The days in Iraq are long and sweaty. Of course, the worst part is that the days never really end. We do not go home and come back the next day. But nothing brings a smile to a deployed soldier's face like a getting mail, especially a care package.

Lately, folks have asked me what to send troops who are deployed. While the Army provides for all of a soldier's needs, there are four general categories of items that soldiers value highly in care packages: hygiene products, snacks, entertainment and a feeling of home.

Access to hygiene products can be limited if a soldier's place of duty is not close to a post exchange, which is like the Army's Wal-Mart. Good items to send include Mach 3 refill blades, shaving cream, disposable razors, toothbrushes, dental floss, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, bar soap, hand sanitizer, baby wipes and cotton swabs. Hygiene items should not be packaged with snacks, in case of damage to the package during transit.

The Army provides food no matter where a soldier is deployed. As long as a soldier is near one, dining facilities are usually open, and the food in combat zones is quite good.

When on the move, soldiers eat prepackaged meals called Meals Ready to Eat, which are not horrible but can be repetitive. Commercial snacks are great to have on hand as a supplement. The best bets include singly packaged snack items such as cracker sandwiches, trail mix, chewing gum, granola bars, nuts, sunflower seeds or beef jerky. Single servings of drink powder such as lemonade are much desired, because drinking water can get old.

Chocolate will melt -- don't send it. The same goes for home-baked goods, which often spoil in transport.

Entertainment helps keep a soldier's mind fresh and relaxed. Books, magazines and word puzzles are great because they are portable. Few soldiers would pass up reading the latest Maxim, Men's Health, etc. Political or military books would not be good picks.

Your favorite DVDs or CDs are also appreciated, as there is no access to television or current radio releases. Other good ideas include card games, board games, dominos, phone cards and gift cards to amazon.com.

Perhaps the most helpful thing that one could send a soldier is a feeling of home. Photos of everyday life and natural landscapes remind soldiers of America -- think postcard-type shots. Posters or calendars with photos are also great ideas. Memorabilia from home states, sports teams, bobble heads or foods specific to a region are a wonderful way to bring a soldier closer to home.

The bottom line is to help a soldier feel the support. Most soldiers live in military towns and lose touch with the support of small-town America. The simple kindness of a care package can make a soldier's day and put a smile on his or her face.

Single soldiers need support the most. A single soldier may not get mail the entire year that he's gone. The saddest fellows are the ones who have no real reason to take midtour leave.

You can adopt a soldier to whom you can send care packages on a number of Web sites. operationmilitarypride.org, soldiersangels.org, adoptaussoldier.com, and www.adoptasoldiernow.org are just a few.

I promise you, they will appreciate it more than you know.

Rich Connaroe graduated from Northside High School in 2000 and Virginia Military Institute in 2004. Now a captain in the U.S. Army, Connaroe began a one-year deployment in Iraq in August. His dispatches present the experiences of U.S. soldiers in Iraq; this one was unreviewed by the U.S. military. For more, check out his blog at blogs.roanoke.com/iraq/.