Need for volunteers in overseas military mailrooms before increasing vacation packages

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan – Post offices at military bases are calling for volunteers to help sort mail with thousands of holiday packages expected in the coming weeks.

At the U.S. Forces Japan home in western Tokyo, officials are looking to put five volunteers to work each day with package deliveries expected to peak in mid-December, 374th Airlift Wing spokesman Staff Sgt. -chief. Juan Torres said in a Nov. 16 email.

“Having a sufficient number of volunteers allows postal workers to process parcels while volunteers help by delivering mail and sorting letters,†he said.

Most months, the Yokota mailroom receives between 15,000 and 17,000 packages, he said.

“During the month of December, we see an increase in mail of up to 27,000 packages,†he said. “Due to this increase, we ask customers to remain patient as we work diligently to process your vacation mail for you and your loved ones. “

The post office at Misawa Air Base, the headquarters of the 35th Fighter Wing in northeastern Japan, is expecting between 700 and 800 packages per delivery during the holiday season, a spokesperson for Misawa Tech said. Sgt. Chris Jacobs said in an email Thursday.

The post office will be soliciting mailroom volunteers from December 1 to 14, he said.

“At this time, we don’t have a precise figure on the number of volunteers who will mobilize, but any organization that wishes to volunteer more than 10 members at a time should organize its volunteers through the post office. local, â€he said.

At Camp Humphreys, the headquarters of the US Eighth Army in South Korea, Postmaster Demetrius Palmer said the post office receives up to 8,000 packages per month from November to January. The facility employs around 50 volunteers to help during the holidays, he said by phone Wednesday.

In Guam, Andersen Air Force Base is expecting 50,000 pounds of vacation mail for Airmen living in dormitories and is looking for 118 volunteers to work Dec. 6-23, the 36 Wing’s public affairs office said Thursday in a E-mail.

Last month, the U.S. Postal Service told customers that the new service standards would slow some deliveries.

“We ask customers to send their packages on time to make sure they are delivered before the holidays,†Torres said. “The earlier a package is shipped, the better the chances that it will arrive before the holidays.

The Postal Service recommends shipping retail ground mail by Wednesday, priority and first class mail by December 1, and express mail by December 15, he said.