Engineers in Exile

[engineergurl]

The avatar won't change until you come home Sapper, and I got some twizzlers...

Edit: It might change if I can get the name centered... but you get the point....

Edit #2: okay I got it fixed... now it won't change.

 

[maryannette]

Let us know how the quals on your new weapons (a keyboard, mouse, and Powerpoint!) turns out...

Do you have special keyboarding PT?

^Very cool, engineergurl.

 

[Supe]

Glad to hear all is well, keep in touch!

 

[maryannette]

Sapper, I hear a song occasionally on the radio (contemporary Christian) that makes me think of you and pray for you. It's by Mark Schultz, "Letters from War". The end just says, "Bring him home." That's a good thing to pray for.

 

[engineergurl]

mary, there is a few good country ones i'll have to PM you about... keeps a wife's sanity to hear them....

funny, I have decided that we will never ever get to take our yellow ribbion down from the front tree.... our friend Ryan made it home this past Monday after 15 months.... and now Sapper is gone and in two weeks one of my close friends Amanda's hubby will leave with a bunch of riggers from my hubby's unit....

ANYWAY, the point is, keep our guys in your prayers... just cause things are changing, doesn't mean they aren't gone or leaving...

SAPPER, gonna try to find you on global tomorrow at work.....you are in both mine and Jeremy's prayers everynight and I think of you EVERYTIME I'm over at the SOF construction sites!!!

 

[mudpuppy]

Does anyone have instructions/tips for how to send to an APO overseas? I've never done it before and it sounds complicated--customs forms and whatnot.

 

[engineergurl]

Does anyone have instructions/tips for how to send to an APO overseas? I've never done it before and it sounds complicated--customs forms and whatnot.

There is really only one form you need to fill out, just ask at the post office and they will give you the right one (I've used it so many times I can't really tell you what it's called)...

If you are sending anything that can leak, put it in a ziplock... i've had carnation instant breakfast leak all over everything... make sure that the box is packed as tightly as possible... it keeps things from breaking...

Don't bother with the insurance that the post office offers... once it leaves the country, it isn't covered so it's a waste of money, and it also sends up a red flag to those inspecting the mail overseas in customs that there might be something valuable...

some post offices want you to be very specific on the customs forms, but it's best to be as generic as possible... for example... rather then toothpaste and razors, I used to just put personal hygine items... instead of video games, just put games.... this also helps keep it going thru customs....

Remember that there are restrictions on what the guys are and are not allowed to have, so don't send any thing that can get them in trouble... just check first to find out what they need...

Other then that, an APO address is just like any other regular US address....

 

[IlPadrino]

Does anyone have instructions/tips for how to send to an APO overseas? I've never done it before and it sounds complicated--customs forms and whatnot.

Take a look at http://www.usps.com/supportingourtroops/ and http://www.bootsonground.com/shipping-packages-overseas.htm.

Other than the customs form, it's just like any other mailing... except when it gets to outside the U.S. it goes into the military postal system.

I think you can also get free shipping material, including customs forms:

The USPS has a program for military family members and friends to supply them with packaging materials to send packages to troops overseas. If you call 1-800-610-8734 and select option # 1, Ask them for the "Military pack" they will send you boxes, tape, packaging materials and labels. They will also give you an I.D. number so if your supply runs low, you just call them up and they'll send you more supplies. The materials take about four to ten days to receive. I Don't know if any of you have mailed any packages lately, but if you go to mail box etc., they will charge you for the box, tape, peanuts, labels and everything else the can think of! After a while, those charges start to add up!

But I haven't called the number to check.

 

[TXengrChickPE]

I just tried to call, but pressing 1 just got them to continue in English. I didn't know what to select next...

So, I went to USPS.com and found this:

Military Care Package Kit
Since Priority Mail service supplies are the packaging of choice for families preparing care packages for service members overseas, the USPS has created a "Mili-kit" based on the items most frequently requested by the military.

The kit contains:

*Three (3) each of flat rate boxes O-FRB1 and O-FRB2

*Two (2) each of Cube boxes OBOX7

*Address labels - Label # 228 8 each

*Address labels - Label # 106-A 1 each

*Customs FORM 2976-A 8 EA.

*Customs FORM 2976-E 8 EA.

The kit may be requested by calling 1-800-610-8734 (Packing Supply) and:

1.Choose your language (1 is English, 2 is Spanish).

2.Choose option 1 (it states it is for Express Mail service, Priority Mail or Global Express Guaranteed).

