Shipping / Mailing to the Troops

Individuals

We are often asked by groups and individuals who  they can send packages and the like to the troops.  Mailing or shipping to the troops is generally not possible unless you are related to or associated with the servicemember.  This includes things such as Christmas cards, candy, donations, and miscellaneous gifts and items.   These things can be sent directly to servicemembers only if you or the group you are dealing with specifically knows them and their specific US Postal Service APO/FPO mail address. The reasons are obvious, and this helps keep them safe. Many local guard units and Veterans Posts directly know specific troops, and routinely ship to them.

Local Veterans Posts are in you phone book.   Your local National Guard Armory is usually also in the phone book, and if not sometimes the local Army Recruiting Center knows where it. Then call or go there and talk to them about who you are and what you want to do. It will end up that you can either take the completed packages there (with postage) and they will send them, or they will organize it to where you mail them to one of their deployed, who will them pass them out.  Flat rate international USPS priority mailers are best.

Large Corporate or Manufacturer Donations of Product

Contact us.  Large donations of new products by corporate manufacturers to the military are a different matter. Corporations desiring to donate their product for shipment, inclusion in care packages, and other transmittal to the troops may call us for the specifics necessary to meet DoD requirements. They essentially involve logistics, ascertainment that the product is needed by the troops and permitted to them, and security measures necessary to assure that our troops get the very best.

EXCERPTED NEWS RELEASE from the United States Department of Defense

No. 139-03

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 22, 2003

TROOP SUPPORT MAIL POLICY STRESSED

To bolster force protection, the general public is urged not to send unsolicited mail, care packages or donations to service members forward deployed unless you are a family member, loved one or personal friend.

On Oct. 30, 2002, the Department of Defense (DoD) suspended the "Operation Dear Abby" and "Any Servicemember" [physical] mail programs due to force protection concerns. Although these programs provide an excellent means of support to friends and loved ones stationed overseas, they also provide an avenue to introduce hazardous substances or materials into the mail system from unknown sources. Unsolicited mail, packages and donations from organizations and individuals also compete for limited airlift space used to transport supplies, war-fighting matériel and mail from family and loved ones.

Recently, DoD has become aware of organizations and individuals who continue to support some form of the "Any Servicemember" program by using the names and addresses of individual servicemembers and unit addresses. These programs are usually supported by well-intentioned, thoughtful and patriotic groups who are simply unaware of the new risks facing deployed military forces. Some individuals and groups publicize the names and addresses of service members, ships or units on Web sites, with good intentions. The result, however, is a potential danger to the troops they wish to support.