How are Foreign Military Sales shipments packed and marked?

The LOA standard terms and conditions (Section 5.1) state that defense articles will be packed and crated prior to the time that title passes. This packaging is done in accordance with Military Standard (MIL-STD) 2073-1E, Department of Defense Standard Practice for Military Packaging. The SAMM, Section C7.8, requires FMS shipments to be packed to not less than Military Level A/B, or in accordance with best commercial practices for the mode of shipment selected. Additional special packing is available as an additional FMS service for an additional fee.

Address markings shall be in accordance with MIL-STD-129, Department of Defense Standard Practice for Military Marking, and DTR Chapter 208. DoW shippers and commercial contractors and vendors making shipments to overseas locations must use the DD Form 1387 shipping label with bar-coded data. In addition to DoW prescribed markings, FMS shipments must be marked with freight forwarder and in-country, clear-text addresses when applicable. Each package should indicate shipment priority in such a manner that the freight forwarder will know the onward shipment requirements. The case identifier, national stock number, and the item dollar value are also required for freight forwarder and customs export requirements.

Packing and shipping facilities must ensure that packing documentation, hazardous certification, and FMS case identification are properly affixed to the container. Shippers must pack and mark FMS materiel (to include certifying hazardous materiel) for transport through to its final destination. Additionally, it is essential that the online MAPAD system be used to create the clear-text address on the shipping label. If not, items could be shipped to the wrong ship-to or mark-for addressee.

FMS issues from a stock point to a given addressee will be consolidated for shipment purposes to the greatest extent possible consistent with customer requirements. Consolidation of line items into containers or shipment units will be limited to the same U.S. sponsoring service, the same FMS case designator, the same “Mark-for” and “Ship-to/Freight Forwarder” locations, and the same priority designator (designators 01-08 may be mixed but not with lower priorities). When items are consolidated, the container should be marked to indicate a consolidated shipment.