In the past six years of my life, I have been shipping care packages overseas — a lot of them. Between two deployments, being stationed overseas, a few adopted soldiers and a school supply project in Iraq, I have shipped well over 400 boxes. I have never had a box lost or horribly damaged. That’s a blessing.
When I ship boxes, I pack them myself and I use a system I’ve developed over the years. It’s not rocket science. You also learn with time to choose items you can easily fit into flat rate boxes. I’ve never even used a mail store, such as a UPS Store, until recently.
Packing care packages and other types of boxes is just a matter of planning and organizing.
My grandson, who lives in Germany, had his first birthday on August 2. Being a doting grandma, I bought him the coolest gift ever and mailed it three weeks before the big day. I paid nearly $20 in shipping at a shipping store, and let them package the wrapped present for me. It was oddly shaped and would not fit into a flat-rate box. I walked away feeling glad for not having to figure out the weird-shaped box for the gift.
My mistake. It didn’t make it until nearly six weeks later!
Apparently, the man who helped me put my box in the wrong pile at the store, and my priority package had regular postage put on it. I got a reimbursement and an apology, but my grandson didn’t get his box for his birthday.
Get to Packing!
Packing care packages and other types of boxes is just a matter of planning and organizing. The more planning you do, the smoother it goes and the more you reduce the chance of errors.
Tips on Shipping Overseas
The USPS offers free mailing supplies for those shipping to APO/FPO addresses. You can order this Military Pak by calling 1-800-610-8734. This kit will include flat rate boxes (a couple of different sizes), tape, labels and customs forms. You can also go to your local post office and pick up boxes as you need them.
Free boxes from the USPS are for flat-rate shipping only. This means no matter how light or how heavy your box is, the postage remains the same. When I shipped multiple boxes I would ship the heaviest in flat rate, but if I was shipping something really light (like potato chips for example) I would fill a regular box. When in doubt go the post office with an unsealed box and ask which is cheaper. If flat rate is a lot more, then be prepared to repack your contents into a regular box at the Post Office.
Keep a basket with items like regular shipping tape (the tape that comes in the USPS Pack is Priority only), return address labels, bubble wrap, newspaper, scissors, pens for filling out customs forms and pre-printed shipping labels (again, USPS labels are priority ail only).
Avoid pack-and-mail places. They can be very costly and you do not see what your package looks like when it leaves their facility.
Keep a copy of all of your customs forms. I personally do not pay to track boxes because once the package hits the coast and is loaded into a military vessel, the shipping information stops. You can only track to the coast. However, a customs form can be tracked and it doesn’t cost extra to do it.
If you are mailing something with a value over $100 always get it insured. Keep all of your receipts. I recommend even taking a picture of the contents of the box. Keep all of this until your box arrives safely.
Keep a small stash of disposable plastic containers and zip lock bags in your shipping kit. These are wonderful for packaging food items, but also items you may be afraid will leak.
Have your customs forms all filled out and ready to go when you get to the post office in order to avoid delays.
If you are shipping several boxes you can ask to borrow a cart or rolling bin from your post office in order to bring your boxes into the store.
When in doubt just ask the post office. I know some post offices are run better than others. I would drive a little out of my way to go to a store where I know the workers were really nice and very helpful.
Shipping boxes is an act of love for military families. It’s one way we overcome the barrier of distance to send items that will help and comfort our loved ones when they are deployed or stationed overseas. Pack your boxes with TLC and seal it with a kiss (and a prayer or two doesn’t hurt).
Are there any soldiers who really don’t have much family that could use a care package from someone like me who is greatful and proud that they are serving to protect my freedom? If there is a website or someone knows a soldier who needs some home support could you please email me at cgmorgan55@yahoo.com
Thanks and God Bless Our troop and our country!!!
I, too, do not have anyone to send care packages to, but would love the name(s) of some of our troops who have noone to send them packages. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Email me at lrmanriquez60@yahoo.com….and thanks in advance.
there are actually a lot of men and women over seas that dont have families to send them anything & it is sad , my son is serving in the army so thank god he has someone & some times it dont matter if they have famiiy or not they love to receive care packages or cards I know our church sends packages
A quick google search will find places that will get you addresses for soldiers who don’t have someone to send them packages, Soldier Angels is one I’ve used in the past. Also, it’s a good idea to go to usps.com and fill out your shipping labels there-you’ll save 8% over the cost of paying in person at the post office, get free tracking on Priority boxes and you usually don’t have to wait in line when you get to the post office-if you see a bunch of people in front of you, just hold it up and ask if you can hand it off to the person behind the counter since it’s ready to go-I’ve never had them refuse.
