Soldiers of the 847th HRC manage postal operations at Camp As Saliyah, Qatar.

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Kimberly Hill | Spc. Christopher Gorski, a human resources specialist with the 847th Human Resources Company and a Waseca, Minn., native, supervises Staff Sgt. Scott Dunn, an administrative sergeant with the 3rd Battalion, 116th Field Artillery, as he picks up his unit’s mail behind the Post Office at Camp As Saliyah, Qatar, Nov. 14, 2013.  

AS SALIYAH, QATAR

12.03.2013

Story by Staff Sgt. Kimberly Hill 

371st Sustainment Brigade

AS SALIYAH, Qatar - Soldiers with the 847th Human Resources Company, 371st Sustainment Brigade have been overseeing and managing postal operations at Camp As Saliyah, Qatar for the past eight months while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

“You get to learn a lot about the postal world and you get to see a lot of happy faces,” said Spc. Christopher Gorski, a human resources specialist with the 847th Human Resources Company and a Waseca Minn. native.

Soldiers working at the post office are charged with overseeing the pick-up of unit mail, aiding contractors who work at the post office, handling official mail and providing customer service to service members deployed to Camp As Saliyah, said Sgt. Matthew J. Bach, the noncommissioned officer in charge of postal operations and a Brooklyn Park, Minn. native.

Bach and his soldiers work closely with civilian contracted postal workers, who sort and process the majority of the mail, as well as provide customer service to service members at Camp As Saliyah.
“I’m fortunate to have the contractors I do, all of them are veterans and all of them are very knowledgeable and experienced,” said Bach.

The 847th HRC has soldiers working postal operations throughout theater, including Camp Arifjan, Kuwait and 3 soldiers currently working at Camp As Saliyah’s Post Office.

In addition to overseeing and working with contractors, the Camp As Saliyah’s Post Office acts as a distribution point for arriving mail.
“The truck arrives with the day’s mail; we unload and distribute it at 1400 when a unit representative will come pick it up,” said Gorski.

Gorski also conducts unit mail room inspections, 32 in total, ensuring mail rooms are up to military and postal standards and mail is being handled correctly, he said.

“We also give unit mail personnel training classes, which trains personnel in mail room operations, “said Gorski.

Deployed military postal workers also face the challenge of complying with not only U.S. postal and military mail standards, but must also comply with another country’s regulations, said Bach.

“One of the challenges is keeping up to date with changing procedures and Qatari customs,” he said.

Although postal operations can be challenging and even stressful, especially during the holiday season, soldiers of the 847th HRC enjoy their work and feel they are providing a valuable service.
“The better we take care of them the easier it is for them to do their mission,” said Bach

• Date Taken: 12.03.2013
• Date Posted: 12.07.2013 02:36
• Story ID: 117871
• Location: AS SALIYAH, QA
• Hometown: BROOKLYN PARK, MN, US
• Hometown: WASECA, MN, US