Holiday shipping deadlines for deployed Airmen begin Nov. 12 Published Nov. 8, 2010 By Linda Welz 452 AMW Public Affairs MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. -- The holiday season is quickly approaching, as are the deadlines for mailing holiday packages so they will reach their destinations in time. For arrival by Dec. 25, the U.S. Postal Service recommends mailing parcel post, holiday packages to servicemembers overseas no later than Nov. 12. This is the most economical way to mail packages other than using flat rate boxes. "Mail early," said Frank Saucedo, Sales Service Associate at the March Field Post Office. Don't procrastinate and wait until the week before Christmas to ship your packages." Other deadlines for arrival by Dec. 25 are Nov. 26 for space-available mail; Dec. 3 for parcel airlift mail; Dec. 10 for priority mail and first-class mail, letters and cards; and Dec. 18 for express mail military service. Holiday packages and mail going to Iraq and Afghanistan must be sent a week earlier than these deadlines and express mail is not available. "I have people come in one minute before closing and expect me to get their item to its destination the next day," said Saucedo, a 12-year veteran with the Postal Service. If a customer brings in a package the Saturday before Christmas, when Christmas is the following Monday, he tells them it just can't happen. They're not too happy about that, he said. March Field Post Office hours are 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily. "At about 3:20, I take any mail that is left to Riverside," Saucedo said. "The blue mailboxes outside get emptied between 3:15 and 3:45." Saucedo also recommends boxing and addressing items before arriving at the March Field Post Office. Customs forms can also be filled out before arriving. "My office is too small to allow for room to box items up for mailing unless you don't mind working on the floor," he said. Saucedo described the area behind the counter as being nearly impassable with all boxes waiting for the 11:00 a.m. pick up during the holidays. "People mail everything from fruit to bikes to golf clubs," he said." Keep in mind that each country has its own restrictions for APO/FPO/DPO addresses. Some countries do not allow tobacco products, horror comic books, anything depicting nude or semi nude persons, bulk quantities of religious materials contrary to the Islamic faith, pork or pork by-products and registered mail. Restrictions by individual APO/FPO/DPO zip code can be found in each Postal Bulletin in the Pull-out Information section. To find Postal Bulletins, go to pe.usps.com and select Postal Bulletins in the blue navigation bar on the left and click on Pull-out Information. Free flat rate boxes and other postal supplies are available at usps.com or in the post office during normal business hours. As the holiday season nears, heed the advice of a veteran Postal Service employee, Frank Saucedo. "Mail early and be prepared." Cheryl Pellerin, American Forces Press Service, contributed to this story.