E030 Mail Sent by U.S. Armed Forces

Summary

E030 describes the standards for mail sent by a member of the U.S. Armed Forces.

1.0 Letters Sent Postage Collect

1.1Eligibility and Marking

Letters sent by soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines in the U.S. military service stationed in the United States or other places where U.S. domestic mail service operates, addressed to places in the United States, may be dispatched without postage for collection of the postage on delivery, if endorsed as follows:

a. The address side of the letter must be marked “Soldier’s Letter,” “Airman’s Letter,” “Sailor’s Letter,” or “Marine’s Letter,” as applicable.

b. Under the marking, the letter must bear the signature and official designation with a facsimile hand stamp or in writing of a commissioned officer to whose command the soldier or airman belongs, or of a surgeon or chaplain at a hospital where he or she is. In the Navy and Marine Corps, the letter must bear the signature and official designation with a facsimile hand stamp or in writing of a commissioned officer attached to the vessel on which the member is serving or an officer commanding a hospital or detachment ashore where he or she is.

1.2Postage

Postage at the applicable single-piece rate for First-Class Mail is collected from the addressee on delivery.

2.0 Matter Sent Free

2.1Description

Matter that may be mailed free of postage by certain military personnel under 2.0 is restricted to letters, postcards, and recorded communications (whether sound or video) with the character of personal correspondence.

2.2Eligibility

The free mailing privilege authorized by 2.0 may be used only by members of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty who are either:

a. Assigned to military duty in a certain overseas area, as designated by the President or designee under 39 USC 3401(a)(1), and who mail the matter at an Armed Forces post office in that area.

b. Hospitalized in a facility under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Armed Forces because of disease or injury from military service in an overseas area, as designated by the President or designee.

2.3Description of Overseas Areas

For the purposes of 2.2, the definition of overseas areas is administered by the Military Postal Service Agency, which periodically provides the USPS with information for publication in the Postal Bulletin listing current overseas areas and other pertinent details.

2.4Military Address

Matter mailed free under 2.0 must be addressed to a military post office (APO/FPO) or a place in the United States (including its territories, possessions, and Puerto Rico) served by a U.S. post office.

2.5Preparation

The address side of a mailpiece mailed under 2.0 must be marked “FREE,” written in the sender’s handwriting, in the upper right corner; and the sender’s name, military grade, and complete military address, in the upper left corner.

2.6Special Services

Matter mailed free under 2.0 may not be registered, certified, or insured.

2.7Undeliverable Mail

If matter mailed free under 2.0 is undeliverable as addressed, the matter is treated as First-Class Mail for transportation, processing, delivery, and handling.

DMM Issue 58 (8-10-03)

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