My name is Jerin Hedden and I’m a letter carrier in Salt Lake City.
I started with USPS in 2005 as a part-time flexible clerk, then became a carrier two years later.
My route is mostly residential and includes an area called Emigration Canyon. I walk about 10 miles a day, or 25,000 steps. I know because a smartwatch keeps track of my movements.
The idea of being able to exercise drew me to the carrier craft. The location is great, the customers are amazing, and I like that I can get outside and walk. You can set your own pace.
I usually have plenty of energy left after work, but some days can be exhausting. It takes a lot more out of you when there’s snow on the ground.
I’m a Utah native and served as a radar technician in the Air Force in Mississippi and Arizona before moving back home.
When I’m not walking my route, you might find me hiking in the mountains with my wife, Dahlia. We have three children: Alexa, 28; Shelbie, 25; and Bennett, 15.
We’re big bird nerds. We recently were surprised to see a short-eared owl on the Big Island of Hawaii. We’re whale nerds, too. We have friends in California and take trips out there to watch whales and see all the wildlife.
As an employer, the Postal Service provides good benefits. As your career goes on, you see the progress in your retirement plan. Your financial and family stability are provided for, and that’s important.
“On the Job,” a column on individual employees and their contributions to the Postal Service, appears regularly in Link.
