APO Shipping Help please

**Roguish Lawyer** · 07-31-2011, 16:48

I am trying to send some care packages downrange without buying, packing and shipping the stuff myself. I found several places where I can buy what I want to send, and some of these sites will ship to APOs, but none of them will do it by priority mail.

I have read that if you send to an APO by standard ground, it can take like 6 months to get there because they put it on a boat instead of a plane. Is this true? If so, anyone know of any web sites where you can buy stuff for shipment to an APO by priority mail? Thanks very much.

Guy · 07-31-2011, 17:26

A member here.

It did NOT take 6 months.....

Stay safe,

Guy

jbour13 · 07-31-2011, 17:41

So far that I know from sending and receiving, priority mail is just a name when sending stuff to the sandbox.

You are paying for a service that is won over by things that may take more of a priority. If it comes to parts, bullets or chow to get on a plane to somewhere, mail will always just wait.

I've gotten stuff from vendors and friends as quick as 4 days. I've also been on the tail end of 8 months, and gotten stuff at home from as my counterpart/replacement showed up. The longer we stayed in Iraq and Afghanistan, the quicker things tend to get there.

There may be a priority mail system in place, but I just haven't seen consistency. What has worked best is unit resupply birds. As long as there is room, there is hope.

Best of luck.

**Roguish Lawyer** · 07-31-2011, 18:01

Thanks. Last time I sent packages to this unit, I sent them priority mail at substantial additional cost, and they arrived in about 2 1/2 weeks. We'll see how it goes this time . . .

casey · 07-31-2011, 18:29

RL,

We sent my son packages to his APO via standard mail almost every week during both his deployments (Iraq) - it averaged 10 days (shortest) to 19 days (longest)

alelks · 07-31-2011, 18:29

Most APO addresses are sent to NY and then Uncle Sam transports it after that. You are only paying for what it costs to get to NY (APO AE for example). Others get sent to California (APO AP for example) What happens is standard mail in the us is the slowest mail. If they have a ton of Priority or Express mail packages the standard mail gets left behind to go another day. This is one of the reasons for the delay. Unfortunately most companies on the internet will not ship to APOs because they don't want to take to fill out the customs forms which are required for APO addresses.

Here is another option but I'm not sure what they charge for their services. They are not the only ones doing this: Click Me

These codes point to three Military Gateways (receiving centers for military mail):

AA mail is routed to Miami;
AE mail is routed to New York City;
AP mail is routed to San Francisco.

Golf1echo · 07-31-2011, 18:43

We send our equipment APO Priority and like said it gets to the stan in a week to 10 days.
Once the guy at the PO talked me into sending something to Kodiak, Alaska non priority, He said it would be a difference of a day or two...IIRC about a month and a half later it finally arrived. PO explanation said that was due to the package getting bumped for priority mail until they finally had extra room. We are fortunate they still work with us.
PM me if you need any of our gear sent out.

MtnGoat · 08-01-2011, 08:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by alelks

Most APO addresses are sent to NY and then Uncle Sam transports it after that. You are only paying for what it costs to get to NY (APO AE for example). Others get sent to California (APO AP for example) What happens is standard mail in the us is the slowest mail. If they have a ton of Priority or Express mail packages the standard mail gets left behind to go another day. This is one of the reasons for the delay. Unfortunately most companies on the internet will not ship to APOs because they don't want to take to fill out the customs forms which are required for APO addresses.

Here is another option but I'm not sure what they charge for their services. They are not the only ones doing this: Click Me

These codes point to three Military Gateways (receiving centers for military mail):

AA mail is routed to Miami;
AE mail is routed to New York City;
AP mail is routed to San Francisco.

RL,

Aelks hit it on the head..

NO ONE SHOULD PAY EXTRA for mailing packages, boxes, ETC to a military address. That payment or fee will only get it fast to that local US city for that APO. After that it is up to whatever Company the USG has paid to transport mail overseas to APO addresses. Most for GWOT APOs take only about 7 to 10 days to get to theater. After that it is up to what that units location is and when the next shipment of supplies is going out to that location. Also what is going there matters, mail may not be on the top of the list and there likely will be other boxes there already set to go out. So it turns in to that 2, 3, 4,5 or whatever weeks to get to that person.

