Introduction slide.
SECTION I. ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
Academic Hours/Methods
1hrs/0 mins Large Group Instruction
1 hrs/0 mins Practical Exercise (Performance)
2 hrs/0 mins Total Hours
SECTION II. INTRODUCTION: Today we are going to discuss Coordinate Deployed Postal Operations
Method of Instruction. Conference/discussion
Instructor to Student Ration: 1:16
Time of Instruction: 5 mins
Media: Small Group Instruction
INTRODUCTION. The mission of the military postal system is to operate as an extension of the United States Postal Service (USPS) consistent with public law and federal regulations beyond the boundaries of U.S. sovereignty and provide postal services for all DoD personnel and U.S. contractors where there is no USPS available. The Military Postal System (MPS) provides efficient postal services to authorized personnel and activities overseas during normal and contingency operations.
MOTIVATOR: Mail is a key morale factor for Soldiers and has been throughout history. Among the many HR Services that an S-1 provides, mail is likely to have the greatest impact on unit and individual Soldier morale. The S-1 must learn and understand mail operations doctrine and responsibilities from unit to Military Postal Service Agency (MPSA) level
NOTE: Allow students to read the quote. Ask students if they agree or disagree with the quote and why. Ask students if they have been deployed and what the impact of mail was on the unit while they were downrange.
SAFETY REQUIREMENTS. In a training environment, leaders must perform a risk assessment in accordance with FM 5-19, Composite Risk Management. Leaders will complete a DA Form 7566 COMPOSITE RISK MANAGEMENT WORKSHEET during the planning and completion of each task and sub-task by assessing mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops and support available-time available and civil considerations, (METT-TC). Note: During MOPP training, leaders must ensure personnel are monitored for potential heat injury. Local policies and procedures must be followed during times of increased heat category in order to avoid heat related injury. Consider the MOPP work/rest cycles and water replacement guidelines IAW FM 3-11.4, NBC Protection, FM 3-11.5, CBRN Decontamination.
RISK ASSESSMENT LEVEL. Low. No food or drink is allowed near or around electrical equipment (CPU, file servers, printers, projectors, etc.) due to possible electrical shock or damage to equipment. Exercise care in personal movement in and through such areas. Avoid all electrical cords and associated wiring. In event of electrical storm, you will be instructed to power down equipment. Everyone is responsible for safety.
ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT. Environmental protection is not just the law but the right thing to do. It is a continual process and starts with deliberate planning. Always be alert to ways to protect our environment during training and missions. In doing so, you will contribute to the sustainment of our training resources while protecting people and the environment from harmful effects. Refer to FM 3-34.5 Environmental Considerations and GTA 05-08-002 ENVIRONMENTAL-RELATED RISK ASSESSMENT.
EVALUATION: You will be evaluated at the end of the Coordinate Deployed Postal Operations Module.
INSTRUCTIONAL LEAD-IN. This lesson provides an overview of doctrinal responsibilities and gives an historical perspective of Coordinate Deployed Postal Operations.
NOTE: Review the TLO and explain that this class is based on doctrine from FM 1-0. It focuses on a wartime environment and not how postal is conducting in the peacetime environments such as in Germany or Korea. This class addresses postal operations necessary to process mail sent from Continental United States (CONUS) to a deployed soldier. The units and systems that support these postal operations will be discussed. The class addresses postal from a contingency deployment perspective.
NOTE: Explain to students that discussion is encouraged; however, we must ensure we don't confuse our personal experiences with what doctrine dictates.
NOTE: This block of instruction includes Chapter 4, Section II of FM 1-0. The instructor should also be familiar with AR 600-8-3 (Unit Postal Operations) and DoD Manual 4525.6-M (DoD Postal Manual).
The learning activities for this class are:
NOTE: Direct students to FM 1-0, Chapter 4, Section II.
The mission of MPS is to operate as an extension of USPS consistent with public law and federal regulations beyond the boundaries of US sovereignty and shall provide postal services for all DOD personnel where there is no USPS available.
NOTE: Inform students that at a downrange Army Post Office, service is provided to all authorized DoD personnel, including DA Civilians and
This slide walks through the process of a letter mailed from someone in the United States to a Soldier downrange. The reverse process is similar.
