A woman of impressive focus
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Katie Howard
Posts by Katie Howard
This stamp has a patriotic spirit
The Postal Service will release its U.S. Flag stamp, the newest design in the series, on Saturday, June 7. An enduring emblem of freedom, national unity and patriotic spirit, the flag of the United States has flown proudly stateside, abroad and on the surface of the moon. The current American flag consists of 13 alternating […]
They get into the nitty-gritty
Custodians are often unsung heroes — but not always. Two of the top performers at the Cleveland, OH, Processing and Distribution Center are Monique Willis and Barbara Taylor, who both traded jobs in operations to work in maintenance. Willis was a mail handler, while Taylor was an automation clerk. Both said they became custodians because […]
What’s the number?
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. Fill in the blank: According to USPS, there were more than (blank) reported dog attacks on employees in 2024. a) 6,000 b) 7,000 c) 8,000 d) 9,000 2. When was the […]
‘A kind and generous heart’
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There are rules about outside gifts
The Postal Service is reminding employees that federal ethics rules generally prohibit them from accepting gifts of monetary value from anyone outside the organization. USPS itself, however, can accept a gift under its agency gift acceptance authority if the gift is necessary or convenient for postal business. For example, if an employee is offered free […]
This IT manager ensures USPS stays connected
My name is Derrick Milling and I’m the IT client support manager at USPS headquarters in Washington, DC. My primary responsibility is providing IT support for the Postal Service’s leaders. My team assists about 65 people, including officers, vice presidents and their direct reports. I usually begin my day at 6:30 a.m., but I’m never […]
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Are your USPS accounts safe?
The Postal Service is reminding employees and contractors to use strong and unique passwords, passphrases and personal identification numbers, or PINs, for their USPS accounts. Doing so will help safeguard the Postal Service’s computer network, protect sensitive information and prevent cybercriminals from stealing the organization’s data. Passwords are a string of characters; passphrases are a […]
She’s near the finish line
Michele Decilla has covered a lot of miles in her nearly four decades with the Postal Service. So it is fitting that the New Haven, CT, letter carrier was honored with a National Safety Council Million Mile Award recently, just a few months before she plans to hang up her satchel for good. The award […]
Ring a bell?
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. What is the name of the bell choir that USPS retail associates Thomas Alexander and Jonah Alexander perform with? a) Bells in the Belfry b) Erie Canal Ringers c) Jungle Bells […]
Postal Bulletin shares information about dog bite campaign
Postal Bulletin’s latest edition, published May 29, provides a comprehensive look at this year’s USPS National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign. Updates to the organization’s policies, procedures and forms are also included. Employees can go to usps.com to read and download the latest Postal Bulletin, along with past issues. […]
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Dog attacks on USPS employees increased again last year
There were more than 6,000 reported dog attacks on Postal Service employees in 2024, up from about 5,800 such incidents the year before, according to data released this week as part of the latest USPS National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign. For the first time, the annual campaign — which begins Sunday, June 1 — will […]
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‘Commuter Benefits’
Postal Service employees may participate in an upcoming webinar to learn about the organization’s commuter benefits program, including how to set aside as much as $325 each month on a pretax basis for commuting costs. The session, “Commuter Benefits,” will be held Tuesday, June 3, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern. Representatives from Edenred, which […]
Crossing new frontiers
The sky was the limit in 1925: An act of Congress authorized the postmaster general to contract for airmail service, and in 1926, the first commercial airmail took flight. Trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific airmail routes followed in the 1930s. By the 1940s, the challenges of World War II sparked innovations in many fields, and the postal […]
Here’s what Link covered May 18-24
Link kicked off the week with a feature on how USPS career conferences — there will be 50 this year — can change employees’ lives. Ryan Cruz was a retail associate in Newport News, VA, when he attended a career conference in 2023. Two weeks later, he moved into management. “I’m in a position I […]
Each had a part to play
