Military postal agency offers advice for holiday mail

[CFergusn]

by Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

11/3/2005 - WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- "Pack it well" and "mail it early" are two tips a military postal official offered today for holiday mail being sent to servicemembers overseas.

The Defense Department announced recommended holiday mail dates Oct. 31. The first deadline occurs Nov. 12 for parcel post items headed overseas to APO and FPO ZIP codes. Deadlines for other mail classes continue with Nov. 26 for apace-available mail; Dec. 3, parcel-airlift mail; Dec. 10, priority mail and Dec. 19, express mail.

Mark J. DeDomenic recommends using nylon tape or reinforced packing tape on packages because other tapes tend to come off. Mr. DeDomenic is the assistant deputy director of the Military Postal Service Agency.

Any buzzing, ticking or vibrating items will be "red flagged," Mr. DeDomenic said. So to keep a package from getting bomb-squad attention, Mr. DeDomenic advises removing batteries from electronics.

Fill out customs labels completely and use a proper military address to help move the package through the system. If there's concern the content list on the customs label will give away a surprise, Mr. DeDomenic said to place the form inside the package. Customers should then attach a label outside of the package noting the form is inside.

Customers should also be conscious of the box's markings. Regardless of the contents, boxes with hazardous substance or alcohol markings won't make it through the system, he said.

Boxes used to ship gifts should be strong and well-packed because of the long distances traveled and the high volume of parcels moving with them, Mr. DeDomenic said.

He said in the 2004 holiday season, his agency moved more than 28 million pounds of mail between Dec. 1 and 25.

"The mail volumes last (holiday season) were 52 percent more than the volumes the year before," Mr. DeDomenic said.

By comparison, roughly 5 million pounds of mail move through the agency in a month. The agency defines the holiday mailing season as Nov. 15 through Jan. 10.

Mr. DeDomenic said those who may not personally know a servicemember overseas, but want to share the holiday spirit, should visit the AmericaSupportsYou.mil Web site.

"That provides information on how you can support the troops even if you don't have (a servicemember) that is a family member or close relative," he said.

The site lists hundreds of organizations that offer ways the general public can support the troops. Several involve sending greeting cards or packages through these organizations. However, for force-security reasons, packages addressed to "Any Servicemember" will not be shipped, Mr. DeDomenic said.

In the past, express mail for last-minute shipments relied on a thank-you note from the recipient to verify delivery, but the system has improved this year, he said.

Express mail tracking is available through the U.S. Postal Service Web site, as long as the mail is not going to a combat zone, Mr. DeDomenic said.