Definitions

APO:  Army Post Office

AE:  Armed Forces Europe

This is neat.  In order to help get mail overseas to military personnel and their families stationed there, the USPS and Department of Defense worked out this neat system.  Basically, we can have things shipped to a stateside address, which is also called our APO.  It will go to New York City, where all main destined for AE goes.  Then they'll ship it to us in Germany!

I'm still trying to figure out exactly how this works... but I guess you don't have to pay for the overseas shipping.  So, if I order something online (which I do a lot these days) then I'll have it sent to my APO address and only have to pay that shipping cost.  The rest is covered by the military.  SWEET! 

But we'll also have a post office box on the base in Sembach where all our mail will be forwarded.  And technically we'll have a German address as well, because we'll be living off base. 

Confused yet?  Good, me too! ;o)