- HEAT: Desert temperatures exceed 100 degrees. If you want to send a care
package, make it only food items or only non-food items. You don't want to know how even well-sealed cookies taste when they have lived together in the
same package with bath soap for weeks at a time in extreme heat.
If that's not possible, put anything that could leak, melt or has a scent double or triple-bagged in a zipper-style bag. It may not prevent the spread of scents entirely, but it will help.
- PADDING: Fill all spaces with foam peanuts, bubble wrap or popcorn. Or use current newspapers as padding, it doubles as a unique way of keeping troops in the loop. Close and shake the box. If it rattles, add more cushioning to keep items from shifting.
- HAZARDS: DO NOT SEND pressurized or aerosol items (such as shaving cream; this includes silly string - a popular requested item), chocolates (they'll be soup in the desert), pornographic materials, alcohol, bulk religious materials or pork or items with pork by-products.
- BATTERIES: Be sure to remove and wrap any batteries separately. Sometimes a battery powered item such as a radio or electric razor will turn itself on during shipment, and arrive to its recipient depleted.
- CONTENTS CARD: Occasionally improperly wrapped packages fall apart during shipment. Including a card inside the package that lists the sender's and recipient's information along with a description of the contents helps in collecting items that have fallen open during processing.
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The Box
- Use a sturdy, box and cover all previous labels and markings with a heavy black marker or opaque, adhesive labels.
- Double tape all seams with strong packing tape like clear or brown packaging tape, reinforced packing tape or paper tape.
- Don't use cord, string or twine because it can get tangled up in the sorting equipment and possibly destroy the package.
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Addressing tips
- Do not include the country or the base camp's city, because it might be routed through the host country's mail system.
- Include your complete return address. Packages without return addresses might be discarded.
- "Any Service Member" discontinued- The Department of Defense discontinued the program so do not address any packages that way; they will not be delivered. Visit Defend America for officially approved programs.
- Mail must be addressed to an individual or job title such as "Commander," "Commanding Officer."
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Shipping tips
- Don't send more than 5 boxes to any single address at one time. Most units can't manage a deluge of packages, and it's especially hard on the soldiers to hand out more than this at a time. If you have a really large shipment, spread out the shipping over about 5-7 days at a time, about 5 packages to each address.
- If you send insured or registered, Soldiers have to go to their base camp to get these items and they may not go there very often at all, but this depends on the unit. This is a difficult call, however. Before you send something expensive, we recommend that you ask the folks you are sending to what they suggest. Every unit faces a different situation. However, if it is expensive, insure it!
- When shipping a package to an APO or FPO address, you must fill out a customs form. Get one at your post office or online here: USPS Customs Forms.
- On the bottom right hand side of your form you will see "Senders Instructions in Case of Non-delivery." You can check Return to Sender, or better still, you can write "Chaplain at Same" and if your care package cannot be delivered to your troop, the package will go to the Chaplain who will give it to someone who doesn't get mail or care packages.
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Military Mail restrictions
All applicable restrictions for about 3,000 overseas military ZIP Codes are entered into the United States Postal Service® computer terminals and published in the Postal Bulletin .
Or, for specific restrictions to an APO/FPO location, you can call
1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) or consult your local Post Office.
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Get a Free USPS Military Care Package Kit
USPS® has created a "Mili-kit" comprised of the most frequently requested items.
The kit contains:
3 flat rate boxes O-FRB1 and O-FRB2
2 Cube boxes OBOX7
8 # 228 Address labels
1 # 106-A Address label
8 Customs FORM 2976-A
8 Customs FORM 2976-E
To request a kit: Call 1-800-610-8734
Choose option 1 (it states it is for Express Mail® service, Priority Mail or Global Express Guaranteed®).
When you reach a live agent, request CAREKIT04.
Please allow 7-10 days for delivery.
Note: These are free supplies, postage must be affixed.
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Look for some
suggested items to send yourself or shop with the merchants below who send to military addresses.
Join Memolink and earn points when you shop at these merchants and many others.
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