First, the letter is transported via USPS from the mail box to the local US Postal Processing Center, then it is transported, again by USPS, to the nearest Gateway. It leaves USPS control at the Gateway and enters the Military Postal System. Mail is either flown or shipped on a US flag carrier plane or US registered ship. Mail arrives at the nearest Military Mail Terminal to the letter's destination (determined by the zip-code). The MMT breaks it down to the zip code level and ships it to the local APO. The APO further breaks mail down by unit. It is typically picked up by the Battalion S-1 section who sort it further in the UMR and then gets it to the Soldier.
NOTE: To give students an idea of the timeliness in this process, here are a few statistics: The average amount of time it takes a letter or package to get to the deployed location from CONUS is between 7 - 10 days; several even make it there in as few as 5 days depending on location.
Transition: This overall mail flow process can be accomplished in many ways.
Learning Step/Activity 1. Discuss Deployed Mail Flow
Method of Instruction: Conference/Discussion
Instructor to Student Ratio: 1:16
Time of Instruction: 10 mins
Postal Organizations and DOCTRINAL Responsibilities
NOTE: Direct students to Figure 4-3 in FM 1-0.
The units and agencies in the figure above have critical roles during various stages of the deployment, sustainment, and redeployment process in establishing, executing, and managing Military Postal System support for deployed forces. There are specific postal duties and responsibilities at each level, including Brigade and Battalion S-1. Though they are not internal assets of the division/corps, the responsibility for a unit's mail flow really begins with the HR Postal Platoon.
NOTE: This slide outlines the responsible agencies for the various functions shown, they will be explained in more detail as we go along.
The mission of Military Postal System (MPS) is to operate as an extension of United States Postal Service (USPS) consistent with public law and federal regulations beyond the boundaries of US sovereignty and shall provide postal services for all DOD personnel where there is no USPS available. This would include receiving and delivering mail, all actions required for dispatching from point of origin to ultimate destination, including financial services and processing.
The MPSA is the conduit through which USPS passes along postal directives and policies to the military postal system. MPSA is responsible for all military mail. The Adjutant General (TAG) of the Army is the head of all military postal operations for all branches of service. The MPSA is the organization that works all military mail handling issues. The MPSA is headed by an Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps Colonel or Navy Captain. MPSA is located in the Hoffman Building in Alexandria, VA. The MPSA oversees the San Francisco and NY JMPA commands. In a joint environment the Joint Task Force (JTF) commander can dictate what service they want to perform the mail operations (it can be shared between the different services). The Postal School at Ft. Jackson teaches not only Army personnel, but Navy, Marine and Air Force personnel as well.
The JMPA provides the interface of military and civilian postal operations at the gateways. There are many gateways throughout the US, to include San Francisco, Miami, Dallas/Ft. Worth, and New York. The JMPA has a location at all gateways, but its two main headquarters are located at San Francisco and New York/New Jersey.
1. JMPA manages movement of the mail from the gateway to the theater of operations. As mail arrives at the gateways, the JMPA determines where to send it.
2. The JMPA acts as a single POC with USPS at gateways. This single interface only occurs at the gateways. JMPA doesn't interface with the USPS outside of the gateways.
3. The JMPA coordinates mail routing scheme changes with gateways. Remember that changes in the task organization affect the routing scheme.
NOTE: Explain to the students that information flow is the key when talking about the timely delivery of mail. Unit S-1s MUST communicate information regarding the change in routing schemes to their local APO as soon as possible!
POSTAL KEY FUNCTION - ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The postal responsibilities of the ASCC G-1/AGs include:
The HRSC POD provides postal assistance and technical guidance to HROBs and HR companies and ensures they are in compliance with postal operations policies and regulations. The POD directly supports the execution of the theater postal policy and the EPW mail mission. The POD ensures appropriate postal resources are identified to support the theater postal mission. Specific responsibilities of the POD are to:
4-58. The HRSC POD assists the HRSC Director and the ASCC G-1/AG in matters of postal management within the AO and for performing the following critical functions:
REFERENCE: FM 1-0, PARA 2-52, 2-53
The HROB is responsible for the planning, coordinating, integrating, and synchronizing the postal operations missions within the Sustainment Brigade's or ESC's AO. A critical function of the postal division within the HROB is to serve as an integrator between the HRSC and assigned or attached HR organizations (HR CO, MMT Team) for execution of HR Support. Additionally, the HROB serves as an integrator between the supporting units (G-1/AG and S-1) and the sustainment organizations for the execution of external HR support.
