Sending Charitable Donations via MPS Prohibited

Each year, the Department of Defense plays a huge role in delivering relief supplies and assisting in relief operations worldwide. People overseas who want to contribute have a problem sending their packages because they are not supposed to send charitable contributions through Air Mobility Command or through the Military Postal Service. The Department of Defense is prohibited by law from providing airlift to non-DoD activities, said Robert Eichholz of the Air Force director of communications operations office. This means organizations and people authorized to use MPS cannot serve as intermediaries for any person or organization not specifically authorized such service. DoD spends more than $73 million moving mail between U.S. gateways and military locations worldwide every year, Eichholz said. Because only authorized personnel may use the MPS, any other use could be considered misuse of taxpayer dollars.