Ensuring those serving in the nation’s armed forces and diplomatic service receive their presents, care packages and cards in time for the holidays is a priority for the U.S. Postal Service and for friends and family members of military and diplomatic personnel serving their country around the world.
To send packages to loved ones serving in the military abroad,
the Postal Service offers a discounted price of $16.75 on its largest Priority
Mail Flat Rate Box. The price includes a $2 per box discount for mail sent to
APO/FPO/DPO (Air/Army Post Office/Fleet Post Office/Diplomatic Post Office)
destinations worldwide.
Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes are available at no cost at local Post Offices and online at shop.usps.com. Postage, labels and customs forms can be printed online anytime using Click-N-Ship at usps.com/ship.
To ensure timely delivery of holiday wishes by Dec. 25, the
Postal Service recommends that cards and packages be sent to military
APO/FPO/DPO addresses overseas no later than the mailing dates listed below.
Military Mail Addressed
To and From
|
Priority Mail Express
Military Service (PMEMS)1
|
First-Class Mail
Letters
and
Cards
|
Priority Mail
|
Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL)2
|
Space Available
Mail (SAM)3
|
USPS Retail Ground
|
APO/FPO/DPO
AE ZIPs 090-092
|
Dec 16
|
Dec 09
|
Dec 09
|
Dec 02
|
Nov 25
|
Nov 07
|
APO/FPO/DPO
AE ZIP 093
|
N/A
|
Dec 02
|
Dec 02
|
Dec 02
|
Nov 25
|
Nov 07
|
APO/FPO/DPO
AE ZIPs 094-098
|
Dec 16
|
Dec 09
|
Dec 09
|
Dec 02
|
Nov 25
|
Nov 07
|
APO/FPO/DPO
AA ZIP 340
|
Dec 16
|
Dec 09
|
Dec 09
|
Dec 02
|
Nov 25
|
Nov 07
|
APO/FPO/DPO
AP ZIPs 962-966
|
Dec 16
|
Dec 09
|
Dec 09
|
Dec 02
|
Nov 25
|
Nov 07
|
1 PMEMS is available to selected military/diplomatic Post Offices. Check with your local Post Office to determine if this service is available to an APO/FPO/DPO address.
2 PAL is a service that provides air transportation for parcels on a space-available basis. PAL is available for Standard Post items not exceeding 30 pounds in weight or 60 inches in length and girth combined. The applicable PAL fee must be paid in addition to the regular surface price for each addressed piece sent by PAL service.
3 SAM parcels are paid at Standard Post prices with maximum weight and size limits of 15 pounds and 60 inches in length and girth combined. SAM parcels are first transported domestically by surface and then to overseas destinations by air on a space-available basis.
Use
the Military Care Kit to Send Presents and Care Packages
The
Postal Service has created a free Military Care Kit based on the items most
frequently requested by military families. The kit contains:
•
Two
Priority Mail APO/FPO/DPO Flat Rate Boxes
•
Two
Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Boxes• Priority Mail tape
• Priority Mail address labels
• Appropriate customs forms
To
order the kit, call 800-610-8734. Guidelines for packing, addressing and
shipping items to U.S. troops can be found at usps.com/ship/apo-fpo-dpo.htm. To order Flat-Rate
Boxes featuring the “America Supports You” logo, go to usps.com/freeboxes.
Addressing the Package
• Write the service member’s full name
• Include the unit and APO/FPO/DPO address with the 9-digit ZIP Code (if one is assigned). For example:
Army/Air Post Office (APO)
PFC
JOHN DOE PSC 3 BOX 4120APO AE 09021
Fleet Post Office (FPO)
SEAMAN JOSEPH SMITH
UNIT 100100 BOX 4120
FPO AP 96691
Diplomatic Post Office (DPO)
JOHN
ADAMS UNIT 8400 BOX 0000DPO AE 09498-0048
• Do not write the country name where the service member is stationed in the address
• Include a return address
• Inside the box, include the service member’s name and address as well as the sender’s name and address on an index card in case the shipping label gets damaged in transit
Domestic mailing deadlines are as
follows:
USPS
Retail Ground
|
First-Class
Mail
|
Priority
Mail
|
Priority
Mail Express
|
Dec
15
|
Dec
20
|
Dec
21
|
Dec
23
|
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