Mailing to an APO

References:

http://www.usps.com/supportingourtroops/welcome.htm

http://www.oconus.com/zipcodes.asp

The price of military mail postage is the same as domestic postage. A first-class stamp that gets mail across town will also get mail half way around the world to a military service member.

Generally, the following are prohibited in the region of Operation Iraqi Freedom:

• Obscene articles (prints, paintings, cards, films, videotapes, etc).
  
• Any matter depicting nude or seminude persons, pornographic or sexual items, or nonauthorized political materials.
  
• Bulk quantities of religious materials contrary to the Islamic faith. Items for the personal use of the addressee are permissible.
  
• Pork or pork by-products.
  
• For packages, print on one side only with the recipient’s address in the lower right portion.


• More restrictions specific to APO 09391 are listed here.
  
  

Save $2 mailing packages to APOs with the special priority box. Order it online from the USPS, and they will ship you a bunch free of charge!

Introducing a quick, easy, convenient and NOW 50% larger way for you to ship Priority Mail packages to military personnel serving overseas. The Priority Mail APO/FPO Flat Rate Box features predetermined rates regardless of weight (domestically) or destination, similar to our other Flat Rate products.

Some key benefits:

• Only $10.95 when used to send to APO/FPO addresses; $2.00 less than our domestic pricing.
  
• Box features the “America Supports You” logo and APO/FPO addressing block.
  
• The U.S. Postal Service offers free Package Pickup from your home or office at a time and place convenient for you. To schedule Package Pickup and for other pickup options and availability, visit usps.com.
  

The customs forms for packages are available online. For priority mail (using the special box mentioned above), use Form 2976-A. Articles are liable for customs duty and/or purchase tax unless they are bona fide gifts intended for use by military personnel or their dependents. When the contents of a parcel meet these requirements, the mailer must endorse the customs form, “Certified to be a bona fide gift, personal effects, or items for personal use of military personnel and dependents,” under the heading, Description of Contents.

The Hooch

Nate has moved into his "hooch" (permanent quarters). He has a mailing address now, so if you'd like it, please email me, and if your name doesn't rhyme with Pruce Jee (like this blogger), I'll send it to you.

He bought a 27" TV, fridge, and microwave from a departing soldier and got his room mostly organized. The closet could apparantly use more order, but now that he can watch DVDs there's not much chance of that happening. He is anxious for internet access to reach his housing area. The 1/2-hour allotments at MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation) aren't quite enough for him to stay caught up on email and Facebook.

They are hoping to move into their office this week. They're also planning a prayer breakfast sometime the end of October. Nate expects around that same time he and the chaplain will begin visiting the FOBs (Forward Operating Bases) where other elements of their battalion are located. The chaplain from the 63rd Signal Bn (the unit they're replacing) never took a convoy anywhere, flying to the FOBs instead. Nate expects they will do the same.

He has visited the base theatre (a for-real movie theatre just like in the Grand ol' USA) a couple times, and likes to hang out at MWR or the USO (United Services Organization) with other soldiers in his unit.

More gnews, in his own words...

This last week I went to the gym every morning (M-F) that was mandated by SSG Walker, despite my plan to do so on my own anyway. Theres a "Cross-Fit" class Sunday-Friday which is *really* good. Its kinda a circuit training class, where each day there will be a different set of stations you rotate through, many using weights of some kind, others simply push-ups or sit-ups, and others more of a cardio station (jumping jacks, etc). This last week I did it MWF, and did weight training Tuesday and Thursday. This coming week SSG Walker is having us do running (treadmill) MF, cross-fit TTH, and weight training Wednesday. I wish he would give me a little more freedom in setting up my own workout program... Id continue to do Cross-Fit MWF in the morning, then run (treadmill) in the evenings MWF, and do weight training in the evenings on T & TH. I can't run outside here... the air is just too bad. The air quality is really, really bad, and even on pretty "clean" days I sometimes find myself breathing very shallowly by the end of the day. Some days my lungs will hurt if I breath normally, and Ive been wearing my balaclava almost every day... when most people only wear them during and a couple days following a sand storm.

Permanent Quarters

Nate is now in permanent quarters. Very nice, I hear. I'm hoping to get more details soon. Internet access is still spotty for him.

His unit is still without office space. The unit they are replacing hasn't vacated yet. Once they do, Nate and Chpl. King can set up shop.

Limbo

In case you missed Nate's comment to this earlier post...

He's still in temporary quarters, which limits his access to email and the internet. He pops by the base's Internet Cafe when he has time, which is to say, rarely.

