VAT refund for US forces

Good day,

We are neither Apple employees nor taxing authorities, but other end users. Apple will not see your question here. As there are Apple stores in Germany, I would ask there about how VAT is handled.

This Apple Shipping Policy document: Shipping & Pickup - Shopping Help - Apple

shows, as a service member, you can order online but the device must be delivered to an address in the 50 states or Puerto Rico. My experience with export in another tech field tells me this is a US Export of Technology issue, not an Apple construct.

If a German Apple store will sell you a device and waive the VAT, or can give you proper documentation for VAT refund on returning home, that is likely your best action.

Another thought: It's possible your base exchange (or whatever they are called today) can help you with what needs to be done tax-wise on returning to the US.

Again, I wish it were different, but no one here can give you an official or binding answer

Thank you for your sacrifice and service.

Whenever I have probed into buying in US, and shipping to APO addresses, the answer always came back,

"Apple does not ship to military forwarding services. Order through your Post Exchange, and they can actually get it delivered to you (mostly) trouble-free and with discounts built-in."