OFFICIAL RULES. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER TO WIN.
STARS AND STRIPES “Loaded Backpack Giveaway” (the “Promotion”) is open to current U.S. government ID cardholders or authorized dependents, age 18 or older, who are stationed in Japan, South Korea, or Guam (the “Territory”) at the time of entry. Non-U.S. government ID cardholders are ineligible for participation.
Employees, to include news carriers and/or family members, of STARS AND STRIPES, or their partners, affiliates, subsidiaries, distributors, retailers, advertising and promotion agencies are not eligible to participate.
Entry Period:
The Promotion begins July 6, 2026 and ends July 24, 2026 at 11:59 PM JST. Entries received after this time will not be considered.
Eligibility:
Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to enter or win.
How To Enter:
1) Visit the official Promotion entry page and complete the entry form with required information, including name, email address, and valid APO/FPO mailing address within the Territory.
2) Participants may optionally elect to receive Stars and Stripes newsletters and marketing communications. Opting in is not required to enter or win.
3) Entries must be received within the Entry Period to be eligible.
4) Incomplete or duplicate entries may be disqualified.
Entry Limit:
Each prize recipient will receive one (1) “Loaded Backpack,” which includes:
- School supplies
- One (1) $20 gift card
- Two (2) Stars and Stripes branded items
Approximate Retail Value: $100 per prize
Prizes are non-transferable and no substitution will be made except at the discretion of STARS AND STRIPES.
Prize recipient notification:
1) Prize recipients will be notified via email on or about July 27, 2026.
2) Recipients must respond within five (5) business days of notification and provide a valid APO/FPO mailing address and any requested verification.
3) Failure to respond within the required timeframe may result in forfeiture, and an alternate recipient may be selected.
4) Prize recipients may be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility in order to claim the prize. Additional verification may be required and will be identified in writing at the time of prize recipient notification. Failure to provide STARS AND STRIPES with the required verification within five (5) business days of the date the request is made will cause the prize to be forfeited and another recipient may be selected.
5) Personal information collected during the entry process will remain the property of STARS AND STRIPES and will not be released to third parties. All participants agree that STARS AND STRIPES may use the information submitted for the Promotion in promotional activities.
6) STARS AND STRIPES assumes no liability for unclaimed prizes and/or prizes that are returned to sender.
7) Prize Delivery. All prizes will be mailed only to APO/FPO addresses located within the Territory. Prize recipients with a Camp Humphreys mailing address must pick up their prize in person at the STARS AND STRIPES offices. No mail delivery will be made to Camp Humphreys addresses.
Publicity/required agreements:
By accepting a prize, recipients agree that STARS AND STRIPES may use their name, rank, and installation/location for promotional purposes without additional compensation, where permitted by law. Recipients may be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release.
General terms and conditions:
By entering, each participant agrees to be bound by these Official Rules and decisions of STARS AND STRIPES, which shall be final. STARS AND STRIPES, along with its agents and representatives, affiliates, advertising, promotion, and fulfillment agencies, and legal advisors are not responsible for and shall not be liable for (1) late, lost, delayed, damaged, misdirected, incomplete, illegible or unintelligible entries; (2) telephone, electronic, hardware or software program, network, Internet, or computer malfunctions, failures, or difficulties of any kind; (3) failed, incomplete, garbled, or delayed computer transmissions and/or electronic mail; (4) any condition caused by events beyond the control of STARS AND STRIPES that may cause the Promotion entries to be disrupted or corrupted; (5) any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising in connection with or as a result of the prize or its acceptance, or from participation in the Promotion; or (6) any human error or printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with the Promotion. The maximum liability for STARS AND STRIPES for any violation of its duties relating to this offer shall be the value of the prize the participant should have been awarded.
STARS AND STRIPES reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to suspend or cancel the Promotion at any time.
At its sole discretion STARS AND STRIPES may prohibit any person from participating in this Promotion or any future STARS AND STRIPES event or promotion if STARS AND STRIPES has reason to believe that person deliberately or repeatedly disregards the Promotion rules. In the event of any dispute regarding submission of an online entry, the entry will be deemed the property of the authorized account holder of the e-mail address supplied at the time of entry.
By participating in the Promotion, each participant agrees to release and hold harmless STARS AND STRIPES, and the employees, officers, directors, shareholders, agents, representatives of STARS AND STRIPES, their affiliates, advertising, promotion and fulfillment agencies and legal advisors from any and all losses, damages, rights, claims, and actions of any kind in connection with the Promotion or resulting from participation in or acceptance of any prize, including, without limitation, personal injury, death, and property damage and claims based on publicity rights, defamation, or invasion of privacy.
By participating in the Promotion you hereby represent and warrant that you have read and understood the terms and conditions of these general terms and conditions.
Except where prohibited, entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Promotion or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the US District Court for the District of Columbia.
By participating in the Promotion you hereby represent and warrant that you have read and understood the terms and conditions of these general terms and conditions.
PRIVACY STATEMENT: AUTHORITY: Section 552a, Title 5, United States Code; Section 3013, Title 10, United States Code; Executive Order NO. 9397; Army Regulation 215-1. PRINCIPAL PURPOSES: The primary use of the information provided by participants is to select and contact potential winners. Additionally, the information will be used to issue any 1099 required for reporting of prizes to the IRS. All federal, state and local taxes are the sole responsibility of the winners.
DISCLOSURE IS VOLUNTARY: There is no obligation to provide any information; however, failure to provide the requested information may result in the contest participant being deemed ineligible to win or to be awarded a prize.
Name of prize recipient:
For the name of the prize recipient, send a self-addressed stamped envelope by August 31, 2026, to:
Stars and Stripes Pacific Attn: Engagement-Marketing Department Loaded Backpack Giveaway Unit 45002 APO, AP 96301
