Adrian Scott’s supervisor was surprised when he asked for a day off recently. Scott, a rural carrier associate at Fairfield Station on Hilton Head Island, SC, usually accepts all available work assignments. He initially didn’t explain why he was unable to work — but as the day approached, he couldn’t contain his enthusiasm. After months […]
To celebrate Independence Day, “The list” looks at the first appearances made by five patriotic symbols on stamps. 1. Bald eagle. A symbol of both USPS and the nation it serves, the bald eagle first appeared on 10-cent and 30-cent stamps in 1869. These were among the first stamps to feature an animal as a […]
Warmer weather heralds the start of barbecue season. Eating healthy at summer cookouts isn’t easy, but if you focus on small changes, you can manage your weight while still having fun. The USPS Wellness team is offering these tips: • Eat more veggies. If you attend a barbecue, think about adding vegetables to your plate. […]
Bravo to Lexington, KY, Carrier Technician Gerald Patrick. His quick actions saved a woman from a burning house. Good deeds like this make me proud to work for the Postal Service. […]
“Rest at night, stay alert and look out for other drivers.” […]
Letter Carrier Kimberly Jones was delivering mail recently in Billings, MT, when she saw an older customer sitting in a driveway, leaning against a snowbank. Jones stopped to check on the woman, who explained that she’d slipped after being dropped off following an appointment. She’d been stranded for nearly half an hour. After the customer […]
A photo featured in Link last month is stirring fond postal memories among three New Jersey employees. The 1977 image, which accompanied an article about Railway Post Offices (RPOs), showed a group of clerks aboard a train that served a New York City-to-Washington, DC, route. Donna Reel was happy to see her grandfather, Frank Harper, […]
Paycheck memories. A Rochester, NY, employee who recently marked his 50th year on the job brought a special memento to his anniversary party: His first paycheck. James Lyons has worked as a letter carrier since 1967. Back then, he was paid $2.59 per hour. At his party, Lyons offered some friendly advice to USPS newcomers. […]
Technology support scams, which involve hackers impersonating tech specialists who trick people into thinking their device is infected, prey on users’ fears of losing important information or damaging their equipment. In 2015 alone, scammers posing as well-known software tech support companies conned consumers out of $1.5 billion, according to research by Microsoft Corp. To avoid tech support […]
Lisa Page, a retail associate in tiny Piseco, NY, is a compassionate person who keeps track of her customers, according to local Postmaster Elizabeth Knapp. That’s why Page was worried recently when one of her regulars — a man in his 80s who lives alone — hadn’t stopped by in a couple of days as […]
“Handwritten hope” was another great article about beautiful humanity at work. There’s nothing like receiving the touch of another’s heart through their personal writing. […]
“I know my customers. If my older customers don’t pick up their mail for a few days, I let someone know so they can check on them. It’s about customer service.” […]
Read More… from Midlothian, VA, Rural Carrier Adrienne Burns
For more than 50 years, Doris Jenkins has traded shifts between the Topsail Beach, NC, Post Office and the roller skating rink that she and her husband built upstairs. Jenkins, a contract Postmaster, operates the Post Office during the day and runs the rink every night. Both have been family affairs. “My grandmother was a […]
The Postal Service has simplified the marking and documentation requirements for mailers who are authorized to ship ethanol-based flammable liquids and solids in air transportation. Here’s what you should know: • Mailers who use Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, First-Class Mail and First-Class Package Service to ship limited quantities of ethanol-based flammable solids and liquids […]
“The list” has spent the past few weeks looking at some of the unique ways USPS delivers mail. Here are six methods that are no longer used. 1. Pneumatic tubes. From the 1890s to the 1950s, mail zipped between some postal facilities through a series of underground tubes. The mail was carried inside canisters that […]
“Passwords are like chewing gum. They should never be used more than once, and they should never be shared.” […]
Read More… from Northern Virginia District Information Systems Specialist Bill White
I’m so proud of Willow, AK, Retail Associate Michaela “Misha” Wiljes and her dogs for completing the Iditarod. She is a very brave woman. […]
Postal Service employees in Pennsylvania and Oklahoma recently responded quickly and effectively when they spotted fires. Retail Associate Mary Burd was driving to work in Pitman, PA, when she saw flames shooting out of a home’s garage. She called 911 and knocked on the front door, but no one was there. Firefighters couldn’t save the […]
Read More… from Mary Burd, Pitman, PA; Judith Bates, Red Oak, OK; Reginald Sloan, Oklahoma City
More than two dozen Post Offices are marking their 225th anniversaries this week. The 26 offices are located in Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia. Several of these offices are celebrating by decorating their lobbies and passing out treats to customers. “We’re all amazed by our rich […]
Clarence Lyles has learned a thing or two after 45 years with USPS — including proper loading techniques. The Charlotte, NC, letter carrier says properly loading vehicles and carts while making deliveries helps protect employees, customers and the mail. “It’s very important to know how to load without accidents,” Lyles says. Employees like Lyles help […]
Flag Day. June 14 is Flag Day, one of six days each year that Postal Service facilities are required to fly the POW-MIA flag. The flag honors the sacrifices made by members of the armed forces held as prisoners of war or listed as missing in action. The POW-MIA flag must fly below the U.S. flag. For […]
Thank you for sharing the beautiful “‘Until death us do part’” love story. The Postal Service is the bridge that crosses states, oceans and even continents to bring people together. I am proud to be a part of it. […]
“It’s important that our customers have an effective and efficient experience.” […]
Two custodians at the Kinston, NC, Post Office recently saved the day when a light bulb apparently overheated and started a fire. Scott Smith discovered that the bulb had burst and ignited the fixture’s plastic covering, dripping flaming material onto the facility’s box section. He sprang into action, notifying Riley Grady, who activated the fire alarm […]
Michaela “Misha” Wiljes recently completed the race of a lifetime. The Willow, AK, retail associate was one of 72 mushers who competed in Alaska’s famed Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. This year’s grueling, 1,000-mile course stretched from Fairbanks to Nome. At times, the temperature dropped to 46 degrees below zero. “I was perfectly fine with […]
Through a collaboration with the Postal Service, a highway contract route supplier recently switched from diesel gas to compressed natural gas, a cleaner fuel. The Arkansas-based company, Pat Salmon and Sons Inc., operates 4 million miles annually in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. USPS negotiated with the trucking firm to convert 27 tractors to compressed natural […]
Time for a change. The Postal Service is changing the hours for its Time and Attendance Collection System (TACS) Help Desk. Beginning June 10, the new hours of operation will be 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Central time, Monday-Saturday. The TACS Help Desk is closed Sundays. If you need assistance outside the new hours, the Postal Service […]
“I love my job. Your career can go anywhere you want while working for the Postal Service.” […]
“Honor thy children” was a great article about the good work being done by Alton, IL, employees William Perkins and Wayne Able. I want to learn more about their program to help children battling illnesses. […]
Postal Service employees around the nation recently helped people in their communities get out of harm’s way. Buffalo, NY, Letter Carrier Christopher Burgler was delivering mail when he encountered a man attacking a woman outside her home. Burgler intervened and the man fled. The postal employee then called 911 and stayed with the woman until […]