Dr. John Treiber receives postage stamps from Senior Airman Shyrhonda Hickman during his visit to the contingency post office Feb. 22, 2011, set up in the Yujo Community Center at Yokota Air Base, Japan. Base personnel were testing the warfighting capabilities of the CPO. Dr. Treiber is the 374th Airlift Wing historian and Airman Hickman is a 374th Communications Squadron postal finance clerk. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Katrina R. Menchaca)
by Airman 1st Class Katrina R. Menchaca
374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
2/28/2011 - YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFNS) -- Airmen from the Yokota Post Office set up a contingency post office to test the agency's warfighting capabilities by using their mail contingency kit at the Yujo Community Center here Feb. 22.
Master Sgt. Victor Negron, the 374th Communications Squadron postmaster, said the purpose of the CPO is to test the functionality of the kit.
"When a kit is deployed, the post office personnel should be able to open it and begin processing parcels and (assisting) customers immediately," Sergeant Negron said.
The kit contains 1,400 pounds of equipment needed to establish a CPO. The supplies in the kit are meant only to provide deployed personnel with the means to stand up a CPO for a short period of time.
Once it is determined that a long-term post office is needed at a deployed location, staff members can order more supplies and expand the services they offer.
"As the contingency operation grows, the post office will grow to meet the customer demand," Sergeant Negron said.
For military members who could deploy with the mail contingency kit, this was a chance for them to get hands-on training with the equipment.
In addition to providing a training opportunity for military members and a test of the kit's capabilities, standing up the CPO also enabled customer service practices to be evaluated.
"In the end it all comes down to providing our customers with good service," said Lloyd Jack, the 374th Communications Squadron chief of plans and resources flight.
"I think it is important for us to test this capability, so that when the time comes for us to utilize it, we know that it is in good working order," he said.
