USPS

Click on box above to enlarge view of USPS deadlines for military mail for holidays. 1/ EMMS: Express Mail Military Service is available to selected military post offices. Check with your local Post Office to determine if this service is available to your APO/FPO of address. 2/ PAL: PAL is a service that provides air transportation for parcels on a space-available basis. It is available for Parcel Post items not exceeding 30 pounds in weight or 60 inches in length and girth combined. The applicable PAL fee must be paid in addition to the regular surface rate of postage for each addressed piece sent by PAL service. 3/ SAM: SAM parcels are paid at the Parcel Post postage rate with maximum weight and size limits of 15 pounds and 60 inches in length and girth combined. SAM parcels are first transported domestically by surface and then to overseas destinations by air on a space-available basis.

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Holiday gifts from home are a big morale boost for military service members stationed around the world. To help the families and friends of military personnel, the Postal Service is offering a discount on its largest priority mail flat-rate box, according to a prepared release Friday by Yvonne Kelley of the U.S. Postal Service.

Mail sent to overseas military addresses is charged domestic mail prices and the domestic mail price for the largest flat-rate priority mail box is $12.95, but for packages to APO/FPO addresses, the price is reduced to only $10.95, according to Kelley's prepared release.

Flat-rate boxes come in three sizes and are free at all local post offices or they can be ordered online at usps.com. Postage, labels and customs forms can be printed online any time using Click-N-Ship at www.usps.com/clicknship.

“Flat-Rate Priority Mail boxes offer the best bargain in holiday shipping,” said Postmaster John Terrazas.

“The contents can be any weight for one low rate. If it fits, it ships,” he said.

The U.S. Postal Service continues to show its support by offering free Military Care Kits, designed specifically for military families sending packages overseas. The mailing kits can be ordered by phone by calling 1-800-610-8734 and asking for the care kit. Each kit includes two priority mail boxes, six priority mail flat-rate boxes, eight priority mail labels, one roll of priority mail tape and eight customs forms with envelopes.

“The best support for the troops this holiday season is a gift that’s on time, so mail before the deadline,” Terrazas advises.

To ensure delivery of holiday cards and packages by Dec. 25 to military APO/FPO addresses overseas, the U.S. Postal Service recommends that mail for service members be entered no later than Dec. 4 for priority mail and first-class letters or cards sent to APO/FPO AE ZIP code 093 and no later than Dec. 11 for all others.

Mail addressed to military post offices overseas is subject to certain conditions or restrictions regarding content, preparation and handling. APO/FPO addresses generally require customs forms. To see a table of active APO and FPO addresses and mailing restrictions by individual APO/FPO ZIP Codes, go to pe.usps.com and click “Postal Bulletins” in the left column. Select the current issue and look for the heading “Overseas Military Mail.”

More information is available at your nearest post office location.