Postal company keeps Soldiers' morale high

Photo By Sgt. Mitch Armbruster | Spc. Eric Stuhrenberg, a mail clerk working in the finance section of the post office with the 795th Postal Company, helps a customer mail home personal belongings before redeployment.  

LOGISTICS SUPPORT AREA DIAMONDBACK, IRAQ

03.10.2006

Courtesy Story

207th Public Affairs Detachment

LSA DIAMONDBACK, IRAQ - Mail is a morale booster for Soldiers deployed far from families and friends. Members of the 795th Postal Company take care of the mail for Logistical Support Area Diamondback so servicemembers in northern Iraq can stay connected with loved ones.

The officer in charge of the unit, 2nd Lt. Emily Day, said mail keeps the Soldiers" morale high.

"Their main goal is to get the mail out as quick as possible, as efficiently as possible so that Soldiers can keep their contact with home," Day said. "My Soldiers know that mail, among the others such as pay, promotions and awards, is one of the biggest morale boosters they can get here."

Unit teams work in their designated areas to keep the system running smoothly.

The finance teams deal with customers mailing packages home. The office handles patrons at four service windows. Each window handles mail servicemembers and civilian contractors want shipped. Customers mail postcards and letters, small parcels, and large footlockers back to the States.

Before patrons can send their packages, a Soldier with the 795th will inspect the contents to ensure that prohibited items aren't sent through the mail system.

"We have to inspect everything," explained Sgt. Jason Arnold, a member of the unit working in the redirect department.

The finance team is the customer service representative people will deal with face to face while mailing goods.

"When people come to the window we help them decide if they want standard or priority shipping," said Spc. Eric Stuhrenberg, a mail clerk working on the finance team. "Then we separate the boxes and load it up according to where it's going."

Customers see one side of the postal unit, the finance team, but behind the scenes the operations teams are working hard to get the boxes and letters to their destinations.

An operations team works directly with the boxes. They organize incoming mail, separating the mail between LSA Diamondback and the surrounding forward operating bases (FOB).

Because the 795th services multiple locations, they must be fast and accurate in the work they do.

They task Soldiers for mobile missions to the FOBs. These Soldiers take care of shipping needs and assure mail is packed properly into the containers for movement to LSA Diamondback.

Operations team members work night and day processing the mail from connexs to be shipped back to the states, but they also work to separate and organize the incoming mail for units on post. Unit mail clerks visit the location to pick up mail for their fellow Soldiers.

Operations teams sort the mail for those clerks to make the process as easy as possible. The 795th takes pride in offering the best customer service they can for their fellow servicemembers and civilian contractors.

"When Christmas came around we got a lot of people sending gifts home," he said. "We get to see what the Soldiers are sending home to their families."

The holiday season was busy for the unit, but Stuhrenberg stated they are busy year-round helping units take care of mail before their redeployment.

Stuhrenberg explained they help redeploying units seven days a week before and after the business hours of the post office.

Units can make appointments to have the 795th inspect outgoing mail before redeploying at 302-528-8573.

"We get a lot of compliments about how we are running the post office," Stuhrenberg said. "People are surprised how easy it is and how cheap it is."

Soldiers with the 795th work hard to take care of the Soldiers in northern Iraq.

Stuhrenberg felt the holidays were a special time for him working in the unit.

• Date Taken: 03.10.2006
• Date Posted: 03.10.2006 06:14
• Story ID: 5649
• Location: LOGISTICS SUPPORT AREA DIAMONDBACK, IQ