Wife came home almost in tears

old · Apr 29, 2010

Local post said because the package she was sending out had a FPO number on it that she had to fill out a bunch of other paper work. So when did it get to the point that a military address had to have you jumping through the hoops etc. What has changed since I was in?? Once you had an APO or FPO on a package it was oh hey this has to go out as fast as it can or does this guy need to have an adjustment of some sort. So need info asap so I can go about this with a loaded gun so to speak.
Thanks

Anonymous-0 · Apr 30, 2010

(quoted from post at 21:39:57 04/29/10) Local post said because the package she was sending out had a FPO number on it that she had to fill out a bunch of other paper work. So when did it get to the point that a military address had to have you jumping through the hoops etc. What has changed since I was in?? Once you had an APO or FPO on a package it was oh hey this has to go out as fast as it can or does this guy need to have an adjustment of some sort. So need info asap so I can go about this with a loaded gun so to speak.
Thanks

Don't stress the small stuff. You just have to fill out a customs form and meet weight/size limits and content restrictions. Go online to the USPS site and read up.
You have 2 choices here, do the paperwork or don't send the package. b!tching at the postal clerk will only make things worse. The form you folks in the States have to fill out looks a little more intimidating than the ones we use to send packages your way but they aren't so bad. Just have the clerk do a sample, take it and some blanks home and be ready the next time.

Dave

rustyfarmall · Apr 30, 2010

We sent a package to Afghanistan just yesterday. Yes, you do have to fill out that customs form just the same as as for ANY package going overseas, military or otherwise.

Dblair · Apr 30, 2010

if it's like our po in the county we could have taken all day at the counter and not got in anyones way .

IOWA NORTHEAST · Apr 30, 2010

I have numerous friends that work for the post offices, they can tell you lots of stories of issues that are mandadted.

In our town of seven hundred the PO is opened at 8:30 - 4:00 with it being closed from 12 - 2:00. And yes there are two folks working that could trade shift for noon break. Now think of a working man trying to go to the desk.

The pay is great for our area, so everyone plays along.

And then they wonder why everyone uses other sorces for comunications.

Our comunity is close, and years ago a elderly lady mailed a letter addressed two girls, one boy, Garnavillo Iowa. Bingo it got to the correct box.

Now if you don't have everything perfect, it gets returned. A couple of prancksters used to not put a stamp on the letters, and would switch the return, and mailing address, so there letter would go free. That was funny till they caught up with them. They were next door neighbors anyway, and drank a few together each eve.

Don't fight the system, you are not going to change the mind of a clerk that would loose his job if he sheltered you, or made a exception.

old · Apr 30, 2010

Well if it was gooing over seas I might could se it but it is going to Gulf Port Mississippi right here in the U.S.A. so it should not be a hassle to send since it is not leaving the U.S.A. this guy is just plain out and out wrong

Bill in IN · Apr 30, 2010

Just relax and be glad that the government doesn"t have anything to do with important things like health care-

rustyfarmall · Apr 30, 2010

(quoted from post at 07:27:56 04/30/10) Well if it was gooing over seas I might could se it but it is going to Gulf Port Mississippi right here in the U.S.A. so it should not be a hassle to send since it is not leaving the U.S.A. this guy is just plain out and out wrong

If the package was not going overseas, why did you need the APO?

Ron Anderson · Apr 30, 2010

I sent some things to Fort Sill, Kuiate, and Iraq a couple years ago and it was the same thing.
My guess is that it is like getting on a airplane these days.

Anonymous-0 · Apr 30, 2010

(quoted from post at 07:27:56 04/30/10) Well if it was gooing over seas I might could se it but it is going to Gulf Port Mississippi right here in the U.S.A. so it should not be a hassle to send since it is not leaving the U.S.A. this guy is just plain out and out wrong

If it has APO or FPO in the address itneeds the form. Feel free to go on the USPS website and tell them how smart you are and let them know how to run things........ Heck, maybe you can even get them to give ALL your mail special handling.....

Dave

greenbeanman in Kansas · Apr 30, 2010

"So when did it get to the point that a military address had to have you jumping through the hoops etc."

Probably about the time some idiots started sending out white powder in envelopes. Isn't it always a few rotten apples that spoil all?

If you are so sure that the fellow is absolutely wrong then you should pursue the matter to get him educated if you are indeed correct.

jimva · Apr 30, 2010

Everytime ive sent things to my nephews and such over the past coupla years who are in the Military I have always had to fill out a form, didn matter if it was overseas or here in the states.

