ODC goes postal with 36,907 lbs of holiday mail

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jeff Nevison
  • 39th Air Base Wing public affairs
Incirlik Air Base, TURKEY --  While many were preparing to celebrate the holidays with family, personnel assigned to the 39th Communications Squadron Official Document Center were working overtime to ensure mail was dispersed to the base populace in time. 

Along with distributing incoming mail to the base, workers were busy shipping mail to the United States and other locations. 

"We shipped out 36, 907 pounds of mail in the month of December alone," said Staff Sgt. Derek Rea, 39 CS non-commissioned officer in-charge of the Postal Service Center. "That is at least 5, 000 pounds more a month than normal." 

With this much mail to be processed and shipped, the ODC staff had their work cut out for them. 

"Instead of the normal 8 a.m.-5 p.m., five-day-a-week shift, personnel were coming in six days a week, two hours early and leaving two hours late," said Tech. Sgt. Sheila Robinson, 39 CS ODC official mail manager. 

Many volunteers stepped forward to offer assistance. 

"We had 50 volunteers from the community, including students from the Department of Defense Dependents School," said Sergeant Robinson. "Our shop is manned with 14 people, so we knew we'd need assistance getting everything accomplished in time."
Sergeant Rea is grateful for all the help. 

"Without the help of all the volunteers, we may not have been able to process all the mail in time," he said. 

Along with the volunteers, Sergeant Robinson said the entire Incirlik community deserves thanks. 

"I want to thank the community for understanding the strain on the ODC during the holiday-mailing season," said Sergeant Robinson. "People have been patient and seem to appreciate the increased work load we've had over the last two months,"