1. Concrete Experience

2. Learning Objective Action: Plan Postal Operations
Condition: Senior HR Leaders in a classroom environment working individually and as a member of a small group, using doctrinal and administrative publications, practical exercises, case studies, personal experience, handouts, and discussion with an awareness of the Operational Environment (OE) variables and actors.
Standard: Analysis includes:
Postal operations doctrine.
Theater postal organizations, responsibilities, and functions.
3. S-1 postal planning considerations.

3. Doctrinal Responsibilities
POSTAL OPERATIONS RESPONSIBILITIES
FUNCTION / TASK BN
BDE
DIV
CORPS
ASCC
Receiving / Sorting / Postal Finance Services
S-1*
Postal Platoon
G-1/STB
Identify / Coordinate Mail Delivery Points
S-1
G-1/AG
Mail Routing (Army Post Office ZIP Code Mgmt)
Transportation / Delivery
S-4
Sust Bde
TSC
Redirect Mail
Coalition Mail
HR Company
Casualty Mail
Enemy Prisoner of War Mail
Official Mail
S-6
G-6
Air Mail Terminal / Military Mail Terminal (MMT)Postal Operations
MMT
Directory Services
Unit Mail Clerk Training / Certification
Postal Theater – Specific / Refresher Training
* No postal finance services at this level unless coordinated for
Legend: ASCC – Army Service Component Command; STB – Special Troops Battalion; TSC – Theater Sustainment Command

4. MPSA / JMPA Military Postal Service Agency (MPSA)
Key Postal Organizations
MPSA / JMPA
Military Postal Service Agency (MPSA)
As an extension of the United States Postal Service (USPS), MPSA provides DoD personnel, their family member and other authorized users mail services around the world.
Is the conduit through which USPS passes along postal directives and policies to the military postal system.
Act as the single DoD point of contact with the USPS and other government agencies on military postal service policy and operational matters.
Joint Military Postal Activity
(JMPA)
Acts on behalf of the Executive Director, MPSA as a single DoD point of contact with USPS at postal gateways.
Manages movement of mail from the gateway to the theater of operations.
Coordinate mail movement transportation needs with commercial carriers and the military Air Mobility Command.
MPSA
Fort Knox, KY
JMPA -Atlantic
Secaucus, NJ
JMPA -Pacific
Los Angeles, CA
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
The Executive Director of MPSA is The Adjutant General, Human Resources Command, Fort Knox, KY.

5. Key Postal Organizations
JMPA-PAC Overview

6. Key Postal Organizations G-1/AG Staff Sections
ASCC G-1/AG
Division / Corps G-1/AG
Ensures postal operations are included in all plans and OPORDs as required
Coordinates w/TSC or higher HQs to ensure the required numbers of postal units or teams are made available to support the deployed force
Reconciles postal issues with supporting Sustainment Bde HROB, HRSC POD or with the ASCC G1/AG
Maintains awareness of AO postal operations
Coordinates w/ASCC G-1/AG to communicate the corps/division commander’s guidance on mail operations
Coordinates with the corps/division G-6 Official Mail Manager for the handling of official mail
Maintains a list of Brigade mail delivery points MDPs
Coordinates with other service components to develop contingency plans to ensure appropriate postal support for U.S., Joint, and multinational forces and authorized personnel within an AO
Requests contingency APO activation or deactivation from MPSA
Develops theater postal policies and procedures
FM 1-0, para 4-55
FM 1-0, para 4-56 6

7. Key Postal Organizations GROUP PRACTICAL EXERCISE #1
Each group has 15 minutes to analyze the doctrinal responsibilities for their assigned Key Postal organization.
Include the impact of operational variables (PMESII-PT) and mission variables (METT-TC) on each organization in your analysis, as appropriate.
Identify the top three critical postal tasks and/or responsibilities for each organization and be prepared to defend your reasoning.
Each group has 10 minutes to present their analysis to the class.
HRSC POD
MMT
HROB
HR Company
Postal Platoon

8. Postal Operations/Mail Classifications
Postal Finance Services
Personal Mail
Official Mail
Accountable Mail
Redirect Services
Casualty Mail
EPW Mail
Contaminated / Suspicious Mail
Free Mail
International Mail
Host Nation Support
Contractor Support
FM 1-0, para 4-66 thru 4-83

