Holiday Military Shipments: A 'Priority'

Making sure those serving in the nation’s armed forces receive their holiday presents and care packages is a priority for friends and family members of military personnel serving around the world --- and for the U.S. Postal Service.

The Postal Service offers a discount on its largest Priority Mail Flat Rate box at $14.85.  The price includes a $2 per box discount for military mail being 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, or can be ordered online at shop.usps.com. Postage, labels and customs forms can be printed online anytime using Click-N-Ship.

To ensure timely delivery of holiday wishes by December 25, send cards and packages 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
APO/FPO AE ZIPs 090-092	Dec-17	Dec-10	Dec-10	Dec-3	Nov-26
APO/FPO AE ZIP 093	N/A	Dec-3	Dec-3	Dec-3	Nov-26
APO/FPO AE ZIPs 094-098	Dec-17	Dec-10	Dec-10	Dec-3	Nov-26
APO/FPO AA ZIP 340	Dec-17	Dec-10	Dec-10	Dec-3	Nov-26
APO/FPO AP ZIPs 962-966	Dec-17	Dec-10	Dec-10	Dec-3	Nov-26

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.

With Priority Mail supplies as the packaging of choice for families preparing care packages for service members overseas, the Postal Service created a free “Military Care Kit” based on the items most frequently requested by military families.  The kit contains two Priority Mail APO/FPO Flat Rate Boxes, two Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Boxes, Priority Mail tape, Priority Mail address labels, and 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-guidelines.htm.

To order flat-rate boxes featuring the “America Supports You” logo, go to store.usps.com.