Here is your list of things you are going to need:
- Box
- Customs Form 2976-A
- Items to send
- Baggies
- Packing Tape (or use the tape at the post office)
Box
I'd suggest using a large flat rate box from USPS. They have a discounted rate of $12 to FPO/ APO addresses and it doesn't matter how much the box weighs. Another reason I suggest this is they will deliver the boxes to your door for FREE. Also- in country if the guys are a ways away from the main base it takes longer for larger boxes to get to them. One friend shipped a huge box and it took over three months to get to her husband. The reason for this is 1- It costs a LOT more to send it airmail so most people use surface mail which takes FOREVER. 2- Most people use the flat rate boxes so they make a uniform stack and can be shipped more easily and aren't as heavy and as cumbersome as a huge box. I always used flat rate boxes and in the middle of nowhere my husband got every single one of his packages! Best of all- if you use FPO/APO USPS boxes they have America Supports You written on them and a heart shaped flag being held by a stick figure. That is awesome! You have to ship USPS too by the way. FedEx and UPS do not deliver to them.
Customs Form
This is probably the daunting part. Don't let it be. I have completely filled out a mock form that can be used as a guide. If it isn't highlighted in yellow leave it blank. The biggest one to make sure you leave blank is the COUNTRY spot. Yes, they may be in Afghanistan BUT their base is considered US and because we mail a package in a US Post Office and it gets put on a plane or a ship and sent to a military installation and then sent out to their base in the middle of dust-bowl-istan it remains in US custody so leave it blank.
My adopted fake soldier (PLEASE don't send packages here as it is a fake address as well) is Pvt. GI Joe. When he deployed he gave me this address:
Pvt. GI Joe
1/1 Alpha CO 1st Plt (this means he is with 1/1 Alpha Company 1st Platoon)
Unit 12345
FPO AE 90210-2345
You can see how this information is entered in above. Make sure you write your address in first in the FROM section.
The contents of your package can be summarized. I never wrote brands or precisely what I was shipping for two reasons. One there isn't enough space and two I didn't want his packages to be pilfered. (Yes, sadly it happens)
If I sent him sunglasses I always wrote eye glasses. That isn't a lie but it doesn't look as obvious as I HAVE TACTICAL SUNGLASSES IN HERE PLEASE STEAL THEM! Also I sent him SD cards with photos and videos of our son who was born after he left. I always wrote card. That is what it is- a memory CARD but again less obvious and I always put the card in to something so it wouldn't get lost if the package is damaged.
The post office will weigh the package and put a weight in for you. Let them do it. I never put the exact total of what I spent on his items on the customs form. Again it encourages someone to pilfer it. Not only that but a package of oreos only costs $3 in the store- once it is put in a box and possibly smashed to crumbs it is priceless. :) I put $20 on every package I sent and one of the boxes had over $500 worth of stuff in it. I never paid for tracking for the packages because you can only track them until they get to a base- they don't track from the base all the way out to the battalion, company and platoon. I also didn't waste money on insurance. I might have sent high value items but I took that risk when I mailed them. I have heard horror stories about paying for it and going through a huge run around only to not be paid back. I will look in to it though for the sake of the blog.
Also, these boxes travel an awful long way and see some pretty rugged parts of the world at times. Make sure you write a list and put it right inside the box of the contents that you put in it. I know the customs form will say what is inside but a list INSIDE the box will not only let your soldier know what he is getting or what might be missing but also if the box gets smashed and the stuff has to be put back in it they will know what belongs in your box. This is of course worst case scenario but it does happen.
Once you have decided what all you want to send get it all together so you can tightly pack it in to the box to optimize the space you have available. A lot of products that contain singles are individually packaged- I open all of the outside boxes and only pack the individual items so that I can arrange stuff Tetris style to use every little space. For small items I put them in ziplock bags and I label the bag with the number of items in the bag and the contents (just in case customs does check your package). Any food items that don't have thick packaging or could possible pop open also is a good candidate for ziplock bags. The reason is if one of the packages pops and little critters smell it they can destroy a box by the time it gets to it's destination. I have heard stories of boxes with a corner chewed off and NOTHING but wrappers and mouse poo in the box. :(
Pack stronger items in the center and on the sides and softer weaker items around them so that the box has a greater tensile strength and will be less likely to get smashed.
Water gets boring really quickly but they HAVE to drink it- drink mixes will save them here. If you send drink mixes I would suggest taking the packs out of the boxes and pack a variety in a small snack size ziplock so that they can easily be dropped in a pocket.
Some Items Always in Demand:
- Protein Powder and Bars
- Drink mixes
- Jerky
- Trail Mix
- Mouse Traps and Fly Paper (YES! They need this stuff like crazy)
- Hygiene Items
- Razors
- Baby Wipes
- Toothpaste & Tooth Brushes
- Soap
- Deodorant
- Cards/ Notes of Support
- Instant Coffee Packs (Starbucks Via and Iced Via, Folgers, Tasters Choice)
- Small Packs Sauces/ Condiments
(www.minimus.biz is AMAZING for this!! I sent hot sauce, ketchup, BBQ Sauce, seasonings, hummus etc in single serving packs from here)
- Magazines & Books
Check the list of restricted items for the country you are mailing the package to-
Afghanistan has a restriction on the following items:
- Obscene Items (print, cards, magazines, videos, etc)
- Any Material Depicting Nude or Semi Nude Persons
- Bulk Quantities of Religious Materials
- Pork or Pork By-Products
- Alcohol or Products to Make Alcohol
DO NOT SEND ALCOHOL OR ANY PRODUCT THAT CONTAINS ALCOHOL!
Not only does the country have a ban on alcohol and alcohol products which means it just being in their possession is breaking a law but their command does not allow it either. It is also on the list of restricted items for mailing. You wouldn't mail drugs so don't mail them alcohol. Using the US Postal Service to send banned items can be considered a FEDERAL CRIME. Don't risk it.
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