Navy goes postal at FOB Gardez

Courtesy Photo | U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jesse Tulp, acting mail clerk for 1st Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment, of Hampton, Va., sorts his share of 29,000 pounds of mail for the week. (Photo by U.S. Army Capt. Mark Steskal)  

PAKTYA PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

10.20.2010

Courtesy Story

Combined Joint Task Force 101

By U.S. Army Capt. Mark Steskal

PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan -- Navy postal clerks for the 1st Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment’s area of operations provide service to 18 Task Force Avalanche units.

During their tenure, they received roughly 378,000 pounds of incoming mail while moving about 200,000 pounds of outgoing mail.

Members of the Task Force Avalanche personnel section help the Sailors, however, mail sort days are still chaotic as soldiers and sailors carry packages and bags of letters to and from containers for hours at a time.

On an average week, 28,900 pounds of mail is moved.

“It’s not all work; it’s social as well,” said U.S. Army Pfc. Jeffrey Quesnell, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-172nd Inf. Regt., personnel Soldier from Middleberry, Vt. “We often barbecue together after the sort and share the camaraderie of hard but rewarding work.”

The close bond shared between the sailors and soldiers has made at least one Sailor’s time spent with Task Force Avalanche memorable.

“I have been Navy for 13 years. Now, with the friends I have made on this deployment, I consider myself part of the Army, too,” said U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jesse Tulp, parachute rigger from Hampton, Va.

The sailors replacing the previous group are looking forward to taking over the mail operations missions for Task Force Avalanche.

“We are proud to serve in [TF Avalanche’s area of operation] with honor, courage and commitment,” said U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Shane Mitchell, logistics specialist from Austin, Texas.

• Date Taken: 10.20.2010
• Date Posted: 10.19.2010 17:10
• Story ID: 58450
• Location: PAKTYA PROVINCE, AF