N.Y.C. mistake gives mail a 30-day delay

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Army Staff Sgt. Estela Hernandez with the 486th Movement Control Team picks up her mail at Daenner Kaserne in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on Monday.


N.Y.C. mistake gives mail a 30-day delay
By Mark Abramson, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Tuesday, December 16, 2008

A big mistake in the Big Apple is causing major delays in mail delivery to servicemembers and civilians in Europe.

The foul-up occurred at a New York City postal center, and it is causing a 30-day delay in the arrival of all first-class mail sent to Europe in November.

Mail was inadvertently sent as standard rate via surface containers on ships rather than first-class by air.

First-class mail from the States usually takes seven to 10 days to get to Europe, said Ken White, Installation Management Command-Europe’s chief of public affairs.

When the mail comes by ship, it takes seven to 12 days for the ship to cross the ocean, and at least another six days for its mail cargo to arrive at its destination from the port. It also takes time for mail personnel to meter and process the mail in the States, White said.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=59432