Problems with Military DC's

[Gunpowder]

Wife sold an ebay item to a military address. She tried to do an online DC on USPS but they wouldn't take AE in the state slot. I think it was going to Africa but the online form didn't have AE as an option listed in the state list.

Anyone experience this and discover a workaround? wife had to pay for the DC at the local USPS office. They don't have a clue about the website.

 

[tfire136]

When I was deployed to Iraq my mom and wife complained about the same thing. USPS is supposed to be able to track packages to places like Iraq, Africa, and Afganistan but often fail. Some of the problems also come from the military itself. Certain locations where these packages are supposed to go are just off limits therefore making it tough to even get the package to the person let alone track that it has made it safley. When I was up on the Syrian border it took over 2 months to get a package and that was because of the above mentioned problem. You also mentioned that you could not enter AE in the "state" column and that happens all of the time lol. To make a long story short there really is no work around especially when that package falls into the hands of the military. My advice is not to pay for all of that extra stuff such as tracking and insurance becuause it will do no good. The package will usually arrive at its location eventually. Just my 2 cents hope it helps.

 

[Treamayne]

I spent 7 yerars overseas with the military. Up until 2005 there was no DC available to or from an APO/FPO because what really happens is the mail goes to a military port then is transported outside of USPS channels to its final destination. In 2005, while I was still in Japan, they finally introduced DCs out of APO/FPO locations and tehr tracking begins at the CONUS port. My understanding when I left Japan 2 months ago was that they were still unable to track a DC into a APO/FPO location. Even if a clerk sells it to you at the PO, you'll likely only get tracking to the port (Travis, CA for AP, and Boston, MA (IIRC) for AE) then it will drop off. Either way, this lack of ability is why the website is not set up with AP/AE destinations on the DC forms.

-K-

 

[Double D]

What Tremayne stated above is true. I have had an apo for over 15 yrs and they wont track d/c numbers however express mail they do. Whenever i send a package out i pay the extra 5-10 Dollars for express just for this reason.

 

[ggiese]

You want the good news or the bad news...

The good news is - you don't pay any extra money for Priority mail - it's as though you're mailing it to an address in the states. In most cases, it's probably cheaper...

The bad news - there is no tracking number, and you may have to fill out a customs slip at the post office. Not really a big deal, but kind of a hassle...

 

[tfire136]

The bad news - there is no tracking number, and you may have to fill out a customs slip at the post office. Not really a big deal, but kind of a hassle...

[snapback]297458[/snapback]​

They have really smartened up with that stuff also. If you had a package full of porn and you told them that it was brownies from your grandma they knew and then your commander gets a nice letter stating what contraband was being sent. Bottom line be truthful on the customs form lol.