USPS offers timely tips for sending holiday mail to deployed military members

What:

Serving our nation abroad during the holidays is an honorable duty and the mail is a great way to stay connected with family and friends by sending them cards, presents and care packages during this festive time of year.

Who:

USPS Representatives Linda Neill and Kevin Vines with advice on ordering Military Mail Kits, shipping deadlines and packaging tips.

When:

November 23rd , 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Where:

Fort Carson Post Office Lobby, 1611 McDonald St. Colorado Springs CO 80913

Other Information:

Military Discount on Largest Flat-Rate Priority Mail Box
To send packages to friends and loved ones serving in the military and diplomatic posts abroad, the Postal Service offers a discounted price of $17.40 on its largest Priority Mail Flat Rate Box. The price includes a $1.50 per box discount for mail sent to APO/FPO/DPO (Air/Army Post Office/Fleet Post Office/Diplomatic Post Office) destinations worldwide.

Free Shipping Supplies
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
• Four 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 store.usps.com/store/product/shipping-supplies/military-care-kit-P_MILITARYKIT.

To be sure, check the specific destination with www.usps.com, which also includes packaging tips, prohibited items and other custom’s requirements.

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 JANE DOE
PSC 3 BOX 4120
APO AE 09021

Fleet Post Office (FPO)
SEAMAN JOSEPH SMITH
UNIT 100100 BOX 4120
FPO AP 96691

Diplomatic Post Office (DPO)
MELANIE ADAMS
UNIT 8400 BOX 0000
DPO 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

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