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CHAPTER 9
MAIL HANDLING AND TRANSPORTATION
As a military postal clerk, mail orderly, or mail
clerk, you are dealing with that intangible but very
important factor in military life, morale. Mail
contributes as much to the morale of the military
services as any other single factor.
Mail from home is important to your shipmates
because it renews their contact with family and friends.
Often mail is of great legal or financial significance.
You never know when a letter may contain a document
or an item of information that will profoundly affect
the affairs of the recipient. Therefore, every letter must
be handled as if it were of utmost importance.
Working in a post office or unit mailroom will also
make you aware that mail is used in logistical support
of the operating forces. Naval supply commands
forward high-priority parts by mail for ships and
aircraft deployed all over the world. Navy exchanges
use the mail in overseas areas to provide merchandise
for patrons.
There is always the official
correspondence so vital to the accomplishment of the
mission and the well being of the ship’s company.
All these considerations serve to focus attention on
the handling of mail as one of the most important
functions performed at Navy post offices and unit
mailrooms.
DEFINITIONS
Learning Objective: Recognize the personnel
who handle incoming and outgoing mail and
their responsibilities.
This section will deal entirely with mail orderly
service and mailroom operations. The definitions of
mail handling personnel and facilities are as follows:
Mail orderly—An individual designated by
proper authority to perform mail-handling
duties, but who does NOT operate a mailroom.
Mail clerk—An individual designated by proper
authority to do mail duties in association with the
operation of a unit mailroom (UMR) or a postal
service center (PSC) that is not considered a
section of an MPO.
Unit postal officer—A member or civilian
employee of the U.S. Armed Forces, or an
employee of a civilian agency, designated by
proper authority to supervise the operation of a
UMR.
Unit mailroom—A room or enclosure with
proper security that serves as a place for unit mail
clerks to handle, process, and deliver mail.
Serving postal activity—The military or civilian
post office that provides postal support.
MAIL ORDERLY RESPONSIBILITIES
Division/section mail orderlies normally are
charged only with the safeguarding and delivery of
incoming personal mail. Specific responsibilities of a
mail orderly include:
Delivering personal mail to addressees only
Placing undeliverable mail in a suitable, securely
locked container and delivering it later (as soon
as possible) or returning it at the end of the
workday to the UMR or serving post office, as
applicable
Returning undeliverable-as-addressed mail to
the UMR or serving post office with the reason
for nondelivery (TAD, leave, or transferred)
Reporting any known or suspected postal
offenses and irregularities to the unit postal
officer or commanding officer
Mail orderlies from the Administrative
Department, and at large commands from other
departments, have additional responsibility for
delivering official mail.
MAIL CLERK RESPONSIBILITIES
Mail clerks must be designated and properly
trained to provide mail service and operate UMRs in
accordance with current regulations.
Specific
responsibilities include:
Safeguarding mail at all times
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