Make sure your mail gets to your Marine or Soldier

Military Addressing Tips
Our troops look forward to receiving your letters and packages. That’s why it’s important to make sure your mail gets there, to the right person, in the right place.

The Department of Defense has issued the following guidelines for addressing your mail to military and civilian personnel deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Use the service member’s full name. The Department of Defense cancelled the Any Service Member program so mail must be addressed to someone specific.

Include the unit and APO/FPO (Air/Army Post Office or Fleet Post Office) address with the nine-digit ZIP Code™ (if one is assigned). Click-N-Ship® customers should be advised that the Postal Service and the Military will continue to add and update valid APO/FPO addresses for your online labels.

Include a return address.

For packages, print on one side only with the recipient’s address in the lower right portion. Or print a postage-paid label online with Click-N-Ship® which will automatically standardize your APO/FPO address if it has been added to our database. (Please note that ZIP Codes 093XX and 964XX are currently unavailable for electronic labels. We apologize for the inconvenience.)

Examples:

SSGT Kevin Taylor
Unit 2050 Box 4190
APO AP 96278-2050

SGT Robert Smith
PSC 802 Box 74
APO AE 09499-0074

Seaman Joseph Doe
USCGC Hamilton
FPO AP 96667-3931

SGT Jane Doe
CMR 1250
APO AA 09045-1000

Military Packing Tips
There are certain factors to consider when sending packages to our troops overseas. To make sure package contents arrive in good shape, take these into consideration.

Extreme Temperatures: Desert temperatures typically exceed 100 degrees.

The Box: Select a strong box with room for cushioning. On recycled boxes, cover all previous labels and markings with a heavy black marker or adhesive labels.

Cushioning: Cushion contents with Styrofoam or bubble wrap to keep items from shifting. We recommend fragile items be double boxed, with cushioning inside and between the boxes to absorb shock.

Batteries: Battery powered items will sometimes get turned on during shipment. Remove and wrap the batteries separately.

Sealing: Tape the opening of the box and reinforce all seams with 2 inch wide tape. Use clear or brown packaging tape, reinforced packing tape or paper tape. Do not use cord, string or twine.

Include a card describing the contents: Improperly wrapped packages can fall apart during shipment. Including a card inside, listing the sender’s and recipient’s addresses plus a description of the contents, helps in collecting the items.



Click here to find the 2007 Holiday Mailing Cutoff Dates for International and Military Mail