notes.txt

,
      "override": {
        "virtualbox-iso": {
          "execute_command": "echo 'centos'|sudo -S bash '{{.Path}}'"
        }
      }

      "virtualbox_version_file": ".vbox_version",
      "guest_additions_path": "VBoxGuestAdditions_{{.Version}}.iso",



aws ec2 import-image --cli-input-json "{\"Description\": \"centos-${centos_version}-x86_64-${build_timestamp}-disk1\",\"DiskContainers\": [{\"Description\": \"centos-${centos_version}-x86_64-${build_timestamp}-disk1\",\"UserBucket\": {\"S3Bucket\": \"${s3_bucket}\",\"S3Key\": \"centos-${centos_version}-x86_64-${build_timestamp}-disk1.vmdk\"}}]}"

packer-virtualbox-iso-1469314539-disk1.vmdk
centos-7.2.1511-x86_64-1469314539.vmdk

aws ec2 import-image --cli-input-json "{\"Description\": \"packer-virtualbox-iso-1469314539-disk1\",\"DiskContainers\": [{\"Description\": \"packer-virtualbox-iso-1469314539-disk1\",\"UserBucket\": {\"S3Bucket\": \"kettlewell-images\",\"S3Key\": \"packer-virtualbox-iso-1469314539-disk1.vmdk\"}}]}"



---------------

Should really consider creating a minimal, bare-bones image as an AMI, 
and then use packers 'amazon-ebs' builder to configure and provision new images ... 

---------------

           "scripts": [
               "scripts/console.sh",
               "scripts/disable-rhgb.sh",
               "scripts/yum_installs.sh",
               "scripts/pip_installs.sh",
               "scripts/ansible.sh",
               "scripts/ansible-deploys.sh",
               "scripts/ansible-profile.sh",
               "scripts/term-profile.sh",
               "scripts/rhel-bug-1212883.sh",
               "scripts/dracut-growpart.sh",
               "scripts/cloud-init.sh",
               "scripts/avahi-daemon.sh",
               "scripts/kdump.sh",
               "scripts/lock-root.sh",
               "scripts/cleanup.sh"
           ]

-----------

Still need to verify that the ansible deploy depot is uploaded and usable, as well as any AWS security roles that need to be applied

-----------
To integrate the amazon import process directly into Packer, you can 
use a post-processor of type amazon-import, like so:


  "post-processors": [
   {
      "type": "amazon-import",
      "region": "us-east-1",
      "s3_bucket_name": "my-bucket-name",
      "tags": {
        "Description": "packer amazon-import {{timestamp}}"
      }
    }
  ]


I may use this again, instead of using a shell script.... it does mean that you have to rebuild the entire thing from scratch,
and not as flexible as what a shell script can be, but there is a lot of simplicity here that can't be underestimated.