There's not any Nate-specific news to report, so I thought I'd open a portal to other news few civilians come across. I've added a set of links over on that side --> of the page, under "Iraq News and Other Resources", to offer you a view of what goes on "over there", but is typically not reported. Some of it is not reported because it is good news (which doesn't sell as well as bad news). Some is not reported because it is inconsistent with the story line the news peddlers believe. Much is not reported because it really is mundane, local-interest-type stuff. In any case, I find it interesting as a competing viewpoint. I especially like the base newspaper. But then I like small-town papers, and military base papers kind of have the same flavor. If you know of other good links email me.

Also, email me if you hear some gossip from Nate or Katie that you think should be shared on this blog.

Peace and Stuff,

Tim

Contact Info -- NOT

... well, that's one of those things that shouldn't be published (at least not without Nate or Katie's permission).

At this time, Nate doesn't have a mailing address in Iraq. When he has one, I'll let you know that it's available, but will not publish here what it is.

If you have access to our church's online directory, they keep their phone, mail, and email info up-to-date there, and welcome your letters and emails.

If you don't have access to that, view my profile, where you will find my contact information. Contact me, and I'll either give you Nate and Katie's contact information (if I know who you are and know they want to hear from you), or, in most cases, I'll forward your request to them.

All of us in Nate and Katie's family are very grateful for the outpouring of support from family and friends. We'll do everything we can to help you communicate with them, consistent with their need for privacy and security.

Welcome to Nate Gnews

I hope you find this blog a good way to keep up with Nate and his gung-ho Army stuff. This should be the place you go to for the latest information on Nate -- insofar as he and his wife, Katie, keep his parents informed. ;-)

First we must play some catch-up. As you should be aware, Nate is an Army Specialist, assigned as the chaplain's assistant in the 51st Signal Battalion. As the chaplain's assistant, he has various duties, including being the chaplain's clerk and driver, as well providing physical security (as chaplains don't carry firearms, so somebody has to protect them).

On August 27th, Nate deployed with his unit (51st Signal Battalion) from Ft. Lewis, WA en route to Iraq via Kuwait.

They spent something on the order of about 2 weeks in Kuwait adjusting to the time change (CDT + 8hrs in Kuwait where they don't observe daylight savings, CDT + 9hrs in Iraq), climate; and receiving additional training. For example, anybody who has participated in marksmanship training in the military, law enforcement, or at a sportsmen's club would know how sterile and safe that environment can be. Rarely will a hostile situation permit soldiers to line up and face the same direction, take a comfortable shooting position, control their breathing, sight a plastic target safely downrange, and squeeze the trigger. In Kuwait, Nate and his comrades got some more realistic training; forming in small groups, running through an area with live ammo, surprised at various times by potential targets which had to be quickly identified as friend or foe, and if appropriate, engaged. Good stuff. Nate loved it. Sprained his foot, but a small price to pay.

In addition to combat skills training, they also received training about the local culture, including some basic Arabic -- "Please", "Thank you", "One at a time", "Keep your hands where I can see them" -- you know, typical tourist stuff.

Sunday morning we received word that his unit had moved to Iraq. The battalion HQ is at Balad Airbase (formerly Camp Anaconda), located about 68 miles north of Baghdad, in the Sunni Triangle (see map -- click on 'satellite' to see anything). Balad hosts over 30,000 coalition troops and civilian contractors, and unlike most bases in Iraq has the luxury of a base movie theatre, fast food, an indoor swimming pool, and dance lessons. No excuse for him coming back without serious foxtrot skills. Katie, are you ready for that?

He is still in temporary quarters, and expects to move into permanent quarters by Tuesday.

While HQ is at Balad, the rest of the battalion is spread all across Iraq. The chaplain, of course, serves the whole battalion, so Nate and Chaplain (Captain) King will likely be flying all over to provide ministry (or coordinate ministry for soldiers of faiths other than Ch. King's), offer counseling, evaluate and maintain morale (hand out candy, books, DVDs, etc.), and identify and treat combat stress. If necessary they will also plan and conduct memorial services, and notify soldiers of death or illness of family members back home.

Katie seems to be taking to her new role as "Army Wife", even under this most difficult initiation. She is learning how to access all the services available to her, and getting to know the other spouses in the battalion quite well. She is taking this semester off from school, and a part-time job she thought she had lined up fell through, so she is not as busy as she would like to be. It looks like an opportunity at a nearby Radio Shack may come through for her. She is kept company by a couple of kittens they got shortly after moving into their apartment in Tacoma in June. I thought they were intended as surrogate Nates in his absence, but she had them fixed last week, so perhaps I should reevaluate.

Please keep Nate and Katie in your prayers. They have maintained a great attitude about it all, but have already experienced the pangs of separation and all the anxiety associated.