SALT LAKE CITY – Mail Call! Two words U.S. Servicemen and women love to hear – especially during the holidays.

Ensuring those serving in the nation's armed forces and diplomatic service receive their holiday mail in time is a priority for the Postal Service, which encourages customers to mail early.

Holiday Military Shipping Deadlines

• Dec. 4 – Priority Mail and First-Class Mail to Military addresses in Iraq and Afghanistan
• Dec. 11 – Priority Mail and First-Class Mail to all other Military addresses
• Dec. 18 – USPS Priority Mail Express to Military Addresses (except Iraq and Afghanistan)

“We are prepared to meet our customers’ mailing and shipping needs during the holiday season,” said USPS Salt Lake District Manager Mike Mirides, who shared some tips for shipping to military addresses.

Order Free Military Care Kit – kit includes several Priority Mail flat-rate boxes, Priority Mail tape, customs forms and mailing labels – To order the free kit call 800-610-8734 or usps.com/ship/apo-fpo-dpo.htm.

Use large Priority Mail Flat Rate Box and receive $1.50 discount when shipping to military addresses.

Skip the Trip – Ship packages at the Post Office that never closes at USPS.com where customers can print postage-paid shipping labels and customs forms, and schedule a free package pick up the next day.

Get Info – Guidelines for packing, addressing and shipping items to U.S. troops can be found online at usps.com/ship/apo-fpo-dpo.htm.

Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, the Postal Service expects to deliver more than 900 million packages and nearly 15 billion pieces of mail – for a total of nearly 16 billion cheerful deliveries this holiday season.

The mail-by dates for international mail are fast approaching.

Holiday International Shipping Deadlines

• Dec. 1 – Priority Mail International to Africa, Central and South America
• Dec. 8 – Priority Mail International to all other countries
• Dec. 15 – Priority Mail Express International to Africa, Central and South America
• Dec. 18 to 20 – Global Express Guaranteed depending on country

Holiday Domestic Shipping Deadlines

• Dec. 3 – USPS Retail Ground
• Dec. 20 – First-Class letters and packages
• Dec. 20 – Priority Mail
• Dec. 22 – Priority Mail Express

All domestic, international and military mailing and shipping deadlines, can be found at the Postal Service Holiday Newsroom at usps.com/holidaynews.

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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