Deadlines Set For Holiday Mailings [+ handy tips]

DoD - American Forces Press Service ^ | Oct. 7, 2003 | Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Deadlines Set For Holiday Mailings

By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2003 -- If you want make sure your holiday packages arrive to service members overseas on time, mail them by Nov. 13.

Otherwise, your package could very well be on the proverbial "slow boat to China," said Mark DeDomenic, chief of postal operations for the Military Postal Service Agency.

Military postal operations employees ship about 250,000 pounds of mail each day to Iraq. That number is expected to go up to about 325,000 pounds each day during the year-end holiday season, which is why DeDomenic suggests that people mail holiday packages early.

"Mailing early is the best way to ensure that mail gets through the pipeline and to its destination on time," he said.

The Military Postal Service Agency has set the following deadlines for holiday mail:

Parcel Post, Nov. 13; Space Available, Nov. 28; Parcel-Airlift Mail, Dec. 4; Priority and First-Class Letters or Cards, Dec. 11.

Those dates also should be observed when sending mail from most overseas locations to the United States as well, DeDomenic said. The Army's 1st Armored Division has a pop-up window that appears on its Web site, linking to an electronic information sheet with specific guidance for people sending mail to and from Germany.

Other tips for faster delivery include mailing smaller packages. "The smaller the package, the easier it is to handle, the quicker we can move it," DeDomenic said. "Shoe box-sized packages are perfect."

Because packages going to an APO or FPO address will require a U.S. Customs label, DeDomenic said, senders should be specific about what is inside the package. "People tend to like to put on the customs label 'Gifts,'" he said. "This is very vague and that is the type of thing that will slow mail down. We must know exactly what is in those boxes to ensure that they are mailable items."

Although some service members move from place to place, DeDomenic said customers should mail packages to the recipient's most recent known address. Although in most places mail will reach its destination in a timely manner, troops on the move often mean that mail will have to be forwarded. "The packages will catch up, but sometimes it may take a little longer," he said.

It's a good idea to place a copy of the address inside the package, just in case the address label or package gets damaged. "That way, the package can be rewrapped and sent to the correct address," he said.

To ensure packages arrive safely, DeDomenic suggested using strong, sturdy boxes with lots of wrapping. He said boxes should be packed tightly, using packing materials such as popcorn or newspapers, to keep contents from moving. He also recommended that senders use good tape, because the humidity in the desert tends to destroy tape's adhesive qualities.

"Masking tape is a definite 'no' when it comes to mailing, and (light-duty transparent tape) is terrible," he said. "Reinforced nylon tape works very well."

It's also important to remember what can't be mailed, DeDomenic said.

Hazardous materials, firearms and flammable liquids are prohibited inside packages. This includes alcoholic beverages and even some perfumes that may have a high alcohol content, he said.

Also he advises not to install batteries inside the electronic items that require them. "Things tend to get turned on (from jostling during shipping), and that causes security concerns," he said.

Because of security restrictions, mass-mailing operations such as "Operation Dear Abby" or "Any Service Member" cannot be supported by the agency this year using traditional mail, DeDomenic said.

"We ask that the American public use electronic Web sites or send greeting cards via e-mail" as alternatives, he said.

[VOA]

bump

[VOA]

bump

[VOA]

NOW HEAR THIS ALL LURKERS/POSTERS:

THIS WEEKEND (November 8 and 9) is the LAST SHOPPING WEEKEND for Parcel Post mailing
of care packages to our BEST AND BRIGHTEST who will be stationed far from home for the holidays
(deadline for this inexpensive mailing route is November 13th).

TIME to:
SHOP
BOX
and
MAIL

for shipping advice, see threads at this URLs:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1003802/posts

THAT IS ALL!
till next time...

[VOA]

I know I'm like a broken record, but here goes...

NOW HEAR THIS ALL LURKERS/POSTERS:

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH IS THE DEADLINE for inexpensive Parcel Post mailing of miltary
care-packages to our BEST AND BRIGHTEST who will be stationed far from home for the holidays.
...some of these folks will be spending their first Thanksgiving, Christmas and
New Years away from home and family, in one of the about 160 countries...

