Postal agency sets overseas holiday mailing dates, rules

Dick Benoit

Thursday, Oct. 21, 2004 | 8:48 a.m.

The dates for mailing items to and from overseas locations in time for the holidays are fast approaching, and officials at the Military Postal Service Agency here have suggestions for ensuring packages and letters arrive on time.

"If packages are mailed earlier, it may be possible to use space-available mail or parcel post service, which would result in less expensive postage rates," said Mark DeDomenic, the agency's chief of operations in an Air Force News Service release.

"As the holidays approach, mail volumes get higher, and it takes longer for packages to get through the system," added DeDomenic.

The release noted the recommended deadlines for sending mail from the United States to all overseas military mailing addressees for the holidays:

"Always use strong boxes with plenty of packing material, such as newspaper or popcorn," he said, adding that mailers should use strapping or reinforced tape and fragile items should be individually wrapped in bubble wrap.

Postal services in the United States and foreign nations have restrictions on what can be mailed in or out of the country.

"Generally speaking, anything that would cause harm to other mail, equipment or mail handlers, or anything that is hazardous to an aircraft in-flight is nonmailable," DeDomenic said.

That includes, in general, plants, food items such as meats, alcohol, hazardous materials and flammable goods, he said.

DeDomenic advised people sending mail to an overseas APO or FPO not use the geographical location. For example, not to use Baghdad, Iraq, on an APO or FPO address, as it could cause the mail to be placed into the international mail system and cause a delay.

In brief

The soldiers are regularly assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division, Eighth U.S. Army in South Korea and have deployed to Iraq either to augment soldiers serving in country or to replace soldiers who have completed their tour of duty.