Related Media Audio News Release: Holiday Military Mailing Deadlines Transcript | MP3 | Zipped MP3

Washington, DC - Postal Service officials are reminding military families and friends sending holiday packages and letters to service men and women overseas, including Iraq and Afghanistan, that the deadline for the most economical shipping option is less than two weeks away.

Monday, Nov. 13, is the deadline for sending holiday packages to troops stationed overseas using Parcel Post to all Air/Army Post Office (APO) or Fleet Post Office (FPO) ZIP Codes.

The U.S. Postal Service is encouraging early deadlines to make sure that packages reach their destination in time for the holidays. There are more than 80 military installations worldwide.

"Mail is one of the greatest morale boosters we can give our troops during the holidays." said Postmaster General John E. Potter. "When they see that package or letter waiting for them on their bunk or hear their name at mail call, it brings them that much closer to family and the comforts of home."

This holiday season, the Postal Service is able to make Delivery Confirmation™ available for almost all APO/FPO destinations. Delivery Confirmation provides customers with the date, ZIP Code and time the package was delivered. This information can be accessed online at USPS.com.

The U.S. Postal Service introduced a Military Care Kit, or "Mili-kit" in 2004 to make it easier for military families and friends to send care packages to their loved ones stationed overseas. Since the inception of the Military Care Kit, the U.S. Postal Service has shipped more than 150,000 kits. Each kit contains 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.

This kit may be ordered by calling the USPS Expedited Package Supply Center at 1-800-610-8734. There is no charge for the kit. The Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes included in the kit can be shipped to any APO/FPO in the world, regardless of weight, for $8.10.

All packages and mail must be addressed to individual service members, as required by U.S. Department of Defense regulations.

All military units are assigned an APO or FPO ZIP Code and, in many cases, that ZIP Code travels with the unit. The Postal Service places APO/FPO mail on special charter flights, commercial airlines and military service aircraft to reach armed services members overseas as quickly as possible.

A complete list of military mailing deadlines follows.

MILITARY MAILING DEADLINES

Military Mail Addressed To	Express Mail® Military Service (EMMS)	First-Class Mail® Letters/Cards	Priority Mail®	Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL)	Space Available Mail (SAM)	Parcel Post®
APO/FPO AE ZIPs 090-092	Dec 19	Dec 11	Dec 11	Dec 4	Nov 27	Nov 13
APO/FPO AE ZIP 093	N/A	Dec 4	Dec 4	Dec 4	Nov 27	Nov 13
APO/FPO AE ZIPs 094-098	Dec 19	Dec 11	Dec 11	Dec 4	Nov 27	Nov 13
APO/FPO AA ZIPs 340	Dec 19	Dec 11	Dec 11	Dec 4	Nov 27	Nov 13
APO/FPO AP ZIPs 962-966	Dec 19	Dec 11	Dec 11	Dec 4	Nov 27	Nov 13

Express Mail Military Service (EMMS) is available to selected military post offices. Local Post Offices can determine if this service is available to an APO/FPO address. The information also is available by calling 1-800-ASK-USPS.

Parcel Air Lift (PAL) is a special 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.

Space Available Mail (SAM) are parcels paid at Parcel Post rates that are first transported domestically by surface and then to overseas destinations by air on a space-available basis. The maximum weight and size limits are 15 pounds and 60 inches in length and girth combined.

For more detailed information on tracking and military mail, please visit the Military Postal Service's website at http://hqdainet.army.mil/mpsa/

Since 1775, the United States Postal Service and its predecessor, the Post Office Department, have connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. An independent federal agency that visits more than 144 million homes and businesses every day, the Postal Service is the only service provider delivering to every address in the nation. It receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of $70 billion, it is the world's leading provider of mailing and delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. The U.S. Postal Service delivers more than 46 percent of the world's mail volume-some 212 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year-and serves ten million customers each day at its 37,000 retail locations nationwide.