Planning Ahead: Getting Holiday Greetings To Our Troops On Time
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
It may seem too early to start thinking about the holidays, but if you're mailing to a loved-one serving in the military, it's a good idea to know the 2009 mail-by dates — some are less than a month away.
It costs the same to mail a letter or package to an overseas military address as it does to any other domestic destination. With timing and the right shipping product, you can save money and be assured it'll arrive in-the-Nick-of-time.
The recommended Parcel Post mailing date to overseas military installations, including Iraq and Afghanistan, is Nov. 13.
Parcel Post packages can weigh up to 70 pounds and measure up to 130 inches in combined length and distance around the thickest part. A surcharge applies to certain items including packages weighing over 35 pounds — 25 pounds for books and printed matter — and certain shapes such as tubes and large packages.
The next cut-off is one to two weeks later for Space Available Mail — 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.The next option is Parcel Airlift Mail — PAL. PAL is a service that provides air transportation for parcels on a space-available basis. It's designed for Parcel Post items not exceeding 30 pounds in weight or 60 inches in length and girth combined.
A PAL surcharge is added to the regular surface rate of postage for each addressed piece sent. Deadlines are December 1 – 4 depending on the address.
In many cases, Priority Mail is your best option. Not only can you wait until December 4 – 11, depending on the address, but if you print your label online at usps.com, you'll save additional money as well. Labels and customs forms can be printed online any time using Click-N-Ship and with Carrier Pick-up, your carrier will pick up the packages from your home or office the next day.
If you're using a Large Priority Mail Flay Rate Box, you'll save an additional $2. The domestic price is $13.95, but for packages to APO/FPO addresses, the price is reduced to $11.95.
All Priority Mail boxes are free and can be picked up at the Post Office or ordered online at usps.com.
An easy way to get to know your Priority Mail military options is by ordering a free Military Care Kit, designed specifically for military families sending packages overseas.
The mailing kits can be ordered by calling 1-800-610-8734 and asking for the care kit. Each kit includes two "America Supports You" large Priority Mail Flat-Rate boxes, four medium-sized Priority Mail Flat-Rate boxes, six Priority Mail labels, one roll of Priority Mail tape and six customs forms with envelopes.
The mail-by date for First-Class Mail cards and letters also is December 4 – 11 depending on the destination.
And, last but not least, for the procrastinator there's Express Mail Military Service — EMMS.
EMMS is available to military Post Offices with the exception of APO/FPO/ AE ZIP Code 093. Packages to all other military ZIP Code areas should be mailed by December 18 for December 25 package arrival.
For ordering free Priority Mail and Express Mail boxes, paying for and printing labels, printing customs forms, requesting package pick-up, ordering holiday stamps and additional information on all postal products and services, log online to usps.com.
Happy Holidays!!
Military Mailing Deadlines
| Military Mail Addressed To | Express Mail Military Service (EMMS)1/ |
|
Priority Mail® | Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL) 2/ | Space Available Mail (SAM)3/ | Parcel Post® | |
| APO/FPO AE ZIPs 090-092 | Dec-18 | Dec-11 | Dec-11 | Dec-4 | Nov-28 | Nov-13 | |
| APO/FPO AE ZIP 093 | N/A | Dec-4 | Dec-4 | Dec-1 | Nov-21 | Nov-13 | |
| APO/FPO AE ZIPs 094-098 | Dec-18 | Dec-11 | Dec-11 | Dec-4 | Nov-28 | Nov-13 | |
| APO/FPO AA ZIP 340 | Dec-18 | Dec-11 | Dec-11 | Dec-4 | Nov-28 | Nov-13 | |
| APO/FPO AP ZIPs 962-966 | Dec-18 | Dec-11 | Dec-11 | Dec-4 | Nov-28 | Nov-13 |
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