• Those stationed overseas in the military receive mail through an APO, or Army Post Office.Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  An APO, or Army Post Office, is an address that the United States Postal Service gives to people who are in the Army so that they can receive mail overseas. When the mail is sent overseas to an APO, there are special rules and regulations that need to be met in order to get the parcel to its recipient. It is important to know what these requirements are when addressing Army mail.
  
  

Prohibited Items

• There are some things that are prohibited from being sent overseas. These items may vary by the country to which you are sending the items, for instance, religious items that are against the Islamic faith cannot be shipped to those stationed in Afghanistan or Iraq. Other items are universally prohibited. Pornography and horror items, like horror comics, are among items considered obscene and are not allowed to be sent to Army personnel.
  
  

Addresses

• When addressing the mail sent to an APO, there are certain things that are required. The recipient's full name must be written. The unit that the person is stationed in, as well as the full APO information including a zip code that is 9 digits long, must be on the package. A return address is required on every package.
  
  

Packaging

• Packaging is very important, as the items are traveling overseas, and must therefore be packaged in a way that guarantees it is received in one piece. You should use a durable box that has enough packaging filler around the items to avoid breakage. Make sure all markings from any previous shipping has been marked out with a black marker. Double tape all openings. Include a list of what the box contains so that when the recipient opens it, she is aware of what should have been shipped. The card should also have the APO address to which it is going and the address of the sender.