PCS to Europe, mailing question?

All the other answers are correct, but have left some things out. Lets put them all in order:

If you are an authorized ID card holder (as well as some other types of folks), then you are authorized an APO address. You do not have to take it, although not to is one of those things that borders on insanity. Your APO allows you to use the US Postal Service while in Germany which is a whole lot cheaper than using the local Bundes Post service exclusively. You can have mail sent to your off-base quarters, but other than local mail, who would want to?

Mail from the States to an APO AE address (meaning to Europe, Africa, Middle East) only has postage charged from US point of orgin to New York, and vice versa when you send something back. You only pay from New York to where ever it goes stateside. The military takes care of shipment from / to New York. You also will not pay any customs duties on merchandise you may order from stateside vendors by using the APO. However, packages still need a US customs form filled out and attached.

If your spouse deploys down range, you can use the APO to send FREE mail from APO to APO, to include packages up to 70 pounds (there are some restrictions from time to time, so check first on what is being currently authorized for free APO mail).

Your spouse's sponsor should / can set up your APO box before you arrive. Send the sponsor a copy of the PCS orders, and he can go down to the APO and set up the box / address at least 30 days in advance (although the numbre 60 come to mind as well, but I may be worng on that one). When you get the APO address, you can go ahead and change your US address through the US Post Office and start having your mail forwarded while you are on PCS leave. It is always nice to show up somewhere overseas and have a bunch of mail waiting on you.

If you live off-base, you that address for anything that you do locally or in Europe, becasue otherwise the mail goes all the way back to New York, before being put into the APO system. As well as being real expensive to mail back to the states from a European civilian address, there are the customs duties and time lag involved. For example, when I use eBay to buy something, I use my APO address if I buy something from the States, and my local address if I buy something from within Europe. I switch it back and forth in account data. Do not let someone stateside try to mail you something at USPS International rates or claim it is "an overseas" order". An APO order is technically a stateside order, at USPS domestic rates, but with a US Cstoms form on packages.

When you use your APO address online, the term "APO" (stands for Army Postal Office) is where the city is entered, and the term "AE" (stands for Area Europe) is where the state goes. Zip code is zip code.

I have given some relatives my local civilian address to use when one of the kids wants to send something "overseas" to me, but I only usually use my civilian address for local civilian crap.

Bottom Line: get your sponsor to get your APO set up now!

Once you get your German address then send the information to your relatives, business associates, etc...

But, If you are mailing a letter or package from the U.S. to a German address, it will cost more as opposed to the APO AE ADDRESS and vice versa!!!

Once you get your APO AE address, you can get on the Postal services website,at www.usps.com. Just follow the links to change of address.

you don't. you will be given an On base/USPS PO box which is treated as domestic mail.

if you wish to use your off base mailing address.. it will be about 5 times more expensive to have stuff sent to you from CONUS. really only good for local mail delivery.

You will receive your APO AE (PO box) address the day you arrive. It is part of your in-processing.