There is no single US Navy mailing address. The right one depends on what you’re trying to do: reach a deployed sailor, request service records, write to Navy leadership at the Pentagon, file a legal claim, or contact a specific base. Each function has its own office, and sending mail to the wrong one usually means delay, not redirection.
Mailing a Sailor on Active Duty
Mail to deployed sailors and shipboard personnel goes through the Fleet Post Office (FPO) system, and USPS is the carrier that reaches military post offices overseas. Private carriers such as UPS and FedEx generally cannot deliver to FPO addresses.1United States Postal Service. Military and Diplomatic Mail
A properly formatted FPO address includes the sailor’s name, rank, and unit or ship, followed by “FPO,” one of three military “state” abbreviations, and a ZIP code:
- AA — Armed Forces Americas (except Canada)
- AE — Armed Forces Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Canada
- AP — Armed Forces Pacific
The structure looks like a domestic address, with the ship or unit name standing in for the street. That format lets the military postal system route mail without revealing where the ship actually is.
Packages to FPO addresses need customs documentation even though you’re mailing from within the United States. Fill out PS Form 2976-R before you visit the counter, or use USPS Click-N-Ship, which flags the right customs form based on the destination ZIP code.2United States Postal Service. U.S. Customs Forms Item descriptions need to be specific; “personal items” will get rejected. Alcohol, aerosols, flammable substances, tobacco, and electronics with GPS tracking are commonly prohibited or restricted, and rules vary by destination base, so check the USPS APO/FPO restrictions tool before packing anything unusual.
One important limit: the Navy will not release a service member’s personal or unit address to the public. If you don’t already have it, you can’t get it by writing to the Navy. In a genuine family emergency, the American Red Cross Hero Care Network relays verified messages to a service member’s command; reach them at 1-877-272-7337 or saf.redcross.org/css.3American Red Cross. Hero Care Network
Requesting Navy Service Records
Personnel files for separated Navy members are held by the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis. You can file online through eVetRecs at vetrecs.archives.gov, which takes about five minutes, or mail a Standard Form 180 (SF-180).4National Archives. eVetRecs5National Archives. Request Military Personnel Records Using Standard Form 180
Include the veteran’s full name used during service, service number or Social Security number, branch, and dates of service. Mail the completed SF-180 to:
National Personnel Records Center
1 Archives Drive
St. Louis, MO 631385National Archives. Request Military Personnel Records Using Standard Form 180
The NPRC holds more than 70 million files. Records older than 62 years are treated as archival, and the Center provides the full file rather than only the specific items requested.6National Archives. Special Notice Regarding Service Record Requests
Correcting a Record or Requesting a Discharge Upgrade
If your Navy or Marine Corps record contains an error, or you want a discharge upgrade, the Board for Correction of Naval Records (BCNR) reviews petitions. File DD Form 149, Application for Correction of Military Record, and mail it to:7Department of the Navy (SECNAV). DD Form 149 – Application for Correction of Military Record
Board for Correction of Naval Records
701 S. Courthouse Road, Suite 1001
Arlington, VA 22204-2490
The Board reviews each petition to decide whether the record contains an error or injustice that warrants correction. The process can take several months, and the Board may ask for additional documentation after your initial filing.
Writing to Navy Leadership at the Pentagon
Formal correspondence to Department of the Navy leadership goes to the Pentagon. The Secretary of the Navy, the civilian head overseeing both the Navy and Marine Corps, receives mail at:
Office of the Secretary of the Navy
1000 Navy Pentagon
Washington, DC 20350-10008Department of the Navy. SECNAV Manual M-5216.5 – Department of the Navy Correspondence Manual
The Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV), the Navy’s senior military leadership organization, uses 2000 Navy Pentagon, Washington, DC 20350-2000.9Department of the Navy. Contact Us – FOIA/Privacy Act Program Office For congressional or constituent inquiries, mail goes to the Navy Office of Legislative Affairs at 1300 Navy Pentagon, Room 4C549, Washington, DC 20350-1300, or by email to NavyOLA-constituent@us.navy.mil.10U.S. Navy. Navy Office of Legislative Affairs Most constituent issues are routed through your own member of Congress rather than sent directly.
These addresses are for policy-level communication. They are not where individual personnel issues, records requests, or complaints get resolved.
FOIA and Privacy Act Requests
The Navy accepts FOIA requests online at securerelease.us and FOIA.gov, and the portals are faster than mail.11Department of the Navy. FOIA Home Mailed requests go to:
Department of the Navy — Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
FOIA/Privacy Act Program Office/Service Center ATTN: DNS 36
2000 Navy Pentagon
Washington, DC 20350-20009Department of the Navy. Contact Us – FOIA/Privacy Act Program Office
If you’re requesting your own Official Military Personnel File through FOIA specifically, the Navy directs those requests by email to bupers-00j@navy.mil with “FOIA Request” in the subject line.11Department of the Navy. FOIA Home
Legal Papers and Tort Claims
Service of legal process on the Department of the Navy, including subpoenas, court orders, and lawsuits, must go through the Naval Litigation Office. Acceptable methods are certified or registered mail, commercial courier, or a process server:
General Counsel of the Department of the Navy
Naval Litigation Office
720 Kennon St. SE, Room 233
Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-501312Legal Information Institute. 32 CFR Appendix B to Part 97 – Litigation Requests and Demands to the Department of the Navy
Tort claims against the Navy under the Federal Tort Claims Act or the Military Claims Act go to a different office:
Tort Claims Unit Norfolk
9324 Virginia Ave., Suite 104
Norfolk, VA 23511-294913Navy JAG Corps. Federal Tort and Military Claims
You can also reach the Tort Claims Unit at (757) 350-3085 or TortClaimsUnit@us.navy.mil.13Navy JAG Corps. Federal Tort and Military Claims Sending a tort claim to the wrong office can delay or forfeit your filing.
Writing to a Specific Base
Correspondence to a specific installation goes to the Commanding Officer or the relevant command office at that base. For the two largest:
Commanding Officer
Naval Station Norfolk
1530 Gilbert Street, Suite 2000
Norfolk, VA 2351114Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic. Contact Us – Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Base San Diego
C/O Rank/Title, First and Last Name
3455 Senn Road, Bldg 72
San Diego, CA 92136-508415Commander, Navy Region Southwest. Contact Us – Naval Base San Diego
For any other installation, each base has an official website on the cnic.navy.mil domain with a Contact Us page listing the current command address. Building numbers and suites change when commands reorganize, so pulling the address from the current base page is safer than working from an old one.
Recruiting Offices
The Navy’s recruiting network is divided into Navy Talent Acquisition Groups (NTAGs), and there is no single recruiting address.16Commander, Navy Recruiting Command. Navy Talent Acquisition Groups The Navy’s website has a locator that returns the nearest recruiting station’s physical address and phone number by ZIP code. The local station handles applications and enlistment.