SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras –
The Joint Task Force-Bravo Post Office processed more than 2,100 pieces of mail during the holiday season this year, a number that more than doubles the amount of mail processed during a normal month.
During a typical month, the post office averages 600 pieces of incoming mail. During the holiday season, workers at the post office received 1,758 incoming pieces of mail while sending out 398 pieces.
While many members of Joint Task Force-Bravo were enjoying a slow-down in operations and a reduced schedule during the holidays, the Task Force postal workers were putting in extra hours to ensure the members of JTF-Bravo received their mail from home.
Adding to the workload was the fact that the post office, normally staffed with four workers, was down to two people during the holidays. The post office relied heavily on volunteers to process mail. U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Acevedo Figueroa, a postal worker assigned to the 612th Air Base Squadron here, said members of Joint Task Force-Bravo's Medical Element (MEDEL) were instrumental to ensuring the success of the post office operations throughout the holidays.
"Without them, we would still be sorting mail," said Figueroa.
When it comes to receiving mail, Soto Cano operates differently
than most places. All mail for Soto Cano Air Base is comes from Miami, Fla., before being flown to Tegucigalpa. There, it is picked up by a contractor on the same day to be taken to Soto Cano. While this measure limits the amount of flights from Miami mail is allowed to arrive on, it ensures the security of all mail arriving at the base.