RAF Lakenheath Post Office delivers

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kristopher Levasseur
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  Mail comes from all over the world in many shapes and sizes. It contains anything from bills to birthday cards.

No matter where it comes from or what's inside though, the mail received here during holiday season goes through RAF Lakenheath's post office.

During the holiday season, the post office receives a large volume of incoming and outgoing mail. The post office sees a 20 percent increase in mail because of the enormous amounts of holiday gifts and catalogs.

"This is a very busy time of year for us," said Tech. Sgt. Tyrone Curl, 48th Communications Squadron post master. "The constant mail coming and going leaves our shelves pretty full."

During the holiday season, the post office is open additional hours. The hour change is to help decrease the amount of traffic coming in and out of the post office during lunch time or after the duty day.

The new hours for parcel shipping are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The new hours for parcel receiving are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Due to the increased volume in mail the post office receives during the holiday season, the post office has implemented cut-off dates for mail to reach the United States in time for the holidays. The final mailing dates are as follows: surface mail Nov. 13, space available mail Nov. 27, parcel airlift mail Dec. 4, first class and priority mail Dec. 11, and for express mail Dec. 18.

Because of the cut-off dates and additional hours, the post office needs additional help. A large amount of the help the post office receives during the holiday season is from volunteers.

"This time of year we need volunteers more than ever," said Sergeant Curl. "People around the base are pretty good about coming down and helping out."

Volunteers come from various organizations, squadrons and individuals from all over RAF Lakenheath. One of the leading contributors of volunteers for the post office comes from First Term Airmen Center. FTAC sends groups of volunteers to the post office on a regular basis, year round.

"When I went though FTAC, we volunteered at the post office almost daily," said Airman 1st Class David Hart, 48th CS. "It is something I still do because I know they always need the help."

Volunteers are allowed to perform many different jobs at the post office. The only jobs volunteers are not allowed to do are finance and registered mail. There is minimal training required to volunteer at the post office and volunteers can walk in any time from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

"Volunteers are needed year round, not just for the holiday seasons," said Sergeant Curl. "We constantly have post office members deployed so we always need help."

Mail assists servicemembers in keeping contact with their friends and family, pay bills and purchase products online. People here wouldn't see any of it if it wasn't for RAF Lakenheaths post office Airmen and volunteers who work there.