BOXES (and other supplies you will need):
You don’t have to pack in the flat rate priority boxes you get from the post office, but it is simpler—and with the exception of those on the East Coast in the same mailing zone as the Army Post Office zipcode, it is cheaper to use priority flat rate boxes.
We have to send all our care packages by USPS priority mail as the Army relies on the U.S. Air mail Carriers to do the initial security screening for them. Packages sent any other way can be delayed by months.
You pay at the time of mailing the flat rate priority boxes.
Currently the cost is $8.95 regardless of weight for the 11 x 8 1/2 x 5 1/2” size, as long as the box is squarely shut, and not bulging.
The cost of the new 12 x 12 x 5 /12” flat rate priority boxes is $10.95 when mailed to an APO address, regardless of weight, and $11.95 to U.S. addresses. Postal rates are supposedly going up in May, but the new rates aren’t known yet.
To order 25 flat rate priority boxes (11x8x5 or 12x12x5) delivered to your home free within 10 days, call 1-800-527-1950 before 5 pm EST Mon-Fri.
Also you will need customs forms from the post office, one for each box. It’s a good idea to get one or two extra in case you mess one up.
You will need a wide roll of clear packing/shipping tape. The stronger tapes are much easier to use (brand names Scotch and Duck) and a roll of strapping tape is nice. Walmart carries a roll of Scotch wide strapping tape on a red plaster roller with a cutting edge for around $2.49.
To prepare your box for packing you need to open it (as it comes flat) and check which is the bottom side so you can tape it shut (as squarely as you are able), small flaps inside, large flaps outside for the 11x8 box and all flaps are equal size on the 12x12 box. The top has a place for the address label printed with TO: destinataire.
This is hard to do by yourself without getting the tape stuck to itself, so you may want to ask for help for someone to hold the bottom flaps squarely against each other before taping it along the seam, no overlap, and as little gap as you can manage.
Cut a piece of tape and hold it ready, and put it down and seal the bottom while someone holds the flaps square against each other, steadying the box on the unfolded flaps of the top side of box, which is steadied on the table or floor where you are working.
You don’t have to overlap the end of the box with the tape much, as this is a holder piece of tape, so when you cut this piece, estimate it as a few inches longer than the box length. You’ll be sealing up the whole box all around later for final strengthening of these flap closures.
(After taping the bottom, I turn the box over and estimate and cut off one at a time pieces of tape to seal the inside bottom flaps down (two flap edges in the 11x8 box and one flap edge in the 12x12 box) I’m in an agricultural area and keeping spiders out is a challenge.
Be sure your contents are listed somewhere (on a piece of paper or on the customs form) before you close and seal each box.
Be sure the top flaps close squarely and level without bulging up and without much gap before you seal them shut as you did the bottom.
Before doing any more taping, label the box.
You can label it with a preprinted form that has the return address on the form, or you can put your return address (handwritten or a little address sticker) in the upper left hand corner of the top of the 12x12x5 box or above the “TO: Destinataire” where it says “From: Expediteur” on the 11x8x5 box.
NOTE: if you are not using address labels for your return address, you will have to write yours in before you seal the top of the 11x8x5 box.
In the lower right hand corner of the 11x8x5 box, use a dark pen or black felt pen (especially for the APO AE number), and starting above and just to the left of the TO: write the name and APO address you have been given.
In the lower middle of the 12x12x5 box the labeling is ridiculous:
I have just ignored the labels and put the person’s name beginning with their rank in the first line, their unit identification in the next line (which is labeled “rank”) and the location identification as FOB, COP or Camp WhateverItIs in the third line labeled “military organization”. In the last line with the little boxes for the APO AE zipcode, don’t fret if you don’t have the extra four digits of the zipcode. Most APO zipcodes in the war zones don’t have the extra 4 digits.
Take your wide roll of clear tape and cover the return address and the recipient address with clear tape, to prevent smearing and damage in the mail.
If there is food in the box, we also now seal all the sides of the flaps top and bottom with tape to prevent insects and liquid getting in and make it harder to tamper with the package. It’s probably a good idea to do this regardless of contents.
You can use the same wide clear tape (or a strapping tape if you have it) to do the final sealing for strength to prevent breaking open in the mail. These two final seals are both all away around in the middle both ways, like ribbon on a gift package, for the 11x8x5 box, and creatively offset to the left of the APO address label area for the 12x12x5 box. If you are strapping a bigger box, then consider using two separate ribbons of tape around the top, and even one horizontally around the side of the box, depending on the weight inside and the strength of the box.
NOTE that light weight items may go cheaper in a non flat rate box, but that larger sized boxes are penalized now regardless of how light the box is.
The oversized rate applies to pieces that measure over 108 inches but not more than 130 inches in combined length and girth.
Parcels that weigh less than 20 pounds but measure more than 84 inches (but not more than 108 inches) in combined length and girth are charged the applicable rate for a 20-pound parcel (balloon rate).
PACKING TIPS:
1. cardboard cans (like drink mix powder and nuts come in) can break open around the bottom/top where it is sealed to the metal bottom. You need to reinforce them with wide packing tape.
2. Powders, etc need to be placed in ziplock bags so they don’t contaminate other items if they leak.
3. Don’t pack food or mouth care products with anything that can contaminate it if it breaks or leaks.
4. VHS movies: Sand is a problem with VCR machines in Iraq, so we are no longer sending VHS movies there. If you want to send a DVD movie, please check with patriciaruth for the Masterlist of what has already been sent or requested.
5. POPCORN:
Packing the bags of microwave popcorn is easier if you remove from the boxes or cartons they come in. Generally you can get a carton of 28 bags of microwave popcorn in a 5x8x11 flat rate priority box if you pack this way.
If you want, you can line the box with a garbage bag and pack your bags of popcorn inside the bag and then tie the bag. The bags of popcorn come in their own cellophane sealed bags, so this is just belt and suspenders if you do this.
You can fit 3 stacks of popcorn bags in each 5x8x11 box. If you check which long edge of the microwave bags have the most kernels settled in them, and you alternate these sides, then you can make eight bags in a stack. Any extras you have can be shoved down between the stacks.
IF YOU WANT you can put some bonus treat in the small hole left in one corner after packing your box. But DON’T put anything liquid, breakable, or not ingestible (toothpaste and floss and mouth care products are okay). I’m often pack gum in ziplock bags in these holes. Some one else is puts TicTacs. But simple crumpled paper is okay, too, to stuff the hole to prevent shifting of the end stack of popcorn. DON’t put anything that can melt from April through October, like chocolate.
6. CHOCOLATE and items that can melt are generally not sent during April through midOctober. Even hard candy in cellophane wraps can melt into a solid mass while sitting on hot tarmacs. If you include items that can melt, even during the rest of year, it is best to put them in ziplock bags so they don’t spoil other items if they melt.
7. GAMES for computers. List them on the customs form as DVD movies to lower the risk of theft. And always insure DVD games and movies when you send them.
8. FRAGRANT ITEMS, like soap, air freshener strips, some deodorants, etc. If you mail them with food items, the food can end up inedible due to being impregnated with the perfume odor. Separating fragrant items into a separate box can solve this problem. Also, some
9. DRIED FRUIT, especially whole figs, can give off a RIPENING GAS and odor, enough to burst the bag they are in. The gas can then permeate and ruin the flavor of all the rest of the food items. Avoid mailing bags with larger pieces of dried fruit, especially if the bag is swelling with gas.