Free military mail, Bringing holiday spirit beyond Canada

[WestViking]

OK folks, thanks to Styky's link, for those of us challenged with how to contact our military personnel, we can send letters and parcels to:

OP ATHENA - Kandahar, Afghanistan

Any Canadian Forces Member
OP ATHENA
PO BOX 5058 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6

OP ARCHER – Kabul, Afghanistan

Any Canadian Forces Member
KABUL 100
PO BOX 5113 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6

Camp Mirage:

Any Canadian Forces Member
PO BOX 5113 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6

OP BOREAS - Bihac, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Any Canadian Forces Member
CANADIAN CONTINGENT BIHAC
PO BOX 5219 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6

OP BRONZE - Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Any Canadian Forces Member
CANADIAN CONTINGENT SARAJEVO
PO BOX 5207 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6

OP CALUMET - Sinai

Any Canadian Forces Member
CCMFO
PO BOX 5237 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6

OP PROTEUS / OP JADE

Any Canadian Forces Member
OP JADE/PROTEUS (as applicable)
PO BOX 5239 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6

CFS Alert

Any Canadian Forces Member
PO BOX 5210 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6

Sierra Leone

Any Canadian Forces Member
OP SCULPTURE/REPTILE (as applicable)
PO BOX 5201 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6

OP GLADIUS

Any Canadian Forces Member
PO BOX 5238 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6

OP AUGURAL - SAFARI - Sudan

Any Canadian Forces Member
OP AUGURAL - SAFARI
PO BOX 5225 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6

OP AUGURAL - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Any Canadian Forces Member
OP AUGURAL - ADDIS ABABA
PO BOX 5231 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6

Canadian Ships

Any Canadian Forces Member
NAME OF THE SHIP
PO BOX 17000 STN FORCES
VICTORIA BC V9A 7N2

PACIFIC SHIPS
HMCS Vancouver
HMCS Regina
HMCS Calgary
HMCS Winnipeg
HMCS Ottawa
HMCS Algonquin
HMCS Nanaimo
HMCS Edmonton
HMCS Whitehorse
HMCS Yellowknife
HMCS Saskatoon
HMCS Brandon
HMCS Protecteur
HMCS Victoria
HMCS Oriole

Any Canadian Forces Member
NAME OF THE SHIP
PO BOX 99000 STN FORCES
HALIFAX NS B3K 5X5

ATLANTIC SHIPS
HMCS HALIFAX
HMCS VILLE DE QUEBEC
HMCS TORONTO
HMCS MONTREAL
HMCS FREDERICTON
HMCS CHARLOTTETOWN
HMCS ST. JOHN'S
HMCS IROQUOIS
HMCS ATHBASKAN
HMCS KINGSTON
HMCS GLACE BAY
HMCS SHAWINIGAN
HMCS GOOSE BAY
HMCS MONCTON
HMCS SUMMERSIDE
HMCS PRESERVER
HMCS VICTORIA

[Roy Wilson]

WV: Talked to a clerk at ATHENA and she said do not dend, any Aerosol cans, lighters, pornography, alcohol or any flammable material. She said they are getting hundreds of packages in daily, most addressed to a specific soldier.

[WestViking]

WV: Talked to a clerk at ATHENA and she said do not send, any Aerosol cans, lighters, pornography, alcohol or any flammable material. She said they are getting hundreds of packages in daily, most addressed to a specific soldier.

Excellent point Roy. Here are some shipping dos and don'ts:

Sending letters and packages can be a wonderful way to keep in touch with loved ones and friends serving overseas. The following guidelines are offered to assist in properly preparing your letter or parcel:

* Plan in advance for special occasions. Once an item is mailed, it could take up to three weeks for the mail to be delivered to the addressee in theatre. If an individual in theatre is consistently experiencing more than three weeks for mail to arrive, it is recommended that the indivdiual discuss the matter with their serving Canadian Forces postal support personnel in theatre
* Parcels must be clearly addressed.
* Clearly write the sender's address in the top left corner.
* If mailing by Canada Post, any postal services costing $5 or more is GST exempt.
* Ensure that the parcel is wrapped properly and securely and use packing tape. Do not use string to bind the parcel.
* The following are specific guidelines for this service (Note: Oversize and overweight parcels will not be accepted):

1. Weight: Maximum 20 Kg.
2. Size: Two conditions must be met regarding size: a. maximum length is one metre; and b. the maximum length plus girth is two meters (the definition of girth = width + height + width + height). In the following illustration, the parcel has the following dimensions: length = 1.0 m, width = 0.3 m, and height = 0.15 m. The parcel just meets the maximum size by the following calculation: 1.0 + 0.3 + 0.15 + 0.3 + 0.15 = 1.9 m.
<center><img src="http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/Community/Messageboard/images/mailsize_e.gif"></center>
* When mailing by Canada Post, a Canada Customs declaration form is required with every parcel departing or entering Canada signed by the sender of the parcel. Customs authorities of the destination country may examine all mail and may confiscate any prohibited item. Such items may lead to criminal charges being laid against the sender.

