Transitioning out of the military is a major life event, but while service members are still deployed overseas, programs that support morale remain just as important. One of those programs is HeroBox, a nonprofit organization that sends care packages to deployed troops around the world.

For service members on long deployments, mail call can be one of the most anticipated moments of the week. Receiving a package from home—even from someone you’ve never met—can be a powerful reminder that people back home appreciate their service.

HeroBox care packages typically include snacks, hygiene items, entertainment items, and personal notes of encouragement. While the items themselves are useful, the real value often comes from the message behind them: someone took the time to send support.

Service members open HeroBox care packages aboard USS Nimitz (CVN-68) during deployment, December 2013. Photo by Christopher Elder / Mil2Vet.

Programs like HeroBox exist because members of the public want to support those serving overseas but may not know how. HeroBox helps bridge that gap by allowing people to nominate deployed service members to receive care packages.

If you know someone currently deployed, you can register them to receive a HeroBox package through the organization’s website.

Register a deployed service member:

https://herobox.org

Small gestures like these can have a big impact. For many deployed service members, receiving a care package during a long deployment can boost morale and strengthen the connection between those serving overseas and the communities they represent back home.

Programs like HeroBox remind us that even when service members are thousands of miles away, they are never truly serving alone.