RAF Lakenheath Adds 4 to Zip Code

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Trevor T. McBride
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  
Liberty Wing members will receive their mail more efficiently due to the newly implemented Optical Character Reader, a fully automated mail-sorting system, designed to process mail faster.

"Plus 4" is four numbers added to your current zip code in correspondence to your box number. The numbers assigned will be stored in the U.S. Postal Service sorting database.

The OCR reads delivery addresses from the bottom up, according to the Postal Service. If recognized by the zip code and the "Plus 4" numbers, the mail goes in a designated tray corresponding to the destination. If not recognized, the OCR sends the mail into a bin that is processed for manual sorting.

"The post office receives and processes roughly 2,800 letters per day," said Senior Airman Jeremiah Salyers, 48th Communications Squadron postal clerk "Of those 2,800 letters, 200 to 300 are redirected somewhere else."

RAF Lakenheath receives trays of mail containing 400 to 500 letters that postal clerks spend hours sorting out, said Salyers. With the "Plus 4," the mail will already be sorted into a designed location and put in the correct box quicker.

"It is beneficial for you to know your 'Plus 4' and to have it updated in the Address Management System when you Permanent Change of Station," said Salyers.

When members PCS to their new location, a change in address will be completed with Postal Service and any mail sent to their mailbox on RAF Lakenheath will be automatically sorted in the U.S. and rerouted to the member's new address, added Master Sgt. Mark Greene, 48th Communications Squadron postal superintendent.

Additionally, online companies, such as Amazon, are moving towards requiring the zip code plus four when purchasing items, added Salyers.

To find out the "Plus 4" portion of the zip code, visit the following link and complete all required fields:

https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.action