Tuesday, January 28, 2025
USPS deals with disaster in California
Four Post Offices are closed as the wildfires continue to burn
The ongoing wildfires in Southern California are affecting Postal Service operations there.
Three districts have been affected by the fires. Six Post Offices were closed at first; by Jan. 27, that was down to four.
Ismael Reynoso toured the damage in Pacific Palisades with a group of postmasters and managers on Jan. 10. The acting editor of the WestPac Bulletin was surprised to see how fickle the fire was — an untouched building might stand next to one that burned to the ground.
Reynoso said he was happy to see that, except for a layer of ash and soot, the Post Office there was among the lucky ones. But “next door — nothing,” he said.
Forty miles away, Phuc “Tony” Le, a letter carrier who publishes an employee newsletter, took photographs at what remains of the Altadena Post Office.
That facility had burned to the ground.
Both Pacific Palisades and Altadena are directing customers to nearby Post Offices.
According to USPS, all employees have been accounted for, although 16 lost their homes and 49 had to be evacuated.
The organization has provided all affected employees with information about the Postal Employees’ Relief Fund and the USPS Employee Assistance Program.
The USPS service alerts page on usps.com has more information about affected Post Offices.
On the Job
He’s still on the front lines
For this employee, his USPS job is a continuation of his military service
My name is Marty Mieras and I’m the Postal Service’s military programs specialist.
My job is to build relationships with military and veterans organizations to recruit top talent to the Postal Service and to keep our current veteran employees informed. We employ more than 72,000 veterans — that’s over 10 percent of our workforce.
My position is possibly the only one in the Postal Service that requires previous service in the military. It’s important that the person in this role have the inside knowledge and experience to be able to talk to former service members on their level.
I’m from a service family. My dad and uncles were all in the Navy and Coast Guard, so I’m kind of the black sheep — driving a tank in the Army just sounded like more fun to me.
I joined the Postal Service in 1998 after leaving active duty but was called back into service after 9/11. In 2015, I retired from the Army as a command sergeant major before returning to USPS. I’ve been in my current role since 2022.
There’s never a typical day in my line of work, but I usually begin my morning going through our military email account inbox. The comments and questions I get run the gamut — people ask everything from how to apply for Wounded Warriors Leave to how to navigate eCareer.
One of my most recent projects was the January veterans roundtable discussion. We had speakers from several veterans organizations explain the benefits available through the Department of Veterans Affairs and how our employees can access them.
I also work on the Mail Call newsletter for veterans, and our Veterans Day and Military Appreciation Month programs. There’s always a project.
I still see myself as a sergeant major keeping my troops informed. I take a lot of pride in being an advocate for my brothers and sisters in arms, and I love what I do.
“On the Job,” a column on individual employees and their contributions to the Postal Service, appears regularly in Link.
Don’t use USPS credit cards for personal expenses
Breaking this rule can lead to corrective action
The USPS Ethics Office is reminding Postal Service employees not to use the organization’s credit cards for personal expenses.
Government-issued credit cards can only be used for authorized, business-related expenses.
For example, employees should never use the cards to pay for a video streaming subscription, a haircut or pet insurance.
Employees also cannot use Voyager cards to purchase fuel for a personal vehicle or to buy drinks and snacks.
Using these cards for personal expenses is a violation of federal regulations and will result in corrective action, up to and including job loss.
Employees who have questions should email the USPS Ethics Office or call (202) 268-6346.