New Navy Postal Directory System to Improve Mail Service for Sailors

By Tom Kreidel, NAVSUP FLC Norfolk Office of Corporate Communication

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Personnel from Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk visited USS George Washington (CVN 73) Feb. 9 in part of its current effort to assist area mail facilities with the installation and implementation of a new system to process transferring Sailors' mail quickly.

According to the Regional Navy Mail Center (RNMC) Division Director Jeffrey Gibbs, the Navy Postal Directory System will be on line for all ships as of March 1 and all shore based facilities and mail rooms by March 31.

He says NPDS is a Microsoft Access program that automates the mail processing and record keeping for a command. It stores individual personal address data for current personnel assigned to a command and also stores new data for personnel when they transfer so that mail received by the command may be readdressed and forwarded.

NPDS also prepares and prints address labels for readdressing mail and automatically purges files for transferred personnel.

Gibbs explained that with the old program a command had to be able to receive an Authority to Operate (ATO) to be used on ship and shore computer systems. When unable to obtain an ATO for old system, the command would have to manually keep the data in a card filing system. New addresses would then have to be manually placed on a mail piece for forwarding.

"This will simplify mail redirect services for all Navy commands, which depending on size of command can be a significant manpower savings in time taken to process redirect mail," he added.

Gibbs added that training is a major portion of the support from the mail center.

"The RNMC team has prepared step by step processes for use by all fleet and shore commands for implementation of the new NPDS program," he said. "RNMC provides hands on training and guidance with actual ship and shore command visits, along with training sessions in the RNMC Classroom on the NPDS program for all supported customers."

NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Norfolk, one of eight fleet logistics centers under NAVSUP Global Logistics Support (GLS), provides operational logistics, business and support services to fleet, shore and industrial commands of the Navy, Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command and other Joint and Allied Forces. Services include contracting, regional transportation, fuel, material management, household goods movement support, postal and consolidated mail, warehousing, global logistics and husbanding, hazardous material management and integrated logistics support.

NAVSUP GLS provides global logistics for a global Navy. The organization is made up of more than 6,300 military and civilian logistics professionals operating from 105 locations worldwide providing an extensive array of integrated global logistics and contracting services to Navy, Marine Corps, joint operational units and allied forces across all warfare enterprises.