Post office delivers more than just mail

By Airman 1st Class Michael Stuart, 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs / Published September 15, 2014

Senior Airman John Brooks, 86th Communications Squadron postal specialist, cuts open bags of mail inside of a postal truck at the Northside post office on Ramstein Air Base, Sept. 9, 2014. In an average month, Ramstein processes about 55,000 personal packages and about 5,000 official packages. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Michael Stuart)

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Senior Airman John Brooks, 86th Communications Squadron postal specialist, cuts open bags of mail inside of a postal truck at the Northside post office on Ramstein Air Base, Sept. 9, 2014. In an average month, Ramstein processes about 55,000 personal packages and about 5,000 official packages. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Michael Stuart)

Senior Airman Alicia Arensdorf, 86th Communications Squadron finance clerk, works the finance counter at the Northside post office on Ramstein Air Base, Sept. 9, 2014. There are 136 units they deliver to on a daily basis, as well as interact with more than 700 activity distribution officers to get the packages out. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Michael Stuart)

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Senior Airman Alicia Arensdorf, 86th Communications Squadron finance clerk, works the finance counter at the Northside post office on Ramstein Air Base, Sept. 9, 2014. There are 136 units they deliver to on a daily basis, as well as interact with more than 700 activity distribution officers to get the packages out. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Michael Stuart)

Senior Airman Alicia Arensdorf, 86th Communications Squadron finance clerk, assists customers at the Northside post office on Ramstein Air Base, Sept. 9, 2014. There are 136 units they deliver to on a daily basis, as well as interact with more than 700 activity distribution officers to get the packages out. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Michael Stuart)

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Senior Airman Alicia Arensdorf, 86th Communications Squadron finance clerk, assists customers at the Northside post office on Ramstein Air Base, Sept. 9, 2014. There are 136 units they deliver to on a daily basis, as well as interact with more than 700 activity distribution officers to get the packages out. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Michael Stuart)

Senior Airman Kyle Dinkel, 86th Communications Squadron postal specialist, scans packages at the Northside post office on Ramstein Air Base, Sept. 9, 2014. In an average month, Ramstein processes about 55,000 personal packages and about 5,000 official packages. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Michael Stuart)

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Senior Airman Kyle Dinkel, 86th Communications Squadron postal specialist, scans packages at the Northside post office on Ramstein Air Base, Sept. 9, 2014. In an average month, Ramstein processes about 55,000 personal packages and about 5,000 official packages. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Michael Stuart)

Senior Airman Colin Forney, 86th Communications Squadron postal specialist, sorts packages at the Northside post office on Ramstein Air Base, Sept. 9, 2014. In an average month, Ramstein processes about 55,000 personal packages and about 5,000 official packages. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Michael Stuart)

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Senior Airman Colin Forney, 86th Communications Squadron postal specialist, sorts packages at the Northside post office on Ramstein Air Base, Sept. 9, 2014. In an average month, Ramstein processes about 55,000 personal packages and about 5,000 official packages. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Michael Stuart)

RAMSTIEN AIR BASE, Germany -- The 86th Communications Squadron Northside post office is known for processing thousands of pieces of mail each day, but few know of their main priority.

"I've been in postal since 1996 and since day one, boosting people's morale on base has been our main mission," said Tech. Sgt. David Lott, 86th CS official mail manager. "Receiving that written letter in the mail gives you a warm feeling inside that texting can't."

The post office handles approximately 50,000 personal and official packages a month. There are 136 units they deliver to on a daily basis, as well as interact with more than 700 activity distribution officers to get the packages out.

"We work long hours to please our customers and it's what we do," said Tech. Sgt. Darian Lira, 86th CS postmaster. "If you really want to see a smile on your customer's face or if you like making customers happy, this is a great job to have."

Oct. 15 through Jan. 1 is usually the hectic, holiday season for personal mail and the official mail load increases during the end of the fiscal year, according to Lira.

"Our guys put a lot of hard work and dedication year round and especially during the holiday season," said Lira. "People think we're busy just around the holidays when in reality we're always busy. On Ramstein we process more mail than [all of the air bases in] the entire United Kingdom combined."

During the holiday season Airmen can join the members of the 86th CS and help them deliver packages to everyone in the Kaiserslautern Military Community.

"We usually open up the volunteer program for the holiday season," said Lira. "The volunteer program is basically when someone helps with working the window, gives out packages to the customers and help relieve our staff of the added stress during the holiday season."

The 86th CS post office helps bridge the gap between Airmen and their family members overseas.
"We strive to keep as many people happy," said Lira. "From our hard-working Airmen to our customers, we try to keep morale high."