Package to ship

[Apache54]

XMas Packages

There are limitations specific to the theatre you are sending to. Bring the APO/FPO box number with you to the post office here in the states and check with them as far as the dimensions, weight, and other limits. If you're sending to the middle east, you can't send anything that is sexual in nature, ie porn of any sorts, and includes things like Maxim magazine, etc..., or anything that makes islam look bad.

You'll definitely need a customs delcaration form; you can find an example on the usps.com website and stacks of them in the post office. You shouldn't need any other paperwork.

Don't bother paying for next day air or anything silly like that - when a parcel makes it into the APO/FPO in NY or the air station in Miami, that stuff belongs to the military postal system and all the "overnight" "fragile" "do not bend" stickers don't mean anything.

Good luck.

Its always nice to get packages downrange. They'll appreciate it.

 

[AArider]

Put your booze in a plastic scope bottle. That way it won't break. And don't declare that on the customs form. Your buddy will owe you BIG !!!

At least that is what I've heard to do.

Good Luck.

 

[MarineGrunt]

You can also stick a bunch of 99cent booze bottles inside of a Pringles can. Just take out all the chips, put the booze in, and put half the chips back in. Use super glue to seal the pull off lid.

Speaking of magazines of a sexual nature, I know of a guy who sold a Penthouse magazine over there for $800.

 

[Toro]

Originally posted by FlyChicaga
I'm sending a Christmas package to a friend on deployment, and am curious if there are any restrictions that I should know about?

I just got back from three months at Al Udeid AB, so I can throw my two cents in, but the easiest thing (if your friend has email access) is to just ask her what the restrictions are. That being said, the general restriction is no booze and no porn with a couple caveats and a couple sneaky ways around it. I'll preface this with the statement that I'm referring primarily to Al Udied, things may be slightly different wherever your buddy is at.

Apache 54
If you're sending to the middle east, you can't send anything that is sexual in nature, ie porn of any sorts, and includes things like Maxim magazine, etc..., or anything that makes islam look bad.

While porn (pretty much Penthouse or worse) is prohibited, you probably won't get a Maxim, Stuff, or any other "Guy" (non-porn) magazine confiscated. While you won't find those mags downtown, they actually do sell them at the BX. I personally received 6-9 Maxim's, Stuffs, and FHMs while I was there.

Originally posted by AArider
Put your booze in a plastic scope bottle. That way it won't break. And don't declare that on the customs form.

Good thought, but they're onto that one by now (read "Strike Eagle" by William Smallwood - he talks about how they did that in the Gulf War with limited success). I don't know how, but they will find stuff like this; I don't think they open random packages, but my guess would be that they X-ray them. We had a guy get a notice that a package to him had been intercepted with alcohol. Turns out the sender only tried to hide it in water bottles. If you're going to put the booze in a scope bottle, my suggestion would be to at least add green food coloring and maybe even some scope in case they open it up to smell it (and use vodka, it tends not to smell as much). MarineGrunt has a good idea with stuffing the booze into a Pringles container - guys get snacks like that all the time.

Originally posted by MarineGrunt
I know of a guy who sold a Penthouse magazine over there for $800.

Sounds like somebody had some serious issues. While you can't buy porn and you can't have it shipped, that's not to say it's tough to find. They didn't search anybody's bags when we arrived, and plenty of guys brought porn - magazines and movies. Just about every tent with guys in our squadron had at least a magazine or two.

While there are some things in particular that are great to get downrange, the best thing is just to receive something period. We had a lounge room where the incoming mail would be delivered - most guys would open their packages (so to speak) and dump all the home baked cookies, snacks, and magazines on a community table for everybody to share. Generally the only things they kept for themselves were the letters and pictures inside the packages.