Packages to Afganistan?

[Plum Crazy]

I have a buddy that is currently deployed and i want to send him stuff. Has anyone ever mailed anything internationally and what do i need to do differently than if i was mailing a regular package?? The USPS has flat rate boxes for the troops which i have some coming to my house, I dont want to mess anything up. I want to make sure he receives something from home. Also, any ideas on what to send him. thanks.

[cheap80Z28]

try contacting any american legion or vfw post, lots of things are not allowed to enter them countries.

[Plum Crazy]

try contacting any american legion or vfw post, lots of things are not allowed to enter them countries.


From what i read on the USPS website, it was basicly no Porn, no violent comics, no pork products, and you couldnt send large volumes of Religous items.

[SSDude]

Get his APO shipping address. It will be sent to the military's shipping address on the east coast and they will handle it to Afghanistan.
You have to fill out the export papers. Fairly easy, they can give you those and some instruction at the post office.
Besides the previously mentioned items no alcohol either.
The flat rate USPS box is always a good deal.

[Plum Crazy]

Get his APO shipping address. It will be sent to the military's shipping address on the east coast and they will handle it to Afghanistan.
You have to fill out the export papers. Fairly easy, they can give you those and some instruction at the post office.
Besides the previously mentioned items no alcohol either.
The flat rate USPS box is always a good deal.


I have his Complete Address. His FOB is called Ramrod.

[That_Guy]

I have his Complete Address. His FOB is called Ramrod.

Ramrod Win! Alex let me know if there is anything I can contribute

[TheRX7Project]

Yeah do you want some car or gun magazines (I mean ink on paper) to send along?

[SSDude]

Depending on what his military occupation is will determine what he can make the most use of. If he's on a base he can stash a lot of stuff. On patrol he will travel light.
What branch, Marines, Army?

[pOrk]

The flat rate USPS box is always a good deal.

I disagree, I've been shipping a lot of stuff to Australia and Canada and the flat rate boxes are twice as expensive as my own boxes

[Plum Crazy]

Depending on what his military occupation is will determine what he can make the most use of. If he's on a base he can stash a lot of stuff. On patrol he will travel light.
What branch, Marines, Army?

He is a wheeled vehicle mechanic in the army. He said is main job will be to fix those new Oshkosh trucks after they hit IED's.

[srt4eh]

Flat rate are not always the best...but the APO overseas ones are an awesome deal. I'd suggest sending magazines, candy, snacks like jerky or whatever, those drink packets for bottled water, and maybe some movies/CDs.

[SSDude]

I disagree, I've been shipping a lot of stuff to Australia and Canada and the flat rate boxes are twice as expensive as my own boxes

That will really depend on the weight. You could fill a flat weight with bottled water and it will be heavy as hell.
I think I had 25# in one. Parcel post to the FPO would be $19.32, large flat rate $12.50. All depends on the weight.:thumbsup

[u_say_go]

I sent a care package to my brother-in-law who was in Afghanistan around Christmas. I used the flat rate box and filled it with beef jerky, magazines, local newspaper (they love reading up on what's going on at home), an Ipod loaded with his favorite music stuffed in some wool socks, cookies, couple tins of chew, and candy. Also, they like getting hand written letters, photographs and pictures drawn by kids.

[Xephona]

I received several packages while I was deployed. Just send it to their APO address or whatever and it isn't much different than sending a normal package in the states. Just make sure of a few things.

1.) Write the contents on the slip that the post office gives you, along with the estimated value.. its a weird requirement.
2.) Do not send weapons, alcohol, flammable stuff, or pornography... or any pictures that can be considered inappropriate by the officials in the country that the package is going to. I know that if we were caught with anything even remotely offensive.. we were turned over DIRECTLY to the Iraqi government.
3.) It takes a LONG time for the package to get there usually... took 3 weeks for one of mine. Your "fastest" bet would be to try to send it to whomever THROUGH their base in the states. I.E. It was easier and faster to have my parents send a package to my base, and have THEM put it on a jet that was dropping off supplies to us... just make sure ahead of time that they know. (send it to the persons friend, and have them do the appropriate steps).

[srt4eh]

I actually got my packages in about a week....then again I was at Bagram