TIME to:
SHOP
BOX
and
MAIL

for shipping advice, see threads at these URLs:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1003802/posts

THAT IS ALL!
At Ease!

[VOA]

y'all can still mail packages for the holidays!
it will just be a bit more expensive if you want to get them there in time for the holidays!

[VOA]

bump...and with a look at the weather forcasts for Baghdad and Mosul, looks like highs in
the 60s/70s and lows in the 40s...I'm gonna risk sending some (sealed in baggies) chocolates.

Bet most of it gets "re-gifted" to Iraqi kids!

[VOA]

Ragtime Cowgirl, I apologize in advance to you and Jim Robinson for stealing this thread momentarily...

Dear Fellow Freepers...I'm hi-jacking this thread for a short side-bar in hopes to inform you to motivate y'all just a bit.....
the deadline (November 13th) for mailing military care-packages via the APO/FPO route to
our best and brightest has passed.

BUT...you can still mail military care packages!
I know, I DID IT YESTERDAY! (Saturday 11-15-03)

It's still TIME to:
SHOP
BOX
and
MAIL

for shipping advice, see threads at this URL:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1003802/posts
(please not that the USPS website URL are missing a ".com"),
and remember to mark the "Redirect" box and write in "Commander/Chaplain"
on the Customs form...that way your box will definitely be used


Further info. on VOA's mailing of two packages on 11-15-03, Saturday

I'll admit that it's costly. I loaded up one of the free "Priority Mail" cardboard boxes from the
local United States Post Office.
I loaded up each of two boxes with all sorts of "comfort food" and "personal hygiene" items that
should be useful, no matter if the recipient gets them or they are redirected by a "commander/chaplain".

I loaded each boxes with food items like...
flavored coffeed (e.g, hazelnut flavored that had sugar in the blend),
artificially-sweetened Tropical-Punch-flavored Kool-Aid (so sugar isn't required),
Spam-brand "Oven-roasted Turkey" (no pork products; metal-sealed for long-term preservation)...something
that a hungry Iraqi might really appreciate as a gift),
Lipton soup-packets in the flavors of "chicken noodle", "ranch", and "beef onion" (humble, but a change of pace!)
Oreo Cookies ("America's Favorite Cookie"...so I bet US soliders like 'em),
M&Ms -- holiday-colors...bet those will be well received around the tent!,
disposable razors (and a bar of "Burma-Shave" brand shaving soap!),
new toothbrushes (heck, might just be useful in cleaning an M-16!) and toothpaste,
solid-form under-arm deoderant....

I'm sure that folks who've actually served in a long-term deployment far from home, especially when separated
from beloved family and friends DURING THE HOLIDAYS can come up with even much more meaningful
and significant items to send to those who are abroad...protecting us, their fellow band of brothers and sisters,
and, at a long reach.....you and me.

[VOA]

bump...and advice to care-package mailers...
don't pack soap products with food product...just too much of a chance that the food-stuffs will
taste/smell of soap when they are delivered.

[VOA]

Some kind soul put this thread in News/Activism...but it's really been superceded
by a more current thread at this URL:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1023324/posts

[VOA]

There is also an older, but detail-laden thread about the shipping of care-packages
at this URL:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1003802/posts

[tzachry]

hi, my kids and i have a few shoe boxes filled with necessities and treats for our service people, nut, know of no names of service people to send it to, can you put me in get me 2 names of servicemen of whom we may send to????
thanks

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

I think we can get you a few names to send your gifts to our troops. Thanks, tzachry!

m-a, armymarinemom, can you help tzachry?

Contact me if you run out of names and addresses of Soldiers who could use kindness and gratitude from fellow freedom-lovers. (^;

[mystery-ak]

Freepmail me, and I'll give you Mike's address.

[homegroan]

Make sure you put the cookies in ziplock bags AND in a gladware container AND wrap the box with brown paper. I sent cookies and individually wrapped donuts in ziploc bags and the ants in Kuwait ate everything. The stuff going to Iraq sits in Kuwait for about 4 days. I send Dunkin Donuts coffee there regularly and also DVD's are great for R&R.Magazines are good too.