Published: November 18, 2008 12:30 am         

Deadlines for holiday packages nearing

Deadlines to mail holiday packages to men and women overseas are quickly approaching.

To send packages through Space Available Mail, Friday is the deadline to reach troops stationed overseas in Air/Army Post Office (APO) and Fleet Post Office (FPO) AE zip code 093. The deadline for zip codes AE 090-092, AE 094-098, AA 340 and AP 962-966 is Nov. 28.

For Parcel Airlift Mail: Dec. 1 is the deadline for APO/FPO AE zip code 093; Dec. 4 is the deadline for AE 090-092, AE 094-098, AA 340 and AP 962-966.

For Priority Mail and first-class mail for letters and cards: Dec. 4 is the deadline for AE 093; Dec. 11 is the deadline for AE 090-092, AE 094-098, AA 340 and AP 962-966.

For Express Mail Military Service: Dec. 18 is the deadline for AE 090-092, AE 094-098, AA 340 and AP 962-966. The deadline for AE 093 is not available.

“Mail is a great morale booster for our soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen and Coast Guardsmen during the holidays,” said Peggy Keaton, Lebanon postmaster. “When they see packages or letters waiting for them, it brings them much closer to family and the comforts of home.”

All packages and mail must be addressed to individual service members, as required by the U.S. Department of Defense regulations.

“We cannot accept any mail addressed to ‘any service member,’” Keaton said.

The Department of Defense has issued the following guidelines for addressing mail to anyone deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom: Use the service member’s full name; include the unit and APO/FPO address with the nine-digit zip code; include a return address; print only on one side of packages.

Those sending packages overseas should also take the following into consideration: extreme desert temperature that normally exceeds 100 degrees; select a strong box with room for cushioning inside; remove and wrap batteries separate as items may get turned on during shipment; reinforce all seams of the box with two-inch wide tape; include a card describing all contents and recipient’s name and address, as sometimes wrapped packages can fall apart during shipping.

The Military Care Kit, or Mili-kit, may also make it easier for family and friends to send holiday packages to service members overseas. The kit contains three flat-rate boxes, two cube boxes, nine address labels and 16 customs forms. The kit may be ordered by calling the United States Postal Service Expedited Package Supply Center at 1 (800) 610-8734. There is no charge for the kit.

Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes included in the kit can be shipped to any APO/FPO in the world, regardless of weight, for $10.95 when purchased at a post office retail counter or $10.50 when puchased online at www.usps.com.

Nov. 13 was the deadline to send holiday packages to troops stationed overseas using Parcel Post to all APO/FPO zip codes.

For more information, contact the USPS at (765) 482-2630.

     

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