Don't put cigarette or tobacco on the shipping sheet!! Keep it general; snacks, popcorn, chips cookies, ETC.

A great web site for service members is http://cigars.about.com/od/cigarsfor...ps_Program.htm

Gypsy · 08-01-2011, 17:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roguish Lawyer

I am trying to send some care packages downrange without buying, packing and shipping the stuff myself. I found several places where I can buy what I want to send, and some of these sites will ship to APOs, but none of them will do it by priority mail.

I have read that if you send to an APO by standard ground, it can take like 6 months to get there because they put it on a boat instead of a plane. Is this true? If so, anyone know of any web sites where you can buy stuff for shipment to an APO by priority mail? Thanks very much.

Absolutely a lie. I just sent a package to a PS member, it took about 1.5 weeks. If I go priority he gets it in a week.

Parcel post means it goes ground to the nearest Military Post Office, they they FLY it out to the appropriate area.

Do yourself a favor, get the flat rate shipping boxes from the post office, pack 'em and ship 'em yourself. The flat rate boxes cost anywhere from 12-14.00 to ship because no matter the weight if it fits it ships for that amount. The same sized "regular box" can cost you 30.00.

I know you want to find a service that does this...after a lot of investigation I'm not sure you'll get your money's worth. YMMV.

Maybe I should open a business

DJ Urbanovsky · 08-02-2011, 13:31

+1 on the Flat Rate boxes. Best balance of price and speed.

alelks · 08-02-2011, 13:40

Be VERY careful on the flat rate boxes though. If you're shipping something light you are paying WAY too much. Now if you're sending a care package that weighs a lot it's a GREAT deal. You're paying for a certain weight up front.

We do this every single day and I ALWAYS let customers know that if it's very light it's cheaper not going in the flat rate box. Also if the box bulges it can't go flat rate so make sure you don't bulge the box.

One other thing as a heads up. The maximum amount of cigarettes you can now send is 10oz anywhere in the US and this includes the weight of the package or box it's in. It also must go Express mail and the shipper has to provide ID that is is of smoking age. The receiver has to do the same. Now there is an exception for APO addresses. You can send it Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation but still have the 10oz restriction. In either case you're roughly looking at a carton of cigarettes minus 2 packs in a padded envelope. Shipping any other way is a violation of Postal and ATF regulations.

New regulations make it a PITA to ship cigarettes.

Badger52 · 08-02-2011, 13:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by casey

RL,

We sent my son packages to his APO via standard mail almost every week during both his deployments (Iraq) - it averaged 10 days (shortest) to 19 days (longest)

That's spot-on as to the range I've experienced sending stuff to daughter (A'stan, all 5 tours.)

On the USPS flat-rate Pri boxes, true; you get your value by stuffing the thing to get best bang for buck.
Also, in at least one size I know of (medium) there are 2 variants of that. Normal $14.95, and same size marked nearly the same but also marked as intended to be used for sending to APOs. $12.95

Best deal going; stuff it full, tape it good.
(At least it doesn't arrive on the Jinga truck anymore.)

Viking · 08-03-2011, 00:11

My wife always uses the flat rate boxes and stuff them full. One the other day was 22 lbs and it was only 12.95. As far as time, I'm living in the definition of the "middle of nowhere" and I've gotten packages in as little as six days. The longest this trip has been about 14 days. However, last year/tour, the PO sent three of my boxes to the opposite side of the country to another base. I got them seven months later, but at least I got them.

Gypsy · 08-03-2011, 17:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viking

My wife always uses the flat rate boxes and stuff them full. One the other day was 22 lbs and it was only 12.95.

I'm the same, they are packed solid...generally no need for any stuffing of "packing material" to secure the goods on the inside. Sometimes I'll have to send two flat rates because I have so much stuff to send...

it's still much cheaper than one large box.

casey · 08-03-2011, 18:11

One last thing : Since they (post office) frown on "perishable items" (and you wouldn't think of sending any type of food) I simply filled out the customs form with the specific - yet generic "4 shirts, 3 books, 9 pr socks" etc each and every time .