|
APO -
ARMY POST OFFICE
The Army Post Offices (APO) operate as an extension of the United States
Postal Service (USPS), consistent with public law and Federal
regulations. APOs provides efficient and responsive postal services to
authorized personnel and activities overseas during both normal and
contingency operations.
Mail is processed, dispatched and collected from collection boxes, a
minimum of five days a week. Inbound mail flows into the theater seven
days per week. There are 52 Army Postal Facilities located throughout
Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy that are available to all
authorized postal patrons with a Military ID Card.
Authorized Patrons are service members, DoD civilian employees and
DoD contractor employees assigned to USAREUR posts. The service is not
available to personnel visiting Europe. Individuals who have questions
are encouraged to look at AE Regulation 600-700 for explanations of the
different types of individual logistical support in USAREUR
Postage stamps are available at more than just your local post
office. AAFES PXs and shoppettes also sell them. Consolidated Mail Rooms
(CMR) and Unit Mail Rooms (UMR) provide mail collection boxes
(identifiable by their brown color) for articles with the correct
postage applied. CMR/UMRs are Installation Management Agency
(IMA)/United States Army Garrison (USAG) assets and are staffed by IMA-E
mail clerks.
Mail to a German Address.
Letters mailed to a local German address can use US postage stamps at
the same rate as mail to the Continental United States (CONUS). However,
the letters must 1) have a military APO return address, and 2) be mailed
from an APO in Germany (not authorized from APOs in other countries).
NOTE: Parcels may also be sent at the U.S. domestic postage rate, but a
customs declaration is required.
Customs forms are required for all packages entered into the MPS and
must be itemized. Mailing packages stateside from abroad involves many
prohibitions, restrictions and import duty rules. Avoid the pitfalls by
getting the "International Mail Imports" pamphlet from a military
customs office. Many people do not know that the Department of
Agriculture could fine you anywhere from $100 to $500 and sometimes even
more if you mail any meat or meat by-products to CONUS. A customs
declaration has to be on every parcel going to the States and falsifying
it is a federal offense.
Prohibited items.
Some things cannot be mailed through the Military Postal System or
are prohibited entry into the United States. They include, but are not
limited to: alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, liquor-filled candies),
flammable materials (cigarette lighter fluid, matches, oil), explosives
(fireworks, ammunition), compressed gases (aerosol containers, butane,
propane), most weapons (handguns, switchblade knives, spent ammunition,
shells or similar "war trophies"), foreign meat products (fresh or dried
meat, canned meat, meat in soups or sauces), fresh fruits, plants and
Cuban cigars. Individuals who deliberately use the Military Postal
Service to send or attempt to send non-mailable or prohibited items may
be subject to prosecution and hefty fines.
If your sponsor is deployed, please ensure that you check for and
take delivery of mail from your supporting Consolidated Mail Room or
Unit Mail Room as often as possible. Due to limited mailroom facility
space, some mailrooms are becoming overburdened with mail that is ready
and available for delivery and this creates staging area problems for
new mail that arrives daily.
Planning on taking extended vacation? It is advisable to stop by your
mail room and let them know you are going to be away for awhile. You can
fill out temporary mail instructions to hold mail, forward it or have
someone pick it up for you.
Do you have some free time? Army Post Offices, Consolidated Mail
Rooms and Unit Mail Rooms have volunteer opportunities available
throughout USAREUR. Please check with the local Installation Volunteer
Coordinator for further information. No special skills, education or
certification are necessary.
Support of our deployed troops.
As a booster to force protection, persons are urged not to send
unsolicited mail, CARE packages or donations to forward deployed service
members unless they are family members, loved ones or personal friends.
In October 2002, the Department of Defense suspended the "Operation Dear
Abby" and "Any Service Member" mail programs due to force protection
concerns. Although these programs provide an excellent means of support
to friends and loved ones stationed overseas, they also provide an
avenue to introduce hazardous substances or materials into the mail
system from unknown sources.
Unsolicited mail, packages and donations from organizations and
individuals also compete for limited airlift space used to transport
supplies, war-fighting materiel and mail from family and loved ones. To
show support to troops overseas, DOD recommends that you log on to the
following web sites to show support, to include greeting cards, virtual
Thank You cards and calling card donations to help troops stay in touch
with loved ones:
www.americasupportsyou.mil
www.army.mil/operations/iraq/faq.html
|
