RAF Mildenhall's post office prepares for the holidays

Senior Airman Jeffrey Van Rees, 100th Communications Squadron postal clerk, checks a customer’s packing slip before giving him his package Nov. 6, 2012, at RAF Mildenhall, England. The post office ships hundreds of packages each holiday season. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kelsey Waters/Released)

RAF Mildenhall's post office prepares for the holidays

Senior Airman Jeremy Fritz, 100th Communications Squadron postal clerk, organizes packages that are ready to be picked up by their recipients Nov. 6, 2012, at RAF Mildenhall, England. The post office ships hundreds of packages each holiday season. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kelsey Waters/Released)

RAF Mildenhall's post office prepares for the holidays

Published Nov. 7, 2012
By Airman 1st Class Kelsey Waters
100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

RAF MILDENHALL, ENGLAND -- The post office has changed its hours so that people have more time to pick up and drop off packages and have them arrive in America before Dec. 25, 2012.

During the holiday season, the post office makes many changes to its schedule in order to make sure that its overseas customers do not have to worry about their packages arriving in the states on time.

There are five main ways to mail packages, said Tech. Sgt. Michael Gosslin, 100th Communications Squadron postmaster. These include: Space Available, Parcel Post, Priority, First Class and Express.

"Each package leaves here the same way," said Gosslin. "The differences between the types of shipping are how they travel once they reach America. Space Available, which is the slowest way to send mail, travels by truck and takes about seven to 10 business days, but can take up to 45 days to reach its destination as opposed to Express Mail, which generally takes between three to five days."

"People generally ship their packages priority around the holidays so they can make sure they arrive on time," said Tech. Sgt. Lichella Emmanuel, 100 CS custodian of postal effects.

"We do a lot of things during the holidays," said Gosslin. "We have a 'Letters to Santa' box that we put out and check daily for mail."

On Christmas Eve, the post office is filled with volunteers trying to get the parcels out for the last pick up before Christmas Day.

"Our hours change quite a bit during the holidays. We stay open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on [Family Days] Nov. 23, Dec. 26 and Dec. 31 for parcel pick up and on Dec. 24 we are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. to make sure all of the packages get picked up before Christmas," said Gosslin.

"I enjoy working during the holidays because I get to see the looks of relief on their faces once they know that their packages are in the mail and now all their family members have to do is go and pick them up," said Emmanuel.