Here’s some tips:
First, you need the name/address of an actual soldier to send stuff to, because the DOD is a little bit cautious about “any soldier” packages. There’s a website that can help with that. In my case, I had a soldier who was on the way back to the states talk to someone at a unit that had just entered. Being me, they did that in July, and I didn’t send the stuff until Monday…
Use the USPS. Go to their website and get a flat rate Priority Mail box sent to you (they’re free). Its the best deal at $7.70 for up to 80 pounds, and they know how to ship to APO/NPO/MPO post offices. Its kind of pointless to use FexEx or UPS, because it ends up going to a DOD post office for redistribution anyways.
You might want to have them send you some priority mail stamps too while you’re at it. You can’t send anything thick in those boxes, so keep that in mind (I had to send a water bottle and some baby wipes separately, which ended up costing me $19 to send $15 worth of stuff…)
Put the stuff in those boxes. They aren’t that big, and that’s a good thing. They move through the system faster that way, and whoever you send stuff to will have to deal with the box. Its a lot easier to carry 5 twenty pound boxes then 1 hundred pound box. So lots of small boxes get there faster, and its easier on the troops.
Think about getting some of the even cheaper flat rate boxes from the USPS while you’re at it, and send something small once/week. Most soldiers I’ve talked too just like getting the mail. I like to send mix CDs.
Sending letters is important too, and only $.37.
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