How to Address an APO
The Army/Air Force post office system allows individuals to send mail to military personnel serving abroad while paying only domestic postage rates. APO (or FPO for Navy personnel) mail is received by the U.S. Postal Service just like regular domestic mail; it is then flown to the addressee's general theater of operations and then transferred to the military for final delivery.
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Things You'll Need
- Letter or package
- Recipient's unit number and box number
- Recipient's APO number
Instructions
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Write the recipient's rank and full name on the first address line (for example, "SSGT Nichol Bryan").
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Write the recipient's unit and box number on the second line: (such as "Unit 2050 Box 4190.")
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Write the recipient's APO code on the third line. This will consist of the letters APO and the two-letter code for his theater of operations, and the nine-digit ZIP code. The full line will look something like this: APO AE 09499-0074. In this case, AE stands for Armed Forces Europe. Other theater codes are AP for Armed Forces Pacific and AA for Armed Forces Americas.
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Tips & Warnings
The post office offers a flat-rate APO Priority Mail package; anything you can fit in the package, regardless of weight, will be shipped to the military recipient for one flat fee.
If you're shipping a package, the post office recommends including a card inside with a list of the contents, so if the package is opened during shipping the mail handlers can collect any items that may have spilled.
Do not include the name of the country where the military recipient is stationed in the address.
Remember that some military personnel--especially those stationed in Iraq--serve in areas of extreme temperatures. Do not ship items that may burst or be damaged by prolonged exposure to temperatures in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
The military restricts the shipping of pornographic materials to troops stationed in predominantly Muslim countries. It also restricts the shipment of pork products and bulk quantities of anti-Islamic religious literature to these countries.
Your APO mail has to be sent to a specific individual; the post office no longer accepts mail addressed to "Any Service Member."
References
Resources
- Photo Credit a soldier on exercise image by Pavel Bernshtam from Fotolia.com
