Spreading holiday cheer to military personnel
Shipping to our soldiers this holiday season? There are certain considerations, like cutoff dates and addressing best practices, that you’ll want to keep in mind when working with military mail. Here’s a few things you should know if shipping to APO/FPO/DPO addresses this holiday season.
Discounts are available
To send packages to those serving in the military abroad, the United States Postal Service (USPS) 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 destinations worldwide. You can get free Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes from USPS (at the post office or online) and also from the Endicia Online Supplies Store.
Pay attention to deadlines
To make sure your holiday wishes arrive on time, USPS suggests cards and packages destined for APO/FPO/DOP address overseas are sent by the following dates listed below:
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. Note that deadlines for mailing to specific APO/FPO/DPO ZIP Codes vary according to the specific classes of mail.
| Military Mail Addressed To/From | Priority Mail Express Military™ Service (PMEMS) 1 | First-Class Mail® Letters and Cards | PriorityMail® | Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL) 2 | Space Available Mail (SAM) 3 | Retail Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 090-092 | Dec. 16 | Dec. 9 | Dec. 9 | Dec. 2 | Nov. 25 | Nov. 7 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIP 093 | N/A | Dec. 2 | Dec. 2 | Dec. 2 | Nov. 25 | Nov. 7 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 094-098 | Dec. 16 | Dec. 9 | Dec. 9 | Dec. 2 | Nov. 25 | Nov. 7 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AA ZIP 340 | Dec. 16 | Dec. 9 | Dec. 9 | Dec. 2 | Nov. 25 | Nov. 7 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AP ZIPs 962-966 | Dec. 16 | Dec. 9 | Dec. 9 | Dec. 2 | Nov. 25 | Nov. 7 |
How to address mail and packages
When addressing a card or package, you’ll want to write the service member’s full name and include the unit and APO/FPO/DPO address with the 9-digit ZIP code (if assigned). For example:
| Army Post Office (APO) | Fleet Post Office (FPO) | Diplomatic Post Office (DPO) |
|---|---|---|
| PFC JOHN DOE PSC 3 BOX 4120 APO AE 09201 | SEAMAN JOSEPH SMITH UNIT 100100 BOX 4120 FPO AP 96691 | JOHN ADAMS UNIT 8400 BOX 0000 DPO AE 09498-0048 |
Don’t forget to include your return address, and don’t write the country name where the service member is stationed in the address. It’s a good idea to write the service member’s name and address, along with the sender’s name and address, on a piece of paper inside the package in case the shipping label is lost or damaged in transit.
Care package inspiration
Visit The Savvy Shipper to learn about the top 7 essential items to include in military care packages.
