"Where's my Package?"

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Christina Brewer | Packages for personnel stationed at Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota, Spain, await sorting and pick-up inside the Fleet Mail Center, Dec. 3, 2020. Reservists who live in the Rota area are assisting in the sorting of holiday mail this year.  

ROTA, SPAIN

12.09.2020

Courtesy Story

Naval Station Rota, Spain

For most, the holiday season is about anticipating gifts, food, long nights spent with family playing games, and putting elves in precarious situations around the house. As someone who spent most of high school and college working at two large chain toy stores, I have experienced the other side. I have been one of the people who helps create the memories that families hold dear for years to follow.

When I joined the Navy I never thought I would find myself back in the business of making holiday memories. Since leaving active duty and joining the reserves, I have had the opportunity to try my hand at many different types of jobs but in November, with COVID-19 leaving gaps in staffing, I find myself part of Naval Station Rota’s postal team.

It’s definitely a departure from my normal working hours at the Liberty Center (normal start time being about 12:30 in the afternoon). Now I find myself up well before the sun, massive cup of coffee in hand, trudging into the post office, pumping myself up for the madness to come.

Every morning upon arriving (and I mean every morning including weekends), I see at least one, if not two, moving trucks overflowing with packages and mail.

Since most of my time in Rota is not spent working at the post office, I’m not going to lie when I say I was eager to find out why the lines can be so long. Well, I have the answer you have all been waiting for! Drum roll… there is a lot of stuff back there! As a customer I have been right there wondering, “What is taking so long!? I hear people talking, so why is there only one person working the window?!” It never occurred to me to think about all the moving parts of a post office.

Logistics Specialist Seaman Apprentice, Joshua Ceras, who you have most likely met at the package collection window, is relatively new to the post office team. Joining them only this past June, he says, “Not only do I enjoy customer service and interacting with my community, but knowing that the customer leaves with a smile on their face assures me that I’m paying it forward through the good, the bad, and the ugly that can come with my job.”

Did you know that in addition to the mail that gets sorted in the morning, there is more mail that arrives all day, and in an effort to not get behind, people are sorting mail throughout the day. That’s why you sometimes get an email ten minutes after you just picked up your packages.

“COVID-19 has changed the way we all live our lives,” explained Retail Services Chief Jason Rodriguez. “In particular, it has completely impacted the postal system. Multiple flight cancellations have resulted in sporadic influx of mail, while consumers’ shopping habits have shifted to the online retail world due to travel restrictions. Being forced to remain at home has resulted in consumers making every effort to bring what they would normally purchase from local retailors to their homes via online shops. These factors have resulted in a drastic increase in our workload at the NAVSTA Rota Fleet Mail Center and all other mail centers throughout the region.”

As we all try to make up for a questionable year by making the holidays one for the books, I look around at the Sailors and Marines who are committed to getting every piece of mail out as fast as possible so that we can wrap up 2020 with a smile.

“After the COVID situation, it’s nice to see people getting into the holiday spirit and see them happy and motivated,” said Laura Harewood, a local national mail clerk who helps customers ship packages, about the mood in the front of the post office.

I am joined in this postal adventure by fellow U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and U.S. 6th Fleet Navy Reserve Detachment 130, reservist, Hull Maintenance Technician 2nd Class Angelica Smolinski. Her take on this tasking is, “Being on the other side of the mail window has shown me the hard work that is being done in the post office. I’ve witnessed patience and determination in the work they do. It put into perspective what I wasn’t able to see and experience from standing in line on the other side.”

We all may be used to the convenience of walking to our doorsteps or to the end of our driveways to collect our mail back in the States. But I find myself thinking of all the lines I waited in on Christmas Eve to get those last minute items, line after line in multiple stores, and I’m grateful that at least I only have one line here in Rota.

Located at Naval Station Rota, Spain, Site Rota is one of NAVSUP FLC Sigonella's five logistics sites in the Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central area of operations. Site Rota provides supply chain management, bulk and aviation fueling capability, material handling equipment, contracting, hazardous material management, household goods and vehicle processing and postal operations to fleet, installation and other service components throughout the area of operations.

Story written by: MC2 Christina Brewer

• Date Taken: 12.09.2020
• Date Posted: 12.09.2020 08:23
• Story ID: 384521
• Location: ROTA, ES