3.When you reach a live agent, request CAREKIT04.

4.Please allow 7-10 days for delivery.

Note: These are free supplies, postage must be affixed.

Additionally, you can find guidelines for packing, addressing, and shipping items to U.S. troops at www.usps.com/supportingourtroops/.

 

[engineergurl]

Not too sure where to post this... but I wanted to give a universal update on the hubbys situation... I know he's not an engineer.. but you know...

so right now we are in the inbetween stages... and it is bouncing between him going to Honduras and him not going.... (last friday he was definitly going, now it's only an 80% chance) so I am asking all of you to pray/hope that he doesn't go since we have been pretty limited on our time together since we got married, and it's been just around a year since he last deployed and since we just moved 10 months ago and I have yet to meet more then 3 people I could trust since we have been here (okay I'm ranting about the bad stuff,sorry).

As always I know that what happens, happens... and the Army is the Army... but knowing I've got all your support no matter what helps, and I am partially venting... I'll keep you updated as our lives hang in limbo up to the commanders, and ask everyone to remind me of two things if he leaves and I get frustrated as heck

1.) He's not in Iraq or Afghnistan (Sapper- you are always in my thoughts but I can still hope my hubby doesn't have to go)

2.) I might actually finally get a honeymoon out of this trip

Okay I'll let you all be, and apologize for not spending much time on here, but we have had some crazy past few months here.... crazy man.

 

[benbo]

so I am asking all of you to pray/hope that he doesn't go

You got it.

Good luck EG.

 

[Flyer_PE]

^Second that!

 

[maryannette]

Me, too.

In the end, you are right. The Army is the Army, but I hope things work out for both of you. And, you have plenty of friends when you need us.

 

[IlPadrino]

I just tried to call, but pressing 1 just got them to continue in English. I didn't know what to select next...
So, I went to USPS.com and found this:

Thanks for the follow-up! Now no one has an excuse to not send Sapper a package...

 

[Freon]

Engineergurl, I can understand your pain, but not realy know it. (Kind of like labor pains) My wife put up with 18 years of the Marines. I'll give you my spouse's contact info also if you want to vent to some one who has been there/done that.

Freon

 

[engineergurl]

okay I am a jerk... it has been well over a month since I have been on here, I won't lie.... but have you guys heard of BRAC? Yeah, I got well over 100 projects right now... and they haven't hired anyone else yet. I've been quite busy and very tired when I get home...

We thought that the hubby wouldn't have to go, but it's still up in the air... (actually found out about that one tonight).

Sapper- I forget that our e-mail gets the Dsign on it, I'll send you one from my ako account directly instead of my desktop mail and hope that will work... but thanks for the heads up... I ate all your twizzlers but I'll pick up some more

Freon- thanks for the offer, and I'll be in touch

Benbo, Flyer and Mary (and everyone else)- thanks for the support and just to let you guys know, I know that when it gets stressful, I can always come back to EB and call on you all for support!

Well I am going to go TRY to catch up on all the other posts on here... see ya on the flip side!

EG

 

[IlPadrino]

Thanks for the follow-up! Now no one has an excuse to not send Sapper a package...

The FLAT-RATE box is a great deal... only about $10 and you can stuff an awful lot of Twizzlers in there if you're so inclined. You can get the shipping stuff directly by visiting your local post office. And USPS now offers an on-line way to fill out the 2976-A customs form here - though I'm not sure what a 2976-E is.

Come on... send a few more packages!

 

[maryannette]

Just thinking of all the BRAVE Americans who are serving abroad and praying that they are safe. God bless you.

 

[Chucktown PE]

Sap,

Just wanted to check in and see how you guys are doing. The news over here sounds like things are getting pretty bad over there. I hope all is well with you and hopefully you'll be heading home soon.

 

[Chucktown PE]

Chucktown, the day you wrote that post, was a pretty miserable day for me here. Two sustained attacks against our base that day. When I say sustained, I mean 45 minutes to an hour each time. Good news is nobody was hurt (well, no US forces). That was the Afghanistan election day. Come to think about it, that whole week sucked.
So, on to more encouraging topics, I'm less than two lunar cycles from getting on a C-17 Cargo / Troop transport plane out of this country. We've got a welcome home ceremony planned for two days before turkey day and thanksgiving couldn't be any more sweet than when you are enjoying it while watching football games without AFN commercials.

Awesome news SAP. I hope it all works out as planned and you'll be eating Thanksgiving dinner with your family at home.