A team of employees at the Clovis, CA, Post Office helped save the life of Michael Montes Jr., a rural carrier who had a heart attack inside a locker room there. Montes was in emergency surgery within 38 minutes of having the heart attack thanks to the efforts of his colleagues, according to Neil Barton, […]
New video spotlights Armed Forces stamps
The Postal Service has released a video about its Armed Forces stamps, which celebrate the 250th anniversaries of the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. The nearly 3-minute video features comments from Jeffery Adams, the Postal Service’s corporate communications vice president, who spoke at the May 16 dedication ceremony for the stamps. Adams […]
She comes by it honestly
Amarillo, TX, Postmaster Landon Thornton recently administered the oath of office to a familiar face: daughter Macy Wolf, the new Vega, TX, postmaster. Wolf began her career in 2020 as a city carrier assistant and knew she wanted to follow her father’s career path. Thornton began as a letter carrier with USPS in 1990 and […]
A salute to service
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. Where was the Armed Forces stamps dedication ceremony held? a) Faneuil Hall in Boston b) Fort McHenry in Baltimore c) Freedom Plaza in Washington, DC d) Independence Hall in Philadelphia 2. […]
This story wears well
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She embraces opportunities
My name is Angela Dyer and I am the Postal Service’s senior director of commerce applications. I lead the development, transformation and maintenance of more than 75 commercial shipping applications that generate more than $60 billion a year in revenue for USPS. These include USPS.com, Click-N-Ship, USPS Ship, PostalOne! and application program interfaces, or APIs. […]
Your Postal Service duties come first
USPS is reminding employees that outside activities should not conflict with their official Postal Service duties. Under the federal executive branch’s standards of ethical conduct and the USPS Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct, employees should avoid all conflicts of interest, and never use their Postal Service title or authority, or postal property, in connection with […]
Honoring Barbara Bush
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Fly flags at half-staff for Memorial Day
Memorial Day, a federal holiday to remember the men and women who died while serving in the armed forces, is Monday, May 26. Facilities that are open on the holiday must fly the U.S. flag at half-staff. The U.S. flag must be flown at half-staff from sunrise — or the hour when it’s raised — […]
These stamps salute 250 years of three armed forces
The Postal Service is releasing three stamps — collectively known as the Armed Forces stamps — to honor the 250th anniversaries of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps. Each of these military branches was established in 1775. The stamps feature the emblem of its force against a clean white backgrounds and includes the inscriptions “250 […]
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On your marks, get set, mush!
McKinzie Korpela — the new postmaster in Cloquet, MN — recently carried on in the tradition of her predecessors by swearing in the mushers of the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon. The race’s postal roots run deep. Beargrease was a member of the Anishinaabe peoples on Minnesota’s North Shore. He and his brothers were hunters, […]
First things first
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. What is the title of the first book authored by former first lady Barbara Bush, who’ll soon be featured on a stamp? a) “Barbara Bush: A Memoir” b) “C. Fred’s Story” […]
Postal Bulletin covers Mailbox Improvement Week
Postal Bulletin’s latest edition, published May 15, takes a look at the organization’s Mailbox Improvement Week campaign. Updates to the organization’s policies, procedures and forms are also included. Employees can go to usps.com to read and download the latest Postal Bulletin, along with past issues. […]
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USPS adds a new option for shipping cremated remains
The Postal Service recently began requiring customers to use the branded Priority Mail Express Cremated Remains box when shipping cremated remains — whether they were ashes alone or ashes contained in items such as jewelry or keepsakes. Beginning Monday, May 12, USPS will introduce a smaller Priority Mail Express product to allow customers to ship […]
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Unapproved USB devices will be blocked starting June 1
The Postal Service will begin blocking all unapproved USB mass storage devices on ACE computers starting June 1. Employees and contractors who connect an unapproved flash drive, external hard drive or smartphone may see a pop-up message saying: “Device Blocked by SentinelOne — USB device blocked. Your organization does not allow you to use this […]
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