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INBOUND MAIL
A Consolidated Mail Room (CMR) is located on almost every installation.
It is your choice as to where you would like to have your mailbox.
To obtain a mailbox, take a copy of your orders to the CMR and complete
the application. Your sponsor can obtain a mailbox for you prior
to your arrival so you can begin having your mail forwarded.
Mailrooms are unlocked 24 hours a day to check your box, but the service
windows for packages are only open specific hours.
You may also receive packages from friends and family, as well as from
merchants who ship to APO addresses. In order to have your
purchase shipped to your APO box, it will have to be sent through US
Mail. Don't confuse UPS (United Parcel Service) with USPS (United
States Postal Service). UPS won't deliver to APO and it would cost
quite a bit to have something sent UPS to your overseas street address.
The same goes for FedEx or any other delivery service other than the US
Mail.
When you fill out your shipping address put your CMR information in the
second line (under your name), then on the third line put APO for the
city, AE for state, and your APO zip code in the zip code space.
If there a pull down menu for the states, look first for AE. Many
online sites now have AE as a choice. If AE isn't offered, then
use NY.
Some sites check to see if your zip code is valid for the state and
reject an APO zip in NY. You may have to email or call the vendor to
confirm your order and your address. Don't be surprised if you
have to explain that APO is domestic postage.
The types of shipments you are able to receive is further limited by the
size restrictions applied to mail sent to a CMR/APO. Large items
in excess of 70 pounds and 108 inches in combined length and girth will
not be accepted. To determine the size of the package, measure all
the way around the package and add that number to the length of the
longest side.
Community members can also receive mail at their German civilian
address. For those living on post, letters and packages mailed to
the civilian address will be delivered to an assigned mailbox within
each building's stairwell. However, friends and family members in
the States can expect to pay extremely high international shipping rates
when mailing UPS or FedEx to your German civilian address.
OUTBOUND MAIL
An Army Post Office (APO) is also located
on every installation. The APO is where community members go to
send outbound mail and packages.
Ways to send mail and packages from an APO:
Military postal System (MPS) - Private individuals and
organizations can mail letters and packages to other military postal
addresses within the European theater free of charge through the
Military Postal System (MPS). Packages must weight 70 pounds or
less and have a combined length and girth measurement of 100 inches or
less. In order to take advantage of the free postage, the sender
must write "MPS" in the upper right hand corner in place of postage
stamps.
Space Available Mail (SAM) - Packages up to 70 pounds, and up to
100 inches in combined length and girth. Airlifted from Europe to
the United States port of entry and trucked to or railed to the
package's final destination.
Parcel Air Lift (PAL) - Weight up to 30 pounds, and measurement
up to 60 inches in combined length and girth. Airlifted from
Europe to final US destination.
Priority Mail - Weight up to 70 pounds and up to 108 inches in
combined length and girth. Goes by fastest means possible.
Military Express Mail - Weight up to 70 pounds and a measurement
up to 108 inches in combined length and girth. Includes insurance
up to $500. Guaranteed delivery before 3:00pm of the second or
third day after mailing, depending on zip code.
Mail to German addresses - Letters sent from an APO to a civilian
address in Germany can be mailed by affixing US postage stamps, and
packages are sent at the US mail rate. You must use a complete APO
return address, not a civilian address. Mail to civilian addresses
in other foreign countries goes at the international rate.
DAMAGED
SHIPMENT?
SEE OUR GUIDE TO
CLAIMS FOR LOSS/DAMAGE TO HOUSEHOLD GOODS/BAGGAGE
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