Deadlines for mailing holiday military mail
November 12 and December 10 deadlines
November 5, 2005
Holiday Mail to Overseas Military Personnel
If you want your mail to reach a family member or friend in the military overseas in time for the holidays, be sure to mark November 12th and December 10th on your calendar as important mailing deadlines.
Packages being sent by Parcel Post to all Air/Army Post Office (APO) or Fleet Post Office (FPO) ZIP Codes should be mailed no later than Saturday, Nov. 12, to reach troops stationed overseas in time for the holidays, according to the U.S. Postal Service. Letters and cards sent by First-Class Mail should be posted no later than Dec. 10.
All packages and mail must be addressed to individual service members, in accordance with U.S. Department of Defense regulations. All military units are assigned an APO or FPO ZIP code and in many cases that ZIP Code travels with the unit. The Postal Service places APO/FPO mail on special charter flights, commercial airlines and military service aircraft to reach armed services members overseas as quickly as possible.
To address current demand, the Postal Service has created a special "kit" that contains the necessary mailing materials based on the most popular items ordered to send care packages to the troops. This kit may be ordered by calling 1-800-610-8734 and requesting CAREKIT04. The kit contains 10 Priority Mail boxes, five "Mili-Pacs," one roll of Priority Mail tape, and 10 customs forms with envelopes. There is no charge for the kit.
Cost of a First Class Stamp to increase to 39 cents in 2006
On November 1st, the Postal Rate Commission approved a postal rate hike for the U.S. Postal Service. Sometime in early 2006, the cost of a First-Class stamp will go up to $.39 cents, an increase of two cents. Postcard rate will increase to $.24 cents. The rate increase will enable the Postal Service to meet a $3.1 billion escrow payment due in 2006. This is the first postal rate hike since 2002.
“The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of more than $69 billion, it is the world's leading provider of mailing and delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. The Postal Service delivers more than 46 percent of the world's mail volume-some 206 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year-and serves seven and a half million customers each day at its 37,000 retail locations nationwide. Its website, usps.com, attracts more than 21 million visitors each month,” states the U.S. Postal Service.
Related Links:
Postal Rate Commission - 2006 Rate Increase News Release
United States Postal Service
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