The HROB plans, projects, and recommends HR support requirements for current and future operations, and ensures the emplacement and displacement of HR support organizations are in synchronization with the concept of support plan for postal operations.
The HROB tracks key performance indicators and is the Sustainment Brigade's element responsible for ensuring HR operations are fully integrated into overall sustainment operations. The HROB ensures a sufficient number of HR organizations are available to provide HR area support, monitor support provided by HR organizations and manage HR support within the AO. The HROB provides technical guidance and resources to the HR organizations (supporting units) and ensures they have the capability to provide the required PA, casualty, and postal support directed in the HR concept of support. They provide a supported/supporting relationship with the G-1/AG and S-1s within the AO.
To effectively manage HR support, the HROB must communicate and coordinate with supported and supporting HR elements. The HROB uses HR planning considerations to develop performance indicators to ensure HR operations are integrated into the overall sustainment plan.
The MMT Team provides postal support to an AO by establishing an MMT, coordinating, receiving, processing incoming mail, and dispatching mail as described in the Battlefield Flow. It is an organization in the Sustainment Brigade with a theater opening mission which establishes and runs the Army component of a JMMT with the manpower support of an HR-Postal Company at the Aerial Port of Debarkation (APOD). There is 1 MMT per inter-theater APOD and 4 Postal Platoons in each MMT.
MMT Responsibilities
The MMT provides postal support to a Theater of Operations by coordinating, receiving and processing incoming mail as well as dispatching mail to CONUS.
There are 4 postal platoon are in each MMT. The modular structure is the direct link to other services for postal support. The MMT team provides specialized postal expertise and experience and limited augmentation manpower. The structure allows the commander to add the necessary level of seniority and experience appropriate for a joint theater level mission as well as consolidates the necessary specialty equipment to do this bulk mission. The main function of this team is to process incoming mail as well as dispatch mail to CONUS at the APOD. There is one MMT per inter-theater APOD.
Transition: MMTs are typically set up in a large warehouse with several subsections.
This is an example of how a typical MMT could be laid out. Mail flows in through inbound and exits through outbound. Large tri-walls are used to sort mail to the zip code level then it is bagged and stored in large connexes until it is time to transport to the local APO. Theater casualty and redirect missions are done at the MMT as well.
NOTE: Ensure students understand that this is not a standard layout of a MMT, merely an example.
The HR Company headquarters provides C2 and technical support to all assigned or attached platoons and teams. It is both an existence and workload based modular headquarters. Responsibilities of the HR Company headquarters include:
The mission of a Postal Platoon is to provide postal support to all individuals and units in an assigned area or to serve as an element of an MMT. Postal platoons operate in conjunction with Plans and Operations teams within HR companies.
The postal platoon consists of a headquarters section, postal finance section, and 2 postal squads. The headquarters section provides command and control, leadership, and resourcing. The postal finance section sells money orders, stamps, and provides accountable mail services. Each postal squad has the capability to perform operations or services missions or to perform independently as needed as a mobile mail team. The platoons are each equipped with 3 variable reach forklifts to provide efficient mail movement in whatever type of area the platoon is supporting.
The Postal Platoon receives all technical guidance through the HR Company headquarters and the corresponding Postal Plans and Operations Team. The HR Company HQ provides all command and control to the attached postal platoons.
NOTE: Explain to students that though they may have heard about postal operations and services platoons in the past, under PSDR, there is only one type of postal platoon that does every mission. They are not specialized.
The platoon deploys to the AO and provides modular, scalable and flexible postal support including postal financial management, services, and mail distribution.
