US Postal Service advises mailing early for overseas items

The U. S. Postal Service reminds families and friends sending holiday packages and letters to service men and women overseas that the first mailing deadline is days away for letters and packages to arrive before Christmas.

"Mail is one of the greatest morale boosters we can give our soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen and Coast Guardsmen during the holidays." said Paquette. "When they see packages or letters waiting for them it brings them that much closer to family and the comforts of home."

The U.S. Postal Service has also introduced a Military Care Kit, or "Mili-kit" 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 three flat rate boxes, two cube boxes, nine address labels, and 16 customs forms. 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 $8.95.

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

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.

Listed below are the major dates recommended for mail to be delivered by Dec. 25.

"We hope the publication of these dates will prove beneficial to persons mailing cards and gifts to foreign countries so they will arrive in a timely manner," Paquette says.

The Postal Service's website www.usps.com can prove to be a helpful resource during this holiday mailing season, offering a wide variety of links to mailing and shipping tools.

To ensure delivery of holiday cards and packages by Dec. 25 to military APO/FPO addresses overseas and to international addresses, we suggest that mail be entered by the recommended mailing dates listed below. Beat the last-minute rush and take your mail to your Post Office by these suggested dates. And don't forget you can print postage, labels, and customs forms online 24/7 using Click-N-Ship at www.usps.com/ clicknship.

Remember, all mail addressed to military post offices overseas is sub- ject 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." Go to page 58 of the current issue and see the heading "Overseas Military Mail."

SAM mail, space available - Nov. 27; PAL, Parcel Airlift Mail - Dec. 1/ 4; Priority mail - Dec. 4/11; First Class mail letters/cards - Dec. 4/11; EMMS, Express Mail Military Service - Dec. 18. Check with your local post office to exact dates depending on APO/FPO zips.

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 Parcel Post postage rate of postage 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.