Postal Services

All letter class and priority mail travels to Army Post Offices from the US though gateways on the east coast utilizing contracted airline carriers. Delays that affect air travel in the US, UK or Italy will also cause delays of mail. While the typical travel time for mail is usually 7-10 business days, it may experience delays of several weeks due to world events affecting airline movements.

Most mail that travels to our location and has a tracking number that is traceable up to the gateway on the east coast of the USA. This is because the USPS considers an APO location as a New York address since this is the last point at which the mail transits in the US before flights overseas. The USPS may lose tracking capabilities as it is tendered to the air carrier and the mail may no longer be visible in the USPS tracking system until it arrives to our location and is scanned in as arrived. USPS tracking site. (https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction_input)

Soldiers and civilian employees can request a P.O. Box prior to arriving at the Vicenza PSCs. To request a box, personnel must be within 45 days of reporting to Vicenza. If possible, a newcomer’s sponsor should request the mailbox in person at the Postal Service Center.

If a local sponsor cannot request a mailbox in person, incoming personnel may send a copy of the orders and showing assignment to Vicenza using the following links:

• Caserma Ederle
• Caserma Del Din
• Camp Darby

A staff member will assist as soon as possible.

Civilian government employees must provide a letter of employment or orders issued by the Civilian Personnel Office. Government contractors must provide a copy of their contract indicating they are authorized logistical support. Some government contractors may not be authorized logistical support and are encouraged to read contract terms for specifics.

Only sponsors are authorized a mailbox and must share the box with their Family members.

Your mailing address for receiving personal correspondence at the Vicenza PSC will follow this format:

Name

PSC 427 BOX xxxx (4 digit box number)

APO AE 09630-xxxx (4 digit zip code suffix)

Please DO NOT add "Vicenza" or " Italy" into the address above. APO addresses are considered to be domestic addresses within the U.S. postal system and postal rates are the same as sending items within the United States.

Please notify the PSC mail room to forward or hold your mail by completing DD Form 2258 and submit it to the PSC. If you plan to go on leave or will be absent for more than 30 days, please inform us so we can properly understand how to handle your mail. Upon your return, first collect all your mail from your mailbox. Then, go to the Customer Service Package Pick Up Window and present your ID card to a staff member. They will assist you with delivering any packages that were on hold.

To forward or place your mail on hold, fill out DD Form 2258; these forms are available at the post office. Forwarding order requires a current address, forwarding address and a start and end date.

Please DO NOT mail items back to your CMR address if you have a forwarding order in place, as this may result in your mail being caught in a forwarding cycle and experiencing extreme delays. If it becomes necessary to mail something to yourself, please indicate on the package "HOLD UNTIL (DATE MONTH YEAR)" in this format: XX Month 20XX. Be sure to spell out the month to ensure your instructions are easily understood.

Customers are advised to purchase USPS insurance for high-value items. For sensitive, hard-to-replace, high-value items, it is recommended to use registered mail. According to postal regulations, USPS will not honor claims for items that are lost or damaged unless these services are purchased.

Due to space limitations (especially during deployments), deployed service members or civilians should mail packages DIRECTLY to a person who is in the Vicenza area who can claim those packages. Others will not be allowed to pick up mail addressed to you unless they have proper documentation to include a power of attorney and an ID card with a status authorizing services. For more information or special circumstances however, please come speak with the Postmaster of you designated Postal Service Center in order to best assist you.

Soldiers may and are encouraged to mail packages directly to their unit in order to alleviate backlogs and ease of coordinating with units by using the format below:

Attn: (POC’s name, for example SFC John Doe)

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

Unit (example: A-B-C Company, 1st or 2nd /503rd)

Unit 314xx Box xxx

APO AE 09630-14xx

Mail addressed to a specific personal box number may not be released to the unit for storage.

Mail may not be picked up by host nation personnel without authorized mail privileges as a dependent, even with a power of attorney. Local national personnel are not authorized to receive mail without the proper military I.D. card. (A base pass does not count as a military I.D.) due to the SOFA agreement. Mail addressed to a local national "In Care Of" someone else will also be returned to sender.

If you sent or received a package that was lost, damaged, or had broken or missing pieces and it was covered by USPS insurance, you can now file claims online, via the USPS website.   Go to https://www.usps.com/help/claims.htm ⚠  Be sure to check filing periods for APOs, save all supporting documentation until you claim is resolved.  Log in or create your free usps.com account and start your online claim.

There are many items that cannot be mailed. These include but are not limited to: alcohol, wine, liquor-filled candies, perfumes, petroleum based products, any flammable item, cigarette lighters (including brand new in packaging) and anything resembling a firearm or weapon, even if only a toy or replica. Anything containing a lithium battery, such smartphones, laptops, etc are also prohibited becauser our mail goes on a commercial flight.  You will have to use an external courier like DHL, FEDEX or UPS to lithium batteries. Additionally, the US Department of Agriculture prohibits import into the United States certain items that may carry viruses that do not exist in the United States. The threat to US Agriculture is so great that the Customs & Border Protection fine individuals from $100 to $1,000 for mailing these items to the states. Criminal action for deliberate cases of smuggling (such as mailing items but not declaring them on the customs form) can result in a $5,000 fine and a year in jail. The customer is responsible for knowing what can and cannot be mailed. Look for the latest Customs News Releases posted in the Post Office lobby. If you are not sure if an item is mailable, please contact the Post Office to inquire.

Due to SOFA agreements and Military Postal Service Agency regulations, you may not use your mailbox receptacle to conduct any type of business generating income. The Military Postal Service will not be used to send or receive items to advertise home businesses, to sell merchandise, conduct business, or for commercial purposes where DoD funds mail transportation costs. Patrons suspected of utilizing Military Postal Service Center mailbox privileges for business purposes risk revocation of those personal mail privileges. Violators may even be subject to loss of privileges up to the time of departure from the installation.

The Vicenza PSC utilizes a package management system provided by MPSA, which affords us the possibility to account for every parcel once it arrives to our facility. This system also affords you as the customer, an opportunity to receive individualized e-mail notification instantly when you have a parcel that is ready for pick-up. If an email address wasn’t provided during the in-processing phase, simply come in and talk to one of our clerks at the package pick-up window or send us an email using the following links:

• Caserma Ederle
• Caserma Del Din
• Camp Darby

Please include your Postal Service Center box number and e-mail address where you would like to receive email notifications.

Mail items at the USPS Ground Advantage rate is generally the cheapest rate for mailing, and a good option for items that do not need to arrive quickly.

When mailing to another APO address, the European Command allows items to be sent postage free via the Military Postal System as long as they do not pass into the USPS. One must write "MPS" in the upper right-hand corner where the postage would otherwise be placed. However, because "MPS" items are not charged postage, they are not considered "mail" and provide no insurance, tracking, or other services. Therefore, this might not be the best option for mailing valuable items. This service is also not allowed for mailing items in conjunction with PCS moves; except for mailing military uniforms or equipment needed immediately at the next duty station. If insurance or delivery confirmation is desired on parcels destined for other APO addresses, then postage rate must be charged – along with the charge for the special services added.