- Since the 1980's military mail in United States has had its own military manager called the Military Postal Service Agency or MPSA, which is located in Washington, DC. From here all mail going to another country or coming in from another country is weighed, inspected and processed before reaching civilian or military areas. The MPSA has strict guidelines and restrictions as to what can pass through the system---items such as pornography, firearms and tobacco are prohibited. Many military personnel are not charged for standard mail that goes back to the states, which is an added benefit as well as a cost savings to those serving in the military.
- Some of the main types of military mail are certified, registered and insured letters, packages and care boxes, these are all popular items that pass through the MPSA. One should make sure that when they send a letter or package overseas especially to military personnel who are in combat zones that they correctly spell the service member's full name and address them specifically by including their military unit as well as their APO or FPO (Air, Army, Fleet) as well as a return address in case if the item is sent back or the service person changes locations.
- Once a letter or package is mailed it can take up to a week to process through the MPSA. Once the item leaves the MPSA, it can take up to three days to reach the mail service unit on the base or in the nearby town in which the recipient is serving in or near. Mail can also take additional time once it reaches the military personnel and may be held unopened until the service man or woman returns to base camp.
- Military mail can be sent to a military base, diplomatic and consular facilities into personnel and combat zones as well. For Navy ships or those on the sea, special delivery from the MPSA or a private service typically delivers military mail once every two weeks. For hostile regions or those in desolate or remote mountain terrain or deserts, most mail has to be delivered by truck or small plane which can arrive sporadically as weather permits.
- One should consider that civilians they can receive letters from military personnel a lot faster than what they receive mail from civilians. Letters and packages departing from foreign countries that are being sent to military bases around the world may take longer than sending them from the United States as there are more harsh restrictions and inspections that the mail may have to go through. Pricing to send a standard mailing from the USA to abroad abides by the same pricing and weight guidelines as the United States Postal Service so letters and packages can be sent from any post office around the country.
