If you want to send a holiday package to a service member overseas, the first deadline is tomorrow. Thursday, November 13 th is the last day to send packages via parcel post to all Air Army post office or Fleet Post Office zip codes.
One of the most important things you can do to make sure your package get to your service member is be specific when creating the address label, said Gateway District Postal Service spokesman, Valerie Hughes.
"Be sure to use the service member full name, include the unit and the APO/FPO address with a zip plus four code if there is one assigned and to include a return address," she said, "It would be wise also to put that information on the interior of the package just in case something happens to the exterior of the package."
There are some options at post office to help you get your package there in time.
"We offer several priority shipping flat rate boxes for our customers," Hughes said. "We have a military one that not only goes as a flat rate, but it offers a $2 discount from normal shipping rate for that priority box. The military care kit has several different box sizes and labels and everything that a shipper could want."
There are several other things you can do to make sure your package arrives safely. First, take the batteries out of battery powered items, individually wrap brownies or cookies in plastic wrap and shippers should just be aware of the climate where they are sending the package. Hughes also recommends delivery confirmation, especially for overseas items.
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