Yazdel Molina, San Juan, PR
“Good service,” the article that highlighted Los Angeles Mail Handler Willie Clemmons’ 68 years with USPS, reflects the dedication of postal employees. […]
Mike Milligan
Posts by Mike Milligan
Erica Williams, Grimesland, NC
Rural Carrier Associate Erica Williams was delivering mail on a summer day in Grimesland, NC, when she spotted a toddler wandering alone near a busy highway. Williams stopped to check on the little girl, who was wearing only a diaper, and gave her a bottle of water to help her cool down, since a heat […]
Dress for success
USPS has introduced a pictorial guidebook that managers and supervisors can use to help ensure employees wear their uniforms properly. Postal Uniform Guidelines features images of employees wearing appropriate attire. The head-to-toe photographs show actual uniformed employees who serve the public, including letter carriers, retail associates and motor vehicle operators. “Every day, we deliver to […]
Take the lead
Linda Bergeland knows how to get employees excited about growing Postal Service revenue. Bergeland, a small-business development and mail acceptance manager, is helping to spread the word about the importance of lead generation programs throughout Great Lakes Area. The programs — which include Customer Connect, Rural Reach, Clerks Care, Mail Handlers and Submit a Lead […]
Property rules
The Postal Service wants employees to remember the following electioneering activities are prohibited on USPS property: • Ballot boxes. These boxes should never be displayed or collected in Post Office retail lobbies or other locations. • Non-USPS fliers, pamphlets and unauthorized literature. This includes partisan materials, such as the depositing, posting or displaying of materials […]
Hanukkah in lights
The Postal Service and Israel Post will jointly issue a Hanukkah stamp Tuesday, Oct. 16. The stamp artwork features a menorah created using the techniques of papercutting, a traditional Jewish folk art. Tamar Fishman, the artist, made a pencil sketch of the design, then used a fine blade to cut the two-dimensional image on white […]
David Linscott, Denver
Letter Carrier David Linscott was delivering mail during this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in downtown Denver when he spotted a man collapsed on a sidewalk. Linscott recognized the man — who appeared to be having a seizure — as a security guard he’d chatted with earlier. The Postal Service employee immediately called 911 and […]
Kimberly Freeborough, Richmond, VA
I enjoyed “Bold faces,” the article about the heroic individuals recognized by the National Association of Letter Carriers. I wish the heroism of postal employees were highlighted more often by the news media. […]
Here comes Santa Claus
The Postal Service will release its Sparkling Holidays stamps Thursday, Oct. 11. The stamps feature four images of Santa Claus created for Coca-Cola holiday advertisements that ran from the 1940s-1960s. Additionally, USPS will offer a souvenir sheet with a semi-jumbo stamp as part of a wider scene that depicts Santa standing by a fireplace and […]
Dates to remember
USPS is offering suggested mail-by dates for the holiday mailing and shipping season. Customers who want their domestic holiday mail and packages to arrive by Dec. 25 should follow these recommended deadlines: Dec. 14: USPS Retail Ground Dec. 14: First-class packages (up to 15.99 ounces) Dec. 20: First-Class Mail (including greeting cards) Dec. 20: Hawaii to […]
Need to know
Scanning snapshot. The Postal Service’s national scanning rating was 97.6 percent during the week ending Oct. 5, down from one week earlier. Dakotas (99.14 percent) topped the districts, while Eastern (97.8 percent) led the areas. To see the latest results, go to the Enterprise Analytics site and select “Analytics Tools,” followed by “DES2 Scan Dashboard.” Storm watch. […]
Michelle Vea, Oxnard, CA
Thank you for the helpful “Here’s the skinny” article that explained the flat-sized mailpiece rules. […]
Rhonda Channell, Valley Head, WV
Retail Associate Rhonda Channell was on duty recently at the Valley Head, WV, Post Office when customer Jessy Darden called with an urgent request. Darden’s elderly mother, who lived in an isolated mountaintop residence, was having a severe allergic reaction to a bee sting and the pair were en route to a nearby fire station […]
Day’s work
James Day is a soldier on a mission. Day is the clerk in charge of the mailroom at Camp Arifjan — an installation in Kuwait that the Air Force, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard use to provide ground support for armored vehicles and helicopters. Day, who often works with limited support, is responsible for distributing […]
‘Job’ seeking
Link is seeking employees to showcase in “On the job,” a regular column that profiles individual Postal Service workers and their contributions to the organization. More than 20 employees have been featured since the series began in April, including a San Diego automotive mechanic; a Pittsburgh master facilitator; a Riverdale, MD, retail associate; a St. […]
Election central
