Lajes Post Office wins 2013 Information Dominance Air Force award

by Staff Sgt. Angelique N. Smythe
65th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

1/13/2014 - LAJES FIELD, Azores -- The 65th Communications Squadron Postal Service team was recently awarded the Information Dominance Air Force Outstanding Small Postal Facility Award for 2013.

"This award recognizes military post offices for superior performance and professional excellence while managing and providing a full range of post office services to the base populace and whose contributions most improved Air Force postal services operations," said Maj. Jennifer Carns, 65th CS commander.

Prior to receiving this Air Force award, the Lajes Post Office seized the information dominance title at the U.S. Air Forces Europe level four times within five years.

In their nomination package, this small team was described as superior in their ability to promptly and accurately support Lajes' 1,600 personnel and process 569,000lbs of mail throughout the year.

"Our mission is to provide outstanding postal service for the 65th Air Base Wing and to the Lajes Field community," said Tech. Sgt. Stephen McCool, 65th CS postmaster.

McCool and his team oversee the receiving and dispatching of USPS and Military Postal Service mail. They provide official mail services to 24 Lajes units as well as assist all customers with mail, stamps and money order transactions.

"My Airmen's motivation to get the job done and their ability to adapt and improvise is second to none," McCool said. "We understand our mission is the mail. On days we receive mail, we develop a plan of 'attack' to process the mail as quickly and correctly as possible. There are always situations which may alter our original plan, but everyone here is adaptable and quick to resolve any issues to get the mission done."

McCool currently supervises three U.S. military personnel and four Portuguese local nationals.

"Our local nationals are the foundation of this great team," he said. "They provide the continuity to the military personnel who are regularly rotated in and out. Winning this award would not be possible without them."

Mail arrives on Lajes twice a week. The postal service team members pick up all their mail from the Air Mobility Squadron. There, they strategically load their truck to limit the amount of trips needed back to the post office. After unloading the truck at the post office, last names and P.O. Box numbers are written on each package. The packages are then sent down a conveyer belt for sorting. All packages are scanned in as "arrivals" before being placed on shelves. Official mail, letters, magazines and yellow slips notifying customers of their packages are then pitched into mailboxes. Packages for those who've moved on from Lajes are processed in the directory section before being rerouted to their correct locations.

"We work as a team to get things done in a timely manner," said Staff Sgt. Keundra Gibson, 65th CS custodian of postal effects.

As the custodian of postal effects, Gibson accounts for all finance clerks and tracks all transactions and deposits made by the post office.

"We also reach out to volunteers on base to help process and distribute mail," said Gibson.

Gibson serves as the volunteer monitor for all military members, dependents and civilians who provide weekly assistance to the Lajes Post Office. The postal service team said they greatly appreciate these volunteers, especially during the holidays when incoming and outgoing mail increase significantly.

"Our volunteers' consistency in devoting their time to helping us each week has impressed me throughout my tour here at Lajes," said McCool. "They are a great help. During the holiday season, they helped us process close to 70,000lbs of mail."

The post office had a total of 429 volunteers throughout 2013.

"Just about anyone can volunteer," said McCool. "They sign in and we give them training. Volunteers mainly help with processing packages and writing up mail notices for the customers. They're usually needed during our big mail day, which is Sunday. The volunteer program helps the post office deliver our customers' mail on the same day it was received, which is a great boost to morale here at Lajes."

Winning the 2013 Information Dominance Air Force Outstanding Small Postal Facility Award greatly boosted the morale of Lajes' postal service workers.

"This award has justified all the long and tough days at work," McCool said. "Everyone here is still trying to wrap their heads around this accomplishment. This recognition has boosted our morale and increased our motivation to continue to be great at what we do."

"This is an amazing accomplishment, and we are very thankful," Gibson said.