Ramstein post office offers mailing tips for holiday season

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Shane Villanueva
  • Ramstein North Post Office
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  The fast approaching holiday season is a wonderful time for celebrating, and of course, gift giving. Everyone in the KMC will be sending and receiving presents from loved ones all over the world. Members of the North Side Military Post Office on Ramstein are preparing for the intense increase in mail volume that will occur the next few months.

During the 2007 holiday season, Ramstein postal Airmen, with the help of volunteers throughout the community, processed over three million pounds of mail. To make 2008 a success as well, the postal experts offer a few tips to make your trip to the post office quicker, easier and an all-around enjoyable experience.

New operating hours: The Ramstein North Side post office is now open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. To support the intense volume of packages, the parcel pickup window is also open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Holiday deadlines: The dates that packages need to be mailed by to ensure they arrive by Christmas Day are Nov. 28 for space available mail, Dec. 11 for First Class and Priority mail, and Dec. 18 for Express mail. We will also be available for mailing Dec. 6 and 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to get those last-minute packages mailed out.

Appointments for mailing: If you are mailing out seven or more packages, we ask that you make an appointment from 9:05 to 9:45 a.m. during the week, excluding Wednesdays. Appointments will help shorten the wait time for other customers and a shorter wait for you. Call our customer service desk at DSN: 480-6166 or commercial at 06371-47-6166 to set up an appointment.

Have mail ready to send: Ensure mailing addresses are clearly written on the box with the return address on the upper left-hand corner. Use proper names in the "to" and "from" lines to make sure the mail gets to its destination on time. Customs forms must list everything contained in the package and cannot have generic terms like "gift" or "present."

Check your mail regularly: Check your mail on a regular basis (every two to three days), or more if expecting packages. After 15 days of sitting on our shelf, they will be returned to sender.

How to prevent returned mail: To prevent your package from being "returned to sender," contact customer service and put your box on hold if you are going TDY or taking leave for more than 15 days. You may also allow someone else to check your mail by filling out the required paperwork at customer service. Otherwise, mail will be returned.

Cash or check: Due to reasons out of our control, the debit/credit card machines run very slow, especially from 3 to 5 p.m. Using debit/credit cards during those hours can take anywhere from five to 25 minutes to complete a transaction. Cash is quicker and we have two ATMs located outside the building.

Come when business is slow: Avoid coming during our busiest hours. We have a rush of customers when we first open at 10 a.m., during lunch from noon to 2 p.m., and again right before closing around 4:30 pm. The rest of the day is relatively slow, so managing your time could save you an hour of standing in line.

Mailing restrictions: Do not abuse your MPO privileges. During the holiday season, many people want to send gifts from Germany like wine, alcohol and kinder eggs. These are all restricted items that can't be go through the military postal system. Find out what you can and cannot send by checking the guidance posted around the Post Office before buying and packaging it. Customs will find unauthorized items and you will be prosecuted and lose your MPO privileges.

The MPO is much different from the post offices in the states. We hope that by spreading information throughout the KMC we are able to make your trip to the post office quicker, easier and more enjoyable during the holiday season. The success of the MPO Team is not only due to the hard work of its Airmen and civilians, but to the efforts of its dedicated volunteers. We always welcome support from the community and, with a little training; you can help the KMC by volunteering at your local MPO. This critical support dramatically improves the quality of life of both the MPO Team and the entire KMC.