# Sending mail to overseas soldiers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 9, 2004, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-mail-to-overseas-soldiers/239222 "2004-04-09T21:01:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-mail-to-overseas-soldiers/239222/1 "2004-04-09T21:01:25Z")
I’ve been browsing [this site](http://booksforsoldiers.com) a bit - which I thoroughly encourage you all to do as well - and have decided to send some mail. No packages, just a couple letters, to soldiers overseas in Afghanistan and Iraq. Simple question: how do I do postage for this? I’m assuming that it’ll be more to send a regular letter-size envelope to Iraq than, say, across town. Is there a strict guideline or do I need to ask at the post office? ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-mail-to-overseas-soldiers/239222/2 "2004-04-09T21:25:09Z")
If the address is APO or FPO, it’s standard postage. OTOH, if you need to mail a package, you need to take it to the post office for proper postage. Also, send everything first-class or priority so it’ll get there within a reasonable period. Robin, Air Force Wife. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-mail-to-overseas-soldiers/239222/3 "2004-04-09T22:40:42Z")
also make sure that you dont send things on the forbidden list…like an alcohol based hand sanitizer to muslim countries… i have friends and family all over the world in the military, I have been told I do KILLER care packages=) but all I know is what they come back after deployment and say they wished they had had when they were there=) ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-mail-to-overseas-soldiers/239222/4 "2004-04-09T23:35:56Z")
> [@](#): > > The US Postal Service has announced that APO ZIP codes for US military units in Kuwait and countries near the Iraq war zone **will be made available only to family members and close friends of deployed soldiers**. Postal officials stated that the limitation had been imposed due to anthrax and other terrorist threats. > > Programs that allowed the general public to send mail addressed to “Any Service Member” were cancelled more than a year ago. While these programs were popular with the public during Desert Storm and other operations, officials said security concerns and transportation constraints with military mail led to their cancellation. Web sites such as [http://anyservicemember.navy.mil](http://anyservicemember.navy.mil), and [Army Knowledge Online](http://usgovinfo.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=https://www.us.army.mil/portal/portal%5Fhome.jhtml) email have been suggested as alternate means to contact soldiers. Source: [http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aatroopmail.htm](http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aatroopmail.htm) ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-mail-to-overseas-soldiers/239222/5 "2004-04-10T01:49:09Z")
Another site to check out is [anysoldier.us](http://www.anysoldier.us/) .