The postal platoon is a multifunctional organization providing postal support for up to 6,000 personnel or serving as one of four platoons in support of an MMT. This universal modular platoon is capable of performing the complete spectrum of postal functions from postal service and postal finance to postal operations. It includes processing incoming bulk mail, coordinating mail transportation to forward platoons, and processing outgoing mail to CONUS.
The platoon requires capability to communicate digitally and via voice to HR Company headquarters, and G-1/AG and S-1 sections of units in the supported area.
NOTE: Conduct a Check on Learning and summarize learning activity.
Mail is handled differently at the very beginning of combat operations in an AOR (the beginning of combat operations themselves, NOT the beginning of a unit rotation). The COCOM commander determines mail restrictions at the beginning of an operation.
Once a theater has reached sustainment phase and has matured, mail can be handled differently. The following are considered typical S-1 mail functions in a mature theater:
BN/BDEs who have units at outlying FOBs (without servicing APOs) must be prepared to coordinate postal operations for these units. Here are some of the steps that should be taken. Contact your APO for ultimate coordination and specific procedures.
Restrictions include items prohibited from being in theater, as well as items that Soldiers may own but not send through the mail.
Current trends in theater.
NOTE: Conduct a Check on Learning and summarize learning activity.
NOTE: Review the TLO and explain that this class is based on doctrine from FM 1-0. It focuses on a wartime environment and not how postal is conducting in the peacetime environments such as in Germany or Korea. This class addresses postal operations necessary to process mail sent from Continental United States (CONUS) to a deployed soldier. The units and systems that support these postal operations will be discussed. The class addresses postal from a contingency deployment perspective.
NOTE: Explain to students that discussion is encouraged; however, we must ensure we don't confuse our personal experiences with what doctrine dictates.
NOTE: This block of instruction includes Chapter 4, Section II of FM 1-0. The instructor should also be familiar with AR 600-8-3 (Unit Postal Operations) and DoD Manual 4525.6-M (DoD Postal Manual).
Slides to follow are not used during classroom instruction.
MAIL CLERK/MAIL ORDERLIES QUALIFICATIONS AND DUTIES
Qualifications of Mail Clerks and Mail Orderlies. Personnel conducting mail-handling duties in an area other than a section of a Military Post Office, shall be designated as a "unit mail clerk" or "unit mail orderly." These personnel must meet the following qualifications:
Duties. These are the Soldiers who process individual mail and work in the unit mail room (BN/BDE). Typically, UMRs are run at Battalion level. In the event that a BDE establishes a UMR, mail operations will be performed similar to the BN S-1. Mail clerks or orderlies may not violate the privacy of the mail by breaking of the seal of any mail matter. In addition to being serious offense (federal), Mail Fraud is one of the quickest ways to destroy the morale of an organization. It happens more often than you would expect. Don't let anyone in your postal organization get away with it! Contact the servicing post office if you receive a request to examine, search or seize mail.
Note: Unit commanders or 1SGs may attempt to open Soldiers mail to inspect for prohibited items. They are not allowed to do this. They may order the Soldier to open the package in front of them in order to inspect the contents.
Battalion and BDE S-1s should ensure the following are completed during a unit's pre- deployment phase:
Battalion and Brigade S-1s must ensure the following information is disseminated to Soldiers regarding who to notify of their address change for a deployment and mailing restrictions.
Soldier's have several choices regarding their mail disposition during deployment and S-1s should ensure they are aware of the choices prior to making a determination. Soldiers must ensure the mail room is aware of how they want mail handled before they leave and having the proper authorization documents is critical. These instructions must be changed after deployment. Soldiers' choices typically include:
Upon arrival into the AOR, it is critical that the unit mail clerk personally stop by the APO that will serve them and notify them of the unit's arrival and provide a unit manning roster. Communication between the unit and the APO is important.
Upon receiving redeployment orders, S-1s must do similar, but reverse, things than they did upon deploying:
Ensure each redeploying soldier completes a DA Form 3955 (Change of Address). Postal unit will forward mail to the home station address. Unit mail clerk (at home stations) is responsible for forwarding mail to soldier's new address. Ensure Soldiers are aware of all mailing restrictions and distribute information on nonmailable items so that they can properly package and send their personal belongings home on time. Again, this guidance changes often, so contact the APO for the most recent information.