The things you need to know:
Last name only, no rank
Unit number
Location/APO area
Fill out the form for overseas and keep it brief (some will STEAL the
packages if they know there are food goods, so label as ‘snacks’)
Call the 1-800 number for USPS for FREE care package supplies to be sent
to your home (tell them it is for soldiers overseas care packages. it
will have packing tape, boxes, and forms)
Be prepared for them not to receive the packages for 1-3 weeks if they are out on missions a lot
DO NOT put anything that can easily melt in the package! lol
Experience: Shipping packages for 2+ years. I have had a package lost/stolen before, so ALWAYS get it insured! It is only $1.50 more to get it insured.
Perhaps the last-name-only thing varies by branch? When sending packages to ship FPOs, I’ve always been instructed to address it to “Rank FirstName Lastname”. Perhaps that’s because on a ship with 400 – 5,000 people (depending on type of ship) there might be several people with the same last name, or even the same first AND last name. In any case, I suppose the best practice is ask the person you’re shipping to or someone who has a lot of experience with the command (like the ombudsman) what the preferred practices are.
I disagree with avoiding the pack and mail. Our post office in town at my last duty station was a miserable place almost on par with DMV and they were not friendly or helpful. Made my best friend remove several things which shouldn’t have needed to be taken out and things I specifically requested while in Afghanistan. The pack and mail place filled out the tricky custom forms and keep the address of who your mailing to on file so after giving it once you never had to remember that long drawn out apo/fpo address again. Friendly, efficient and not much more then the post office she only used them to mail to me after finding it and I did the same for friends upon my return.
Adrienne May is a military spouse. Her husband is an Army soldier and now is serving in the Army National Guard. Together they have three children from preschool to pre-teen. Adrienne has a Bachelors Degree in Sociology & Non-Profit Management, and is actively involved in family readiness and disaster preparedness on the state level. She spends her free time advocating for military family programs, homecoming transition programs and adequate veterans benefits.
12 Comments
what i just read sounds great now i know what to do thank you
Are there any soldiers who really don’t have much family that could use a care package from someone like me who is greatful and proud that they are serving to protect my freedom? If there is a website or someone knows a soldier who needs some home support could you please email me at cgmorgan55@yahoo.com
Thanks and God Bless Our troop and our country!!!
I, too, do not have anyone to send care packages to, but would love the name(s) of some of our troops who have noone to send them packages. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Email me at lrmanriquez60@yahoo.com….and thanks in advance.
Adopt A US Soldier (AAUSS) provides this service.
there are actually a lot of men and women over seas that dont have families to send them anything & it is sad , my son is serving in the army so thank god he has someone & some times it dont matter if they have famiiy or not they love to receive care packages or cards I know our church sends packages
A quick google search will find places that will get you addresses for soldiers who don’t have someone to send them packages, Soldier Angels is one I’ve used in the past. Also, it’s a good idea to go to usps.com and fill out your shipping labels there-you’ll save 8% over the cost of paying in person at the post office, get free tracking on Priority boxes and you usually don’t have to wait in line when you get to the post office-if you see a bunch of people in front of you, just hold it up and ask if you can hand it off to the person behind the counter since it’s ready to go-I’ve never had them refuse.
I dont know of anyone to send a care package to and would love to start doing this.
I would like to correspond with a friends as friendship
The things you need to know:
Last name only, no rank
Unit number
Location/APO area
Fill out the form for overseas and keep it brief (some will STEAL the
packages if they know there are food goods, so label as ‘snacks’)
Call the 1-800 number for USPS for FREE care package supplies to be sent
to your home (tell them it is for soldiers overseas care packages. it
will have packing tape, boxes, and forms)
Be prepared for them not to receive the packages for 1-3 weeks if they are out on missions a lot
DO NOT put anything that can easily melt in the package! lol
Experience: Shipping packages for 2+ years. I have had a package lost/stolen before, so ALWAYS get it insured! It is only $1.50 more to get it insured.
Perhaps the last-name-only thing varies by branch? When sending packages to ship FPOs, I’ve always been instructed to address it to “Rank FirstName Lastname”. Perhaps that’s because on a ship with 400 – 5,000 people (depending on type of ship) there might be several people with the same last name, or even the same first AND last name. In any case, I suppose the best practice is ask the person you’re shipping to or someone who has a lot of experience with the command (like the ombudsman) what the preferred practices are.
I disagree with avoiding the pack and mail. Our post office in town at my last duty station was a miserable place almost on par with DMV and they were not friendly or helpful. Made my best friend remove several things which shouldn’t have needed to be taken out and things I specifically requested while in Afghanistan. The pack and mail place filled out the tricky custom forms and keep the address of who your mailing to on file so after giving it once you never had to remember that long drawn out apo/fpo address again. Friendly, efficient and not much more then the post office she only used them to mail to me after finding it and I did the same for friends upon my return.
Thank you for this information it is very helpful