2024 Holiday Military Base Mailroom Shipping Deadlines

Head’s up, Letter senders! With the Christmas and New Year holidays around the corner, we wanted to inform you of the Holiday base mailroom closures and the shipping deadlines for Sandboxx letters. Below you’ll find the recommended deadlines for each base to ensure that your letter gets to base in time for the holidays.

It’s common for unexpected delays to occur due to staff shortages, higher than normal mailroom volume and other unforeseen complications or errors. It’s important to send your letters sooner rather than later.

Note: This schedule is subject to change, but is based on the latest information that has been provided to us by the mailrooms on base. 

Happy Letter Writing.

Sandboxx Holiday Printing Schedule

• 12/13: Ensure Holiday Delivery for all Army bases – Final Print at 5 pm ET.
• 12/20: Ensure Holiday Delivery for all Marine Corps bases, Great Lakes, Lackland, and Cape May  – Final Print at 5 pm ET.
• 12/23: 5pm ET Final Print – All letters for Great Lakes, Cape May and Lackland submitted between 12/20 at 5 pm and 12/23 at 5pm ET will be printed and shipped for a 12/24 delivery, but Sandboxx cannot guarantee the availability of each base mailroom to accept deliveries
• 12/27: 3pm ET Final Print – All letters for Marine Corps bases, Great Lakes, Cape May and Lackland submitted between 12/23 at 5pm ET and 12/27 at 3 pm ET will be printed and shipped for a 12/30 delivery.
• 12/30: 3pm ET Final Print – All letters for Great Lakes, Cape May and Lackland submitted between 3 pm ET on 12/27 and 3pm on 12/30 will be printed and shipped for a 12/31 delivery, but Sandboxx cannot guarantee the availability of each base mailroom to accept deliveries
• 1/2/25: Standard Printing Schedule Resumes*

*All Fort Jackson, Fort Leonard Wood, Fort Moore, and Fort Sill  letters submitted between 12/13 at 5 pm ET and 1/3 at 4:30 pm ET will be printed and delivered on 1/6. Check out this post for a detailed overview of Army Holiday Block Leave and what to expect.

Army Base Mailroom Closures

12/13 5pm ET Final Print – Starting December 13 after 5 pm ET, Sandboxx will hold all Army mail at Headquarters until training reopens in the New Year. All mail submitted after 5 pm ET on December 13th, will be shipped for delivery on Monday, January 6th.

Marine Corps Base Mailroom Closures

Below are the base mailroom closures for the Christmas and New Years’ holidays for Marine Corps

For the USMC, all mail submitted before 5pm ET on December 20th, will be shipped for delivery on Monday, December 23rd.

For San Diego and Parris Island, all mail submitted after 5pm ET on December 20th, but before 5pm on December 23rd will be shipped for delivery on Friday, December 27th. All mail submitted after 5pm on December 23rd, but before 3pm on Friday, December 27th will be shipped for delivery on Monday, December 30th. All mail submitted after 3pm on December 27th will be shipped for delivery on Friday, January 3rd.

For Quantico TBS, all mail submitted after 5pm ET on December 20th will be shipped for delivery on Friday, January 3rd

Don’t forget, the Sandboxx Mailroom will only be fulfilling Letters on December 27th (with December 30th delivery) and December 30th (with January 3rd delivery) between the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Want to send some Holiday cheer? Check out our Sandboxx Christmas images to include in your Letter.

Air Force Base Mailroom Closures

Below are the base mailroom closures for the Christmas and New Years’ holidays for Air Force basic training.

For Lackland, all mail submitted before 5pm on December 23rd will be shipped for delivery on Tuesday, December 24th. All mail submitted after 5pm on December 23rd, but before 3pm on Friday, December 27th will be shipped for delivery on Monday, December 30th. All mail submitted after 3pm on December 27th, but before 3pm on Monday, December 30th will be shipped for delivery on Tuesday, December 31st. All mail submitted after 3pm on December 30th will be shipped for delivery on Friday, January 3rd.

Don’t forget, the Sandboxx Mailroom will only be fulfilling Letters on December 27th (with December 30th expected delivery) and December 30th (with December 31st expected delivery) between the Christmas and New Year holiday.

Want to send some Holiday cheer? Check out our Sandboxx Christmas images to include in your Letter.

Navy Base Mailroom Closures

Below are the base mailroom closures for the Christmas and New Years’ holidays for Navy boot camp.

For Great Lakes, all mail submitted before 5pm on December 23rd will be shipped for delivery on Tuesday, December 24th. All mail submitted after 5pm on December 23rd, but before 3pm on Friday, December 27th will be shipped for delivery on Monday, December 30th. All mail submitted after 3pm on December 27th, but before 3pm on Monday, December 30th will be shipped for delivery on Tuesday, December 31st. All mail submitted after 3pm on December 30th will be shipped for delivery on Friday, January 3rd.

Don’t forget, the Sandboxx Mailroom will only be fulfilling Letters on December 27th (with December 30th delivery) and December 30th (with December 31st delivery) between the Christmas and New Year holiday.

Coast Guard Base Mailroom Closures

Below are the base mailroom closures for the Christmas and New Years’ holidays for Coast Guard boot camp.

For Cape May, all mail submitted before 5pm on December 23rd will be shipped for delivery on Tuesday, December 24th. All mail submitted after 5pm on December 23rd, but before 3pm on Friday, December 27th will be shipped for delivery on Monday, December 30th. All mail submitted after 3pm on December 27th, but before 3pm on Monday, December 30th will be shipped for delivery on Tuesday, December 31st. All mail submitted after 3pm on December 30th will be shipped for delivery on Friday, January 3rd.

Don’t forget, the Sandboxx Mailroom will only be fulfilling Letters on December 27th (with December 28th delivery) and December 30th (with December 31st delivery) between the Christmas and New Year holiday.

Read more from Sandboxx

• How to Make Your Recruit Feel at Home: Military Mail During the Holidays
• Send Some Holiday Cheer to Your Recruit