How to Ship Items to a Military Base

Sending items to military bases around the world is a wonderful way to support our troops by providing them with care packages, supplies or simply trinkets of encouragement and support. There are, however, guidelines to bear in mind as many of our soldiers are on military bases where extreme temperatures prevail. You also want your packages to comply with military regulations to ensure that it is deliverable.

Things You'll Need

• Packing materials
• Contents card
• Packing peanuts or bubble wrap
• Customs form

Instructions

Packing

1. Make sure your package contains either all food items or all non-food items. You don't want smells to blend while the package is shipped in extreme heat. For example, peanuts shouldn't smell like soap. Wrap everything three times in plastic zippered bags.

2. Fill every inch of empty space with packing peanuts, bubble wrap or crumpled newspaper. Make sure that everything is packed tightly and does not have the opportunity to shift during shipment.

3. Create a contents card. In case your package falls apart during shipment, the receivers can possibly read the card, figure out what was inside the package and deliver the items to the intended person.

Sending

1. Don't address the package to the city or country where the Army base is located as the package will get lost or detained going through the host city or country's mail system. You can check your address using the links at this website: http://www.army.com/base_directory.html.

2. Don't send more than five packages to any one address at any given time. Most bases can't handle a plethora of packages to hand out. Thus, if you have a lot you need to send, space them out over a week.

3. Fill out a customs card when sending to an Army Post Office. On the form is the section "instructions if non-deliverable." There you can specify if you want the package sent back to you if they can't deliver it, or if you want the base Chaplain to give it to someone of his choice.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't pack hazardous materials like aerosol cans, pornographic material, alcohol, chocolate or pork items.

• Don't use string or twine to tie the exterior of your package together as it could get caught in the sorting machine.

• Bear in mind that if you send an insured or registered package that the solider can only receive it if he goes to his base camp, which he might not do very often.

• Always include your return address on the outside of the package.

References

• Memolink: Shipping guide
• Army.com: Base Guide