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Military Base Shipping

Military Base Shipping: How to Ship to a Military Base

VWB Blog 2 years ago 8

Having a loved one in the military isn’t always easy, as anyone who has been in the position can tell you. Millions of Americans have family members in the military and have to work through the experience of having their loved ones so far away.

Sending mail and packages to a loved one can help make this experience a little easier to manage. In order to send things out to an active service member, you’ll need to learn about military base shipping.

Shipping to any kind of diplomatic location or base requires some specialized knowledge that you’ll need to get familiar with. What do you need to know? Read on and we’ll walk you through the basics.

Addressing Military-Bound Packages

APO and FPO shipping services follow different procedures than your standard mail carriers. What’s the main difference you’ll run into when sending off this kind of mail? You’ll want to format the address differently than you may be accustomed to.

Learning how to craft an address for a military recipient doesn’t have to be difficult, however. It’s easy to learn the method.

First, you’ll want to include the full name of the service member you are sending your package to, including their rank title. You should make sure to include their unit and their assigned box number, which you’ll need to obtain from them directly.

On top of this, you’ll want to include the military postal code as opposed to writing the city where the base is located. Instead of state, you’ll use an abbreviation for where the military base is located: AE for Europe and the Middle East, AP for the Pacific, and AA for armed forces in Canada.

Choose the Right Mail Carrier

When it comes to shipping to a military base, you’ll need to ensure you are working with proper APO shipping services. Not all carriers will be allowed to perform military shipping due to the various security restrictions across most bases.

FedEx and UPS, for example, are generally not permitted to deliver packages to military bases across the country or world. USPS, as well as a few other specialized shipping services, can gain access.

Avoiding Restricted Items

While you may be eager to send off a number of things to your loved one, it’s important to remember that many items are banned on military bases. If you don’t want to have your package confiscated, you’ll need to take heed of what kind of items these are.

For example, any kind of political or obscene material will be immediately taken. Any sort of mobile or cordless phone, or other similar wireless devices, will be taken as a security precaution.

Perishable goods of any sort will also not be accepted, so you’ll need to let go of the desire to send some delectable baked goods.

Understanding Military Base Shipping

If you’re looking to send a package to an active service member, you’ll need to take the time to understand how military base shipping really works. The above information can cover all the basics you need to understand.

Need more help with shipping issues? Keep scrolling our blog for more tips and tricks.

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