9. Deployed Mail Flow FM 1-0, Figure 4-1 US FLAG CARRIER MOVED VIA USPS
US POSTAL
SERVICE
US POST OFFICE
MOVED VIA USPS
FAMILY SENDS SOLDIER PACKAGE OR LETTER
US POSTAL
PROCESSING
CENTER
MOVED VIA USPS
US FLAG CARRIER
US GATEWAY (JMPA)
AERIAL MAIL
TERMINAL or MMT
(HR Company – Postal/Postal Platoon)
BN OR BDE S-1 RECEIVES MAIL AT APO
BROKEN DOWN MAIL IS SHIPPED TO SERVICING APO
UMR/CMR
APO
(Postal Platoon)
FM 1-0, Figure 4-1

10. Theater Postal Planning

11. GROUP PRACTICAL EXERCISE #2
S-1 Postal Planning
GROUP PRACTICAL EXERCISE #2
Each group has 15 minutes to identify battalion/brigade S-1 HR postal planning considerations for each phase of deployment.
Prioritize your planning considerations in order of importance.
Each group will have 5 minutes to present their responses.
GROUP 1: Pre-Deployment
GROUP 2: Arrival In Theater
GROUP 3: Redeployment
* * Prioritize your responses based on importance * *

12. S-1 Postal Planning PRE-DEPLOYMENT ARRIVAL IN THE AOR REDEPLOYMENT
Train and appoint (in writing):
Unit Postal Officer and Alternate
Primary Mail Clerk and Alternates (forward and rear) (DD Form 285)
Provide mailing information (address) to deploying personnel and family members
Ensure all deploying personnel complete DD Form 2258 (Temporary Mail Disposition Instructions)
Provide separate and secure storage space for all “HOLD” mail
ARRIVAL IN THE AOR
Establish commo with supporting APO to verify mailing address, SOPs, prohibited items, etc.
Ensure mail clerks are trained and certified by postal platoon IAW theater policy
Identify personnel to handle Official Mail
Provide a unit task organization and manning roster to supporting APO
Coordinate mail transportation with S-4; identify dedicated ‘mail truck’ if possible
Establish Unit Mail Room (UMR) (secure location to sort and store mail)
REDEPLOYMENT
Notify supporting APO and provide departure date
Ensure each Soldier completes a DA Form (Change of Address)
Ensure Soldiers are aware of non-mailable items and mail forwarding instructions
Notify correspondents to stop mailings at least days prior to the departure date
Immediately notify supporting Post Office and Unit Mailroom of return to CONUS

13. Postal Officer and Alternate
Unit Mail Personnel
Must possess strong character and perform all duties IAW Army Values.
Unit Mail Clerks
QUALIFICATIONS
Be a U.S. citizen (if required to handle classified mail)
Have a favorable ENTNAC / NAC
No record of conviction of Court Martial or Article 15 in the past 12 months for postal related offense, no civil convictions (other than minor traffic violations) or incidents of unfavorable conduct
No history of psychiatric disorder, alcoholism, or drug abuse
ASI “F5” not required; however, must possess a valid DD Form 285
Postal Officer and Alternate
QUALIFICATIONS
Be a U.S. citizen if required to handle classified mail
Officer/NCO in the grade of SSG and above
GS-6 or above
Appointed in writing by the commander
If involved in actual mail handling duties, must also be appointed on DD Form 285
AR , para 2-4
DUTIES
Ensures all mail is properly and expeditiously delivered to addressees
Receives mail from servicing APOs and sorts to unit level, as required
Maintains an accountability roster of unit Soldiers
Processes and label redirect mail
Collects and deliver outgoing mail to APO
Establishes and maintain DD Form 3955(s) directory cards
Ensures all mail is safeguarded/handled properly 13 13

14. Unit Mailroom Operations S-1 NCOIC OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
Control of keys and combinations
Transporting mail
Receipt and delivery of mail
Directory service
Disposition of undeliverable mail
First-class mail
Second-class mail (Periodicals)
Third-class mail (Standard A/B)
AWOL personnel
Casualty mail
Military Postal Service mail
Intra/Inter-Theater Delivery Service
Mail delivery receptacles
Evacuation planning
Suspicious letters or packages
Accountable mail
To effectively supervise S-1 personnel and monitor / inspect subordinate units, you must understand of the fundamentals of unit mailroom operations.
NOTE: The intent of this slide is not to train Senior HR professionals how to run a Unit Mailroom (UMR) or discuss all the bullets on the left side of the slide. The intent is to impress upon student that unit mailrooms are multifaceted operations with little room for error without serious consequences.
MAILROOM INSPECTIONS
Supervisors must check UMRs daily and conduct weekly self-inspections to include:
Compliance with current postal policies and procedures
Maintenance of directory files and unit postal records
Mailroom security DOD M, C15.8

