BY: NILUFER LEUTHOLD
Sending care packages and letters are amazing ways to support your servicemembers while he or she is deployed. Before or after servicemembers deploy, they are given the deployment location address to share with their spouses. The address doesn’t include any street, city, or country due to security reasons.
The first step for sending a care package is to contact USPS for a free military shipping kit that includes 4 different sizes of flat rate boxes, priority mail tape, address labels, and custom forms. Please check the following links for detailed information:
The next step is to check if there are any restrictions or limitations on the items that you wish to mail out. You can call the postal office for a list of limitations by country. Then, personalize the box that you wish to send, by decorating the inside of the box (not the outside) with holiday themes, anniversary themes, birthday themes etc.
Depending on where your servicemember is located, he or she might have different wishes on what should go in a package. Some may appreciate necessities such as shampoo, body wash, deodorant, sunscreen, chapstick, etc. You can also add some books, magazines, board games.
You can send your servicemember pictures of you, the kids, pets, or the house. Bake some of their favorite yummies or buy them their favorite snacks that are non-perishable. Send them a T-shirt of you that you wore lately.
Once you are happy with your package, secure it with tape (the post office can help you as well). Lastly, fill in custom forms and address labels and head to the post office.
You can check out Pinterest for care package ideas.
How to address APO, FPO, or DPO shipping label;
First write the name of the recipient with rank/grade for APO and FPO. Do not include recipient’s title for DPO.
Write the unit name and number for street on the form, APO, FPO, or DPO is the city. AA, AE, or AP for state.
AA (Armed Forces Americas)
AE (Armed Forces Europe)
AP (Armed Forces Pacific)
Last, just write USA for country and DO NOT write the name of deployment country.
Please check the following link for detailed information;
Happy mailing!
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