NEW YORK CITY — Serving far from home, few things do more to brighten the holidays for our military men and women than a care package from friends and loved ones. To make shipping military care packages easier for the holidays, New York City postal officials are recommending a free “Military Care Kit.” 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 customs forms. To order the free kit, call the U.S. Postal Service at 800-610-8734.

The Postal Service also offers a discount for packages to the military on its largest Priority Mail Flat Rate Box at $15.95. 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. Guidelines for packing, addressing, and shipping items to U.S. troops can be found on the Postal Service’s website at: https://www.usps.com/send/apo-fpo-dpo.htm.

To ensure timely delivery of holiday wishes by Dec. 25, postal officials recommend sending cards and packages to military APO/FPO/ DPO addresses overseas no later than the mailing dates listed below.

1 PMEMS is available to selected military. 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. It 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
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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