed me from the military email system and i use my account to email him and the other family members station around the world ..

he was talking about useing his room mate laptop to sync when need . he showed me pictures of there rooms the last time there and they had flat screen tv and dvd player in the rooms for them to watch movies

this time is a staff prostion for a year .. he tells me he basic takes a single duffle bag with him for everything else covered ..he mails himself a set of sheets and a blanket and pillows and towels from home to be use in the rooms ..he is a mustang and i think it funny for he really never thought out a life in the military .he has over 15 years in now .. he went to OCS school back in 2003 and he been at ever since .. all my kids but one went into the military ..the one that did not married a guy who was in the military and she over in Korea right now ..the rest are all over the states and the world .

If he is at the biggest base, he is going to Bagram Air Field...and you should DEFINITELY get him the Airport Express (the tough case won't be necessary for there) because the locals there run a service for like 35 bucks a month for wired internet and he can hook up the AE to his outlet in his b-hut (it's a little wooden shack basically) and get wireless.

Originally Posted by Matth3w

If he is at the biggest base, he is going to Bagram Air Field...and you should DEFINITELY get him the Airport Express (the tough case won't be necessary for there) because the locals there run a service for like 35 bucks a month for wired internet and he can hook up the AE to his outlet in his b-hut (it's a little wooden shack basically) and get wireless.

Quoted for truth. If he's going to Baghram the AE would be anise tool in the tool kit.

I haven't been there since we did a troop visit back in 2008, but it's a good place to be deployed (if you're going BOG).

Personally, I prefer my carrier deployments, but it's not like you get to pick and choose very much these days..

Best of luck to your son on his deployment.