Military Postage

[Shotgun Jeremy]

Hey guys, when I was in Kuwait, I'm pretty sure we were able to mail home letters with free postage, and I THINK people could send mail to our FPO/APO (I don't remember which one is which) with free postage as well.

Now, my nephew is in Germany and I want to send him a package and the UPS office is telling me the cheapest rate is close to $100 for a 3 lb box, and regular cards aren't much cheaper. Is there a way to get mail out to military bases at a discount? I'm sure that free mail deal was probably due to the war, but damn...there's got to be a way to lower that postage some.

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[Burke]

flat rate boxes… APO addresses with zip codes ship just the same

 

[Shotgun Jeremy]

I'll go ask about that at the post office tomorrow. I'd rather send them a little reminder of Texas rather than just put money in thier account.

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[TXDARKHORSE361]

Letters shipped free from a combat zone but not to, packages were not free either way either. That being said if it is an FPO or APO address there should be a flat rate fee.

 

[Shotgun Jeremy]

Ok, that's what it must have been - the combat zone thing. I talked with the post office today, and he explained the flat rate box, but it still may be as high as $35. That's still better than close to $100 like the ups store suggested.

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[majormadmax]

APO/FPO to APO/FPO is also free for both letters and packages (I think you just mark 'MPS' where the stamp goes, but it's been a few years since I've done so)

But all the APO/FPO system does is save the sender the cost of shipping overseas. Back when I first joined the military, everything was address to "APO, NY" for Europe and the Middle East, and "FPO, SF" for the Pacific.

More info...

https://www.usps.com/ship/apo-fpo-dpo.htm

http://lifelessonsmilitarywife.com/?p=510

Cheers! M2

 

[shortround]

I only sent care packages to troops in Afghanistan or Iraq in USPS priority mail boxes marked for such use. USPS had a "flat rate" regardless of weight when sent to an APO/FPO in those areas of operation.

Be well.

 

[TXDARKHORSE361]

APO/FPO to APO/FPO is also free for both letters and packages (I think you just mark 'MPS' where the stamp goes, but it's been a few years since I've done so)

But all the APO/FPO system does is save the sender the cost of shipping overseas. Back when I first joined the military, everything was address to "APO, NY" for Europe and the Middle East, and "FPO, SF" for the Pacific.

More info...

https://www.usps.com/ship/apo-fpo-dpo.htm

http://lifelessonsmilitarywife.com/?p=510

Cheers! M2

I've never sent packages APO/FPO to APO/FPO just to or from the states but I know when I mailed letters home while I was in Afghanistan we were told to write "free" in the spot you'd normally put a stamp.

 

[robertc1024]

Dang Jeremy - I sent a box to a friend in Korea to an APO address. It was normal shipping with a LONG delivery - no where near $100, but the $35 seems about what I paid.

 

[majormadmax]

I've never sent packages APO/FPO to APO/FPO just to or from the states but I know when I mailed letters home while I was in Afghanistan we were told to write "free" in the spot you'd normally put a stamp.

When I returned to Germany from Bosnia I put everything I could in boxes and MPS'd them back to Ramstein. The next day I flew home, and the day after that they were waiting for me in my APO box. They were on on the same C-130 I was!