Claim: The USPS provides free Priority Mail shipping supplies for customers sending packages to U.S. military personnel overseas.
Status: True.
Example: [Collected via e-mail, 2006]
I got the following today. I called the number, and this IS legit. Anyone can do it, family member or friend, so there is no more excuses regarding the cost of boxes, tape, packaging materials and labels. Best of all? It is FREE. The USPS has a program for military family members and friends to supply them with packaging materials to send packages to troops overseas. If you call 1-800-610-8734 and select option This is just FYI. I thought it was a pretty good deal and wanted to try and get the word out to anyone that didn't know about this program |
Origins: Since the preponderance of "free merchandise" offers promoted via
The United States Postal Service (USPS) will supply for free, to anyone who asks, specially packaged Priority Mail supplies for shipping "care kits" to members of the U.S. military stationed overseas. Each supply kit includes the following:
- 4 Priority Mail Flat-Rate "shoe box"-type shipping boxes
- 6 Priority Mail Flat-Rate "garment box"-type shipping boxes
- 10 Priority Mail labels
- 1 roll of Priority Mail tape
- 10 customs forms with envelopes
(The contents of the supply kits changes from time to time and sometimes includes other items, such as water-resistant
Tyvek Priority Mail envelopes and Priority Mail address labels. Most of these items are ordinarily furnished for free to customers by the USPS.)
To obtain a free kit of shipping supplies, simply call the USPS' packing supplies order line at
The USPS also offers a "Supporting Our Troops" page on their web site with links to guidelines for packing, addressing, and shipping items to U.S. troops.
Last updated: 26 July 2006