Whether you’ve got a loved one stationed abroad and want to send a care package, or are in the military yourself and want to know about shipping to your base, there’s a lot to know when it comes to getting stuff delivered to APO and FPO addresses.
In this article, we’ll show you how military shipping works. More specifically, we’ll let you know if FedEx is able to deliver to those serving in the armed forces, so keep reading to learn more!
Does FedEx Offer Military Shipping In 2024?
Due to governmental security restrictions, the United States Postal Service (USPS) is the only carrier permitted to deliver mail and packages to army bases (APO), navy fleet bases (FPO), and other military locations in 2024. That being said, FedEx offers delivery to countries where military personnel may be stationed, but packages cannot be delivered directly to the military base.
To find out how to get packages delivered to your loved ones in the armed forces, make sure to read the rest of this article for more facts!
What Is Military Shipping?
Before we get into any specifics about FedEx’s military shipping policies, it’s helpful to know exactly what military shipping is.
To put things simply, military shipping includes any mail or packages sent to a military address (whether domestic or international).
Military addresses come in the following types:
- Army Post Office (APO). These addresses are used in conjunction with Army or Air Force installations.
- Fleet Post Office (FPO). These addresses are used in conjunction with Navy installations.
- Diplomatic Post Office (DPO). These addresses are used in conjunction with US Diplomatic locations (e.g. consulates or embassies).
Mail sent to any of these locations from the United States is treated as domestic mail (even if it’s being sent internationally) and is priced accordingly.
Does FedEx Deliver to Military PO Boxes?
For governmental security reasons, only the United States Postal Service (USPS) can deliver mail and packages to military addresses.
That being said, other shipping services like FedEx do ship to countries where military forces are stationed.
Therefore, FedEx will be able to get packages close to military personnel (i.e. close enough for them to collect) but isn’t able to deliver directly to them.
Why Can’t FedEx Deliver to Military Bases?
Simply put, FedEx can’t deliver to military bases because the US government decided not to let them.
It goes without saying that military bases abroad are vulnerable and could be targets of attack.
Therefore, in order to keep military installations and troops safe, the government decided to entrust only the national mail service with the task of delivering to service people.
Similarly, it’s much easier for the government to monitor deliveries if only one agency is allowed access to military bases.
Are There Any Cases Where FedEx Can Deliver to a Military Base?
Although the government has a pretty strict policy about who can and cannot deliver to military bases, it seems as though there are instances in which FedEx can deliver to a base.
For example, if you know the building number, office number, and street name of the base, you may be able to have your FedEx package delivered there.
This works as long as the base commander hasn’t restricted access to the base in a way that hinders the delivery driver from accessing the base.
Usually, someone at the base’s visitor center will call the recipient to come and collect the package, or they will accept the package on behalf of the recipient as an agent.
It’s also possible to get FedEx packages delivered to military bases if they’re sent through the Ground Economy (formerly SmartPost) service.
With this service, FedEx handles the bulk of the shipping process but leaves the “last mile” of the delivery to USPS.
When it comes to military shipping, the last mile includes transportation between the departure point in the United States to the arrival at the military base.
To put it another way, when using FedEx Ground Economy shipping, USPS will be the one handling the actual delivery.
Since USPS is allowed to deliver to military bases, FedEx Ground Economy packages can be delivered to military addresses.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on FedEx delivery instructions, FedEx delivery instructions, and is FedEx government-owned.
Conclusion
In most cases, FedEx will not be able to deliver to a military base. This is because of US governmental shipping restrictions. Still, there are some ways to work around these restrictions.
For one, you could send a FedEx package to the city and country where you or your loved one is stationed and have them pick it up. It’s also possible to send the package through FedEx Ground Economy and have USPS deliver it to the base.