It takes a couple minutes to fill out yourself and a few times i even talked the cute gal behind the counter into filling it out for me.

Certainly nothing to cry over.

old · Apr 30, 2010

Well it was new to her and she had not been able to send him any thing for over a month so she was very upset

old · Apr 30, 2010

Just how they have it set up. It is to bad it can not be easy like it was when I was in. Oh well I did get it sent out just had to have the guy fill out the paper work since I left my glasses home

Anonymous-0 · Apr 30, 2010

(quoted from post at 14:58:14 04/30/10) It is to bad it can not be easy like it was when I was in.

The pony express pony was always glad to see ya cause you gave him a sugar cube......

(quoted from post at 14:58:14 04/30/10)Oh well I did get it sent out just had to have the guy fill out the paper work since I left my glasses home

Did you thank him or tell him how wrong he was and how easy it was back in nam????

old · Apr 30, 2010

You know Dave most of the time your pretty nice but any more your getting to be a real A-hole maybe you need to have a bit more compression for a person who misses her son

Anonymous-0 · Apr 30, 2010

Don't wear your heart on your sleeve. I was just kiddin.

There's a whole lot of folks that can't send packages to their kids anymore and you're b!tching about having to fill out a slip of paperwork..Hard to find much sympathy on that one.

Dave

WantACaseLASomeday · Apr 30, 2010

Use the flat rate boxes - they are a heck of a deal, and get a stack of the blank custom forms so you can fill one out in advance, and the whole thing is a piece of cake.

My daughter has been deployed all over the world and I have sent everything from miniature Christmas trees and lights to M&Ms, and you will get used to it. Everything has to go priority mail, too, so the flat rate boxes are ideal.

old · Apr 30, 2010

Ah but if he/we had been told about it that would have been one thing but this was just plain rude. As for not being able to send thing yep for the past month plus we have not been able to so shut the F up

Anonymous-0 · Apr 30, 2010

http://www.militarytimes.com/valor/

Bet these kids' folks would stand in line to fill out a customs slip.
Sleep it off.......Things'll look a little brighter tomorrow.

Dave

old · Apr 30, 2010

Ya it would not have been a big deal if we had been told before hand but to get slammed with out out of the blue and her not being able to send him any thing for more then a month got her upset. He is her only son/child so she it a tad bit touchy on things with him. Lots of things have changed since I was in 30 almost years ago. Will be 30 years ago in July

MarkB_MI · May 1, 2010

Although your son may be in Gulfport today, by the time he gets your package he might well be in Sicily or Diego Garcia. I imagine the reason for the customs form is to cover that possibility: mail sent to an APO or FPO address can get forwarded anywhere in the world. I guess I never thought filling out a customs declaration was that big of a deal. I did it all the time when my son was in Iraq.

TGIN · May 1, 2010

Did you think they would call everyone and tell them that just incase your planing on sending a box to someone in the navy you will have to fill out a form ???

TGIN · May 1, 2010

Your wife go s in to send a package to the military and is ask to fill out a form and she runs home crying then you go in to do it and dont take your glasses and cant fill out the form , and people cant figger out why postal workers flip out !!

old · May 1, 2010

Ya that is the thing. Things have changed so much since I was in we didn't even know any thing about the hassles now days to send something. She was just upset that she has been sitting on this package now for a month so when she went to send it out the guy said she had to do this and that and know how much what weighted etc it just got her very upset. I took it back the next day and had little problem other them the fact I never take my glasses out of the house so he had to fill it out which he didn't seem to mind doing

Anonymous-0 · May 1, 2010

https://webapps.usps.com/customsforms/#

Here ya go.... Fill it out online. You can also get a bunch of good info by going to the USPS website. There's a lot to be said for the flatrate boxes.... I saved about 60 bucks on a package I sent to someone a few weeks ago.

Dave

cadet trooper · May 1, 2010

When I was in Viet Nam the cutoff for Christmas items was sometime in November but mom never liked government mandated things so she sent some of her molasses cookies aoround the 20th of December and gave me crap because I never recieved them until the middle of January. I still loved them just the same.

old · May 1, 2010

Ya now days it is just getting harder to do any thing. Hope it doesn't get like it was back in the 30/40s when you had to ask the gov. if you could buy a tractor like my grand father had to. He had saved up to buy a tractor in 1935 but was told for 5 years he could not buy till 1940 when he got the 1935 JD-B I own now

Wife came home almost in tears

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