Military

Sending Holiday Gifts To Your Sailor? Here Are The Navy's Mail Deadlines

By Beth Ford Roth / Home Post Blogger

Published September 16, 2014 at 7:42 AM PDT

This story was published more than 10 years ago.

Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Casaundra Montgomery, left, assigned to the future amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), helps a customer seal a package for mailing from the ship's post office, Aug. 21, 2014.

Planning to send a Christmas gift or holiday card to someone you love aboard a Navy ship or on shore duty? The Navy has announced its mail-by dates to ensure presents and letters get to your sailor before Dec. 25:

For mail addressed to/from:

APO/FPO/DPO AE zips 090-098 (except 093); AA zips 340; AP zips 962-966

Priority Express Mail Military Service: Dec. 17

First-Class and Priority Mail (letters/cards and packages): Dec. 10

Space Available Mail: Nov. 26

Standard Post Mail: Nov. 8

APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIP 093

Priority Express Mail Military Service: N/A

First-Class and Priority Mail (letters/cards and packages): Dec. 3

Space Available Mail: Nov. 26

Standard Post Mail: Nov. 8

Domestic Mail (For Ships in Port and Personnel on Shore Duty in the U.S. mailing to U.S. destinations-not including APO/FPO)

First-Class Mail: Dec. 20

Priority Mail: Dec. 20

Priority Express Mail: Dec. 23

For a complete list of all deadlines and mail restrictions, click here.

The Navy also wants to remind you to use a nine-digit zip code to ensure your mail gets delivered to any Navy Mobile Unit.

A nine-digit zip code is simply a five-digit code and a four-digit code separated by a dash, like 12345-1234.

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Any mail that doesn't have the nine-digit zip code will be returned to the sender as undeliverable.