Postal Ops: We Deliver for You!

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Troy Shettlesworth
  • 435th Communications Squadron
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  "Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." -- Unofficial Postman's Motto (adapted from Herodotus' Histories)

With the hustle and bustle of the holidays behind us, the KMC postal team paused to reflect on the record mail volume processed during the 2007 holiday season.
Having worked an average of 55 hours per week, the postal team delivered more than 2 million pounds of mail, including 70,000 parcels, to more than 30,000 customers in December alone. Excluding Christmas Day, postal Airmen processed at least one 40-foot mail truck every day last year -- two on Wednesdays. During the holiday season that average increased to three trucks per day.
"No matter how great the volume of mail each day, the Postal Team did not go home until it was all delivered to the recipient's mailbox," said Master Sgt. Al DiRisio, Ramstein Northside postmaster.
Postal manning has fallen in recent years while deployments have increased. American post offices in the KMC deploy Airmen in every Air Expeditionary Force cycle, yet continue to meet mission requirements at home.
"This is a significant challenge as Ramstein mail volumes have soared from 4.6 million pounds in 2002 to more than 13 million in 2007," said Sergeant DiRisio.
"The Postal Team continues leaning forward to meet challenges in 2008, incorporating AFSO 21 principles to better serve customers," said Staff Sgt. Bobby Norris, Ramstein Northside assistant postmaster.
A major AFSO 21 effort is scheduled to begin Feb. 4 and will identify ways to reduce the demanding workload without sacrificing services. One promising initiative currently under review uses electronic inboxes instead of physical mailboxes, where customers will receive an e-mail message, in lieu of a paper notification, when a parcel is ready for pick up.
Ramstein APO customers can now sign up for e-mail notifications in the northside or southside post offices or send an e-mail to postal.service@ramstein.af.mil. These customers will continue to receive hard copy notifications until the paperless phase of this system is tested, approved and implemented.
"Of course, the success of the postal team could not be realized without the outstanding efforts of dedicated volunteers," said Staff Sgt. Pamela Cianfrocca, NCOIC, Ramstein Customer Service.
Recent customer feedback suggested that parcel delivery service was needed on Mondays. Unable to meet this need with current manning, the postal team looked to the community for help. Each Monday, the Ramstein Northside Post Office parcel pick-up window is manned primarily by volunteers. More than 500 volunteers have stepped forward since the program was implemented in November 2007, donating more than 2,000 hours.
"This critical support dramatically improved the quality of life of both the Postal Team and the entire KMC," said Lt. Col Amy. Dayton, Commander, 435th Communications Squadron.
Volunteers are still needed and encouraged to sign up in advance for available shifts. For more information concerning the volunteer program, stop by your post office customer service desk or e-mail: postal.service@ramstein.af.mil.
KMC post offices offer the following services:
Ramstein Northside and Southside: parcel pick-up, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday (Southside closed on Mondays); finance, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday; customer service, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, 1000-1700;
Kapaun: parcel pick-up 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday; finance, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday; customer service, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday; Sembach: parcel pick-up and customer service, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday; finance, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday.