Small Mailroom, Big Mission: 21st’s mailroom keeps mail moving

Photo By Brittany Jones | Edward Harvey, 09263 mail room clerk, moves packages into the mail room so they can be sorted and have notifications sent to recipients that they have packages waiting. The three-man unit mail team picks the mail up from the IMCOM mail distirbution center as they service 700 APO customers per day.  

KAISERSLAUTERN, RP, GERMANY

08.29.2017

Story by Brittany Jones 

21st Theater Sustainment Command

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – From receiving a care package sent by loved ones back home, to the latest impulse buy from Amazon, or even something as simple as a receiving a monthly Bank Statement; being stationed in Germany and receiving mail in a timely manner is a vital part of daily life.

A three-man crew from the Panzer Kaserne’s 09263 mailroom ensures 21st Theater Sustainment Command’s service members, Families and Department of Defense Civilians never miss a delivery.

The unit-only mailroom serves 700 APO customers daily. 75 percent of the utilized postal boxes are service member and 25 percent DOD civilians. Nearly 6,000 pieces of mail come through this location per month with the number almost doubling during the holiday season.

Bryon Cleaton, 09263 postal lead, highlights the importance of his team’s work and how it impacts the 21st community on the daily bases.

“We work hard to ensure a package is never missed,” he said. “Our main goal is customer service. It’s our number one goal for everyone, Solider, Civilian, and family members.”

What customers see when they visit Mailroom 09263 is only 25 percent of their realm of responsibility for the team working there. The team drives to the IMCOM mail distribution center every morning and loads its official mail vehicle with packages and letters assigned to 09263. From there, the team brings the delivery back to the mailroom to be processed, counted, and sorted.

Something unique about mailroom 09263 is that if a customer has a package available for pick-up, the team will send a personal email to the customer advising them of their package.

“Our email system is something that is not implemented through-out the KMC area,” Cleaton said. “Each mailroom does things differently but emailing our customers is simply a convenience we like to offer. When you have a high-tempo environment like the 21st has, Soldiers and civilians are able to get our emails between meetings on their computer or government-approved devices and can coordinate their daily schedule to swing by the mailroom and pick up their package.”

In addition to their unique email system, Mailroom 09263 offers extended service hours. This location is open 1200-1700 Monday-Friday including all training holidays. Those who are new to TEAM 21 and are in-processing or getting ready to PCS and going through the out-processing phase, can visit the location Monday-Friday, 1200-1600, to coordinate postal needs.

The team working at the 09263 location are not shy about the importance of its location or its efforts to serve Team 21.

“All of us here are prior Military," Cleaton said. "We know how it is to have a rough day and you come to the mailroom, greeted with a smile, you pick up your package or letter and your eyes light up. That is how we serve those who serve.”

• Date Taken: 08.29.2017
• Date Posted: 08.29.2017 10:03
• Story ID: 246392
• Location: KAISERSLAUTERN, RP, DE