USPS wants employees to know about the online resources available to help them accept, process and deliver ballots and political mailpieces during this year’s elections. The Election and Political Mail 2018 Blue page has an interactive map that allows employees to find the names and contact information for each state’s election and political mail coordinators. Lists of the election and […]
In the mail
Reminder: The USPS Affiliates Program helps business customers create Every Door Direct Mail campaigns. Through the program, service providers help small businesses with a variety of direct mailing needs, including design, printing, list services, mail preparation, online payment and measurement. USPS recently launched a campaign to educate business customers about the program and show them […]
Kevin Berard, Warwick, RI
Letter Carrier Kevin Berard was recently making deliveries in Warwick, RI, when he grew concerned about a customer whose mail was piling up. Berard alerted a neighbor, who arranged for a wellness check. The customer was discovered unconscious and was taken to a hospital for treatment of a stroke. Emergency responders praised the letter carrier […]
Eleanor Baker, Potomac, MD
I always learn something new from reading Link’s “On the job” feature. The recent profiles of Duluth, GA, Custodian Michael Preston and Acting Organizational Development Analyst Mark Wahl were particularly interesting. […]
To their health
To help employees make smart choices about their health plans and lifestyles, the Hickory, NC, Post Office recently held its first health and wellness fair. Employees learned about fitness, nutrition, stress management and more. Medical professionals offered free screenings, while local police officers and firefighters provided safety tips. Additionally, postal representatives were on hand to […]
Need to know
Scanning snapshot. The Postal Service’s national scanning rating was 97.78 percent during the week ending Sept. 28, unchanged from one week earlier. Dakotas (99.16 percent) topped the districts, while Western (97.99 percent) led the areas. Scanning allows customers to track their packages and mail, and it helps USPS improve efficiency and network management. To see […]
Pedal to the metal
The Postal Service dedicated its Hot Wheels stamps Sept. 29 at an automotive race in Fort Worth, TX. The stamps celebrate the pocket-sized, die-cast metal racing cars that Mattel Inc. introduced 50 years ago. “Right from the start, Hot Wheels were a thrilling experience. There wasn’t anything really like them on the market. Sure, there […]
Engineering systems
Scott Bombaugh has been named the Postal Service’s acting vice president of engineering systems, effective Sept. 30. He will oversee engineering efforts focused on USPS automation systems and direct engineering and acquisition support functions. Previously, Bombaugh served as technology applications and development director. He joined the Postal Service as a mechanical engineer in 1988 and […]
Yazdel Molina, San Juan, PR
I enjoyed watching the videos from “The Art of Magic,” “Dragons” and “United States Air Mail” stamp dedication ceremonies. USPS is doing exceptional work. […]
Richard Hoyt, Hudson, FL
Letter Carrier Richard Hoyt was recently delivering mail in Hudson, FL, when he noticed a disabled customer in distress. The woman, who relies on a motorized scooter, had just spilled chlorine on her leg and foot while maintaining her swimming pool. Hoyt rushed to the customer’s aid — grabbing a garden hose and washing off […]
Active measures
USPS now has a better way to measure its service performance. Internal Service Performance Measurement (SPM) became the organization’s official reporting and recording system Oct. 1. It replaces External First-Class (EXFC), which was retired Sept. 30. Here’s what you should know: • Internal SPM will help USPS improve service. The system offers a more accurate […]
All the right places
Mariam Bluiett wants to help USPS grow. This is why the Greater Indiana District business development specialist encourages employees to participate in the organization’s sales lead generation programs. “Sales leads help business development specialists to find revenue in all the right places, which boosts the bottom line of USPS,” Bluiett says. USPS offers several lead […]
Shared responsibility
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, held each October, allows Postal Service employees to brush up on their skills and learn how to protect USPS networks against potential cyberthreats. This year’s theme is “Cybersecurity is Our Shared Responsibility and We All Must Work Together to Improve our Nation’s Cybersecurity.” Here are some tips from the CyberSafe at […]
Tag along
The Postal Service wants employees to remember the differences between Political Mail and Election Mail tags during this year’s election season. Red Tag 57, for Political Mail, should be used for any political campaign mailing by a registered candidate, campaign committee, and committee of a political party. This tag also can be used for a political […]
Beverly Bohannon, Hackettstown, NJ
Letter Carrier Beverly Bohannon was recently delivering mail in Hackettstown, NJ, when she encountered a 5-year-old girl crying outside her residence. The child said she’d been asleep at home with her mother, and she’d woken up to find that she was alone. Bohannon comforted the girl and rang the doorbell — getting no answer — […]