I would pre-stage a bunch of care packages for yourself, so you can call home and get a replacement for whatever it is you wore out.
When I was in Iraq I really appreciated:
Leather work gloves. You can find nomex gloves there, but not leather ones, and nomex wears out easily. Costco sells 3-packs of really good gloves.
Sun/Safety glasses. You need eye protection, and I hated the Wiley-X glasses we got issued. I go with amber/grey safety glasses from Home Depot.
Goggles. Since I hate the Wiley-X, I bought ESS goggles. (most poeple seem to really like Wiley-X, though)
Multi-tool.
Knife. I love my spyderco military model.
Laptop that plays DVDs. I bought a beater for $300 to take with me. Video games and movies really helped make time go by faster, and with a wireless card I didn't have to wait in line at the MWR.
Load-bearing gear & knee/elbow pads. Some peopel like the issue gear, I bought my own. Pads are great for all sorts of work.
Books. I had a tough time finding books I was interested in. Westerns and romance novels were plentiful. Good scifi was not. God bless amazon.com
Polypro neck/head warmer was one of the best buys I made over there. It kept me from freezing, and it makes a great blindfold when you are trying to catch some Zs. I still use it all the time.
Helmet Liner. I bought an aftermarket one, since the Seabees still issue us the old crappy ones. If you don't get a newer model then this is well worth the money.
You can get any toiletries you need over there, so don't bother taking much. Bringing a brick of baby wipes is a waste, although none of the ones I bought in theatre were as good as Costco brand.
I got 6 months worth of Claritin for $15 at costco, which is two small bottles.
Don't bother with US phone cards.
If you do have a laptop and a net connection, then you can use IP phone software if you buy a headset. Haji stores on base sell them.
Movies are cheap and prevalent, but music is not. A large BX will have CDs, but it's all top-40 crap.
When I go back I will pack a lot lighter, knowing that I can get small stuff like batteries, towels, and toiletries over there. Some guys brought camp stools, but they were cheaper to buy in Iraq. Go light.
Iraqis do love cheap sunglasses. Makes them feel like a bigshot. Small gifts to give to / trade with locals are a good idea. Arabs like to give gifts, but expect it to be reciprocal eventually.
Good socks. I recommend Thorlos.
Heck yeah. I especially love their 'combat boot' model. I scoffed at the idea of buying a $12 pair of sox, but the first time I put one on it was heaven. My best buddy swears by the thinner ones, but spending too much time deployed with jarheads has warped his judgement.
