The Strength Behind The Strong

If there’s one thing that is always in demand in our military household, it’s a sturdy care package box. Actually, make that two things: a care package box and chocolate. Both, I’ve found, are necessities when a loved one is deployed. The U.S. Postal Service can fill one of those needs.

A free Military Care Kit is available to anyone who will be shipping goodies overseas using Priority Mail to our service members. The kit includes:

• 6 flat-rate Priority Mail boxes (medium and large sizes)
• 1 roll of packing tape
• 6 address labels
• 6 customs declarations forms with envelopes

Bake it, box it, ship it! When you order a free Military Care Kit, all that is missing from your care packages are some homemade cookies. Peanut butter blossoms, perhaps?

You can order the kit by phone only. Call the Postal Service’s Expedited Package Supply Center at 1-800-610-8734 to request a Military Care Kit. (From the automated list of options, choose “1” when asked if you would like to “place a order for Express Mail, Priority Mail, or Global Express Guaranteed products.”) You will need to provide your name and mailing address so your mail carrier can deliver the kit.

The kit is free, and there is no delivery charge. You don’t need to be in the military or be an immediate family member of someone in the military to order the Military Care Kit. Cousins, coworkers, friends, and friends-of-friends can request kits. Just remember: Uncle Sam will send you free packing and shipping materials, but you still must pay the required postage to send your care packages to that special someone.   

Military morsel: Let’s break down military postal addresses. “APO” stands for Army/Air Force Post Office; it delivers to members of the Army and Air Force. “FPO” stands for Fleet Post Office; it delivers mail to Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine personnel. You can only ship items to APO/FPO addresses using the U.S. Postal Service; you can’t use private carriers such as FedEx.