SECNAV and USPS: Fonctionnaire Follies at its Worst

So, what is para 2 actually saying to grandma - ruck up and make it snappy?

The internet is forever ... and so more often than not are those addresses that at the start of a deployment or tour are either online with address books, or like grandma - offline with dead-tree address books, yellow-stickies on the wall next to the desk, or just the return address on the note that Seaman Timmy sent her about where to send those cookies while he is gone.

From the people who brought you DFAS and DTS ... BEHOLD!

R 121811Z JUL 13
FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
TO ALNAV
INFO SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
CNO WASHINGTON DC
CMC WASHINGTON DC
BT
UNCLAS
ALNAV 047/13
MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC//JUL//

SUBJ/MANDATORY USE OF NINE-DIGIT ZIP CODE FOR MOBILE UNIT ADDRESSES//

REF/A/LTR/USPS USE OF NINE-DIGIT ZIP CODE/13FEB2013/-/NOTAL//
AMPN/REF A PROVIDES DETAILS ON ZIP+4 REQUIREMENTS FOR NAVY MOBILE UNITS//
RMKS/1. The United States Postal Service (USPS) is resizing military mail processing operations from two coastal locations to one location in Chicago, IL to gain efficiencies in military mail delivery. As part of this effort, new procedures affecting configuration of mobile Fleet Post Office (FPO) addresses have been implemented to completely leverage automated mail sorting equipment and reduce manual sorting workload.

2. Each Navy mobile unit (i.e., ships, squadrons, and detachments)has a unique, nine-digit (ZIP+4) FPO ZIP code. Per reference (a), and effective immediately, the sender must include the full, correct, nine-digit ZIP code on all classes of mail, or USPS will return mail to sender marked undeliverable as addressed.

3. Service members must ensure all correspondents, personal and professional, are aware of and use the full, correct, nine-digit ZIP code. Navy mobile units should promulgate this policy change, with their nine-digit ZIP code, via plan of the day notes, site TV announcements, family-grams, and/or any other media means available.

4. Released by Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy.//

BT

#0000

Even though the SECNAV's signature is on this message, odds are he never saw it - or at least I hope so. In that case, this is just an example of horrible staff work. Has anyone in the chop chain here or at USPS ever been deployed? Do they know, even in the era of email and Skype - the power of the note and the package .... and the heartbreak of those who poured their love in to that letter or package, only a week or more later to have it returned as "undeliverable as addressed."

Al Qaeda couldn't think of a greater subliminal PSYOPS campaign against the home-front than this.

This is fixable - let's hope the better hearts and minds in DC get this fixed before we have a bunch of confused, frustrated, teary-eyed and probably angry family members who just want Seaman Timmy to get grandma's cookies before they get moldy.

Hat tip JB.