<center>Mail Regulations</center>
No article may be sent by mail if their nature or packaging may expose postal employees to hazards, or damage other items of mail. Mailing the following items is strictly prohibited:

* alcohol, beer and wine;
* weapons, including replicas
* explosives, radioactive materials or ammunition;
* matches;
* flammable liquids or solids;
* compressed gas;
* propane cigarette lighters;
* corrosive fluids
* obscene magazines or pictures;
* drugs; and
* perishable items.

I am concerned about any military personnel who are not getting letters or parcels. If some of us can fill the void, so much the better. More than that, a card or letter from family and friends is nice, but cards and parcels from supporters they did not know they had make up for a lot of 'bad press' and inane political statements we see every day.

If I can counter some of Taliban Jack's endless chatter with a few parcels to the military people I hold in high regard, I am going to do so. I plan to ask soldiers to share their thoughts and provide permission to publish (less any personal or location ID that would cause them trouble). If I get some answers the results will be posted here on FD.

[Roy Wilson]

WV :I am still trying to figure out how I can mail Taliban Jack to the Taliban.

[WestViking]

WV :I am still trying to figure out how I can mail Taliban Jack to the Taliban.

Even if you manage the tricky part of getting him into baggies, mailing perishable material is still prohibited.

[Dacre]

WV wrote

I am concerned about any military personnel who are not getting letters or parcels. If some of us can fill the void, so much the better.

I do that every year WV. I send cards addressed to Any Soldier, or Canadian Forces Member. I send them to all of the missions listed for that year. It's a small thing and takes little money or effort but I'm sure it makes them smile. Particularily in the case of service people that get no cards or mail from anyone. The cards and letters sent under the "Any" category are given first to people servivg that wouldn't otherwise receive any mail as I understand it.

[Roy Wilson]

WV :I am still trying to figure out how I can mail Taliban Jack to the Taliban.

Even if you manage the tricky part of getting him into baggies, mailing perishable material is still prohibited.

Technical point but valid.

[Dacre]

I think you'd run into a problem sending garbage through the mail. Maybe garbage is the wrong term. More like a piece of s--t.

[Roy Wilson]

Send anything that is not on the do not send lis. Also sent Thank You card.

[styky]

Send anything that is not on the do not send lis. Also sent Thank You card.

Excellent.

[Kate Shaw]

Also remember that my friend James is still collecting books for his batallion:

ATTN: Sgt. J. Anderson
36th Engineer Brigade
Bagram AFB
APO AE 09354

They need not be new books, and they welcome with great enthusiasm Ayn Rand, Classic SF (e.g. Clarke, Asimov, Heinlein) and all conservative paperbacks.

[styky]

Also remember that my friend James is still collecting books for his batallion:

ATTN: Sgt. J. Anderson
36th Engineer Brigade
Bagram AFB
APO AE 09354

They need not be new books, and they welcome with great enthusiasm Ayn Rand, Classic SF (e.g. Clarke, Asimov, Heinlein) and all conservative paperbacks.

Did you ever find out if he received the box of books I sent him?

[justanothervoice]

thank you styky
Im going to send letters for Christmas.
It does not take much time and its the least I can do.

[styky]

thank you styky
Im going to send letters for Christmas.
It does not take much time and its the least I can do.

Good for you. It takes only a few minutes and means so much.

[Dacre]

Styky says

Good for you. It takes only a few minutes and means so much.

If only more people would make an effort in this country. And it doesn't need to be a big effort. Sending cards and letters is nothing compared to what our people that serve go through. Many could do more. Best to keep oneself ignorant and blissful is the Canadian way. Much like the effort to wear red on Friday. You can tell by the activity on this thread how it goes. Best avoid the thread even so as not to have to bother ones self with such an annoyance. Why is there not pages going here with people contributing on what they've done and contributed? I think we all know the answer. There are some here that state their support and others are more quiet. But honestly I think the majority avoid these threads because they don't actively support our military and do nothing in that regard. I attend some functions here and there and in my home town it is shameful and a disgrace at what little support there is. It doesn't go unnoticed by our people that serve either. I guess they just attribute it to a typical Canadian sense of entitlement. Ungreatful and demanding. We are a great bunch. I don't really know why anyone would risk their life for such a selfish ungreatful country of people. I guess it's a tribute to just how great our people that serve are.