15. Mobile Postal Support FOBs without APOs
UNIT RESPONSIBILITIES
Coordinate mission with servicing APO
Provide a clean, dry area
Ensure all boxes are unsealed and customs forms are completely filled out prior to inspection
Provide an onsite amnesty box
Provide Soldiers to assist with inspections and a load team (if necessary)
Assist with transportation and billeting for Mobile Postal Team (if necessary)
Assist with coordination of security and transportation of mail back to servicing APO area (if necessary)
THEATER MAILING RESTRICTIONS
War trophies (refer to theater policy)
Mechanical weapons (AK 47/handguns) to includes parts (ammo magazines) and ammunition
Explosive materials (grenades/mines) and flammable or combustible agents
Knives and sharp objects without sheaths
Historical or archeological artifacts
Pornographic materials
Duffle bags or TA-50 (CIF) equipment

16. Historical Perspective
"A successful postal service for the armed forces is admittedly the greatest single factor affecting the morale of all troops. In spite of this, the Postal Service was... given inadequate support and left to improvise as best (it) could to provide service... (T)here was no lack of planning on the part of the postal people but rather a lack of recognition of their basic needs and failure to adequately provide the necessary personnel, equipment, and transportation. It was SOP to require Postal to beg for the tools to work with which should have been provided automatically.“
COL S.G. Schwartz
Theater Postal Officer
European Theater of Operations
29 August 1945

17. Learning Objective Action: Plan Postal Operations
Condition: Senior HR Leaders in a classroom environment working individually and as a member of a small group, using doctrinal and administrative publications, practical exercises, case studies, personal experience, handouts, and discussion with an awareness of the Operational Environment (OE) variables and actors.
Standard: Analysis includes:
Postal operations doctrine.
Theater postal organizations, responsibilities, and functions.
3. S-1 postal planning considerations.

18. Plan Postal Operations GROUP PRACTICAL EXERCISE #3
This team practical exercise is conducted in four (4) groups with one Soldier as the lead spokesperson.
Read your scenario carefully and utilize the “brainstorming” method to develop courses of action (COAs) or solutions to present to the chain of command.
Ensure you capture the different staff organizations (if any) that you coordinated with for assistance.
Develop your COAs or solution(s) and be prepared to brief your findings.
 Each group will have 50 minutes to gather information and 10 minutes to present your findings.

19. Plan Postal Operations GROUP PRACTICAL EXERCISE #3
SCENARIOS
GROUP #1: As the S-1 NCOIC you receive a frantic call from your mail clerk who tells you that at approximately 1100 hours she was emptying a mail bag onto the sorting table. When the bag was turned upside down, a zip-lock bag containing a white power dropped out of one of the boxes and onto the table.
The zip-lock bag was unsealed and the mail clerk’s hands and arms came in contact with the substance. The chain of command and APO were notified and are asking what you’ve done about the situation.
What action(s) should you take?
GROUP #2: You are the S1 NCOIC for the 95 MP BDE. You’re tasked to go to FOB Warhorse and conduct a courtesy inspection of the mailroom for the 554th MP Company.
Before you begin the inspection, you notice several bags of mail sitting in the corner. The HR Sergeant informs you that the MP platoons work different shifts and collect mail at different times throughout the day.
Talk through the steps you would take to set-up an efficient mailroom to accommodate shift workers within the company to include storage and pickup of regular and accountable mail.
GROUP #3: You are the S1 NCOIC and Postal Officer for the 10th Sustainment Brigade located at FOB Salerno.
During an enemy mortar attack, the unit mail room was struck by a direct hit. The unit mail room was severely damaged and there is 1st Class and accountable mail laying “all over the place” according to your mail clerk.
What are the responsibilities of the unit to account for the lost / destroyed / damaged mail and what actions should be taken?
GROUP #4: Your brigade commander sent a message to the ARCENT G1 and HRSC director requesting that a new APO be established to allow for the increase in mail volume at an expanding FOB.
The Army will officially take over the mail operations within the next 90 days; however, many of the units will begin to arrive around the same time. It is imperative that this APO be established as soon as possible.
What actions must occur to establish a new APO?