A mail center supervisor at Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Puget Sound provided annual mail security training to the crew of Military Sealift Command (MSC) cargo ship USNS Brittin (T-AKR 305) at the Bremerton Naval Shipyard, Dec. 9.

Bracing himself against the cold Pacific Northwest autumn wind and rain, John Wakefield carefully made his way through the busy industrial area along the waterfront to the pier where Brittin was moored.

He was paying the ship's crew his yearly visit to conduct training under a voluntary program the NAVSUP FLC Puget Sound postal department initiated to make sure civilian mariners in the area were up-to-speed regarding the security of their mail system, and that they knew how to identify and deal with suspicious packages.

"We were contacted about five years ago by the master of one of the USNS ships to see if we had any up-to-date information regarding suspicious mail," said Wakefield. "We offered to give them our most current guidance and told them we were even willing to conduct training and answer questions to the best of our abilities. The ship accepted our offer, and ever since we have been doing this training annually for ships on the waterfront."

While many units have self-sufficient postal operations, some do not, and by necessity, are operated by designated crew members as a collateral duty.

The NAVSUP FLC Puget Sound Consolidated Mail Facility (CMF) provides training and technical assistance to help them become more proficient.

The training package Wakefield and the CMF staff use is the Mail Center Security and Suspicious Mail Training, originally developed and provided to them by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Postal Inspections Service.
The CMF passes this training on to the civilian mariners that have assumed mail handling responsibilities for their ship, to give them more in-depth knowledge of postal rules and regulations, and how to ensure mail security to keep their vessels and crews safe.

The presentation, attended by Brittin's entire crew, included signs and indicators for identifying suspicious packages and protocols for handling prohibited, restricted, and illegal items, and common postal scams.

"Of course this training makes the inspectors happy during internal security audits, but the information is also good for the entire crew to know," said Robert Adolfi, Brittin's officer in charge.

The NAVSUP FLCPS Consolidated Mail Facility (CMF) supports homeported and visiting vessels in the Bremerton area. Along with training for shipboard postal operations, the facility's staff provides general mail delivery and accepts outgoing official mail for dispatch through USPS or a private mail carrier.

According to Wakefield, the CMF offers mail services and technical support to any MSC or active U.S. Navy vessel in the area upon request.

The CMF also helps the ships prepare for deployments and ensures mail delivery, essential to the quality of life for crews at sea.

"Some of the MSC ships get underway on an infrequent basis, so we help them navigate the process for arranging to have their mail forwarded during overseas deployments," said Wakefield.

According to CMF officials, the services they provide to ships in the region not only provide support to make life more convenient for crews, but also ensure that mail carrying parts, official correspondence, and of course, vital communications with loved ones, continues to flow smoothly.

NAVSUP FLC Puget Sound, one of eight fleet logistics centers under NAVSUP GLS, provides operational logistics, business and support services to Navy, Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command, and other joint and allied Forces.

Products and services include contracting, fuels, global logistics, hazardous material management, household goods, integrated logistics support, material management, postal, regional transportation and warehousing.

NAVSUP GLS provides global logistics for a global Navy. The organization is made up of approximately 6,300 military and civilian logistics professionals operating from 105 locations worldwide providing an extensive array of integrated global logistics and contracting services to Navy, Marine Corps, joint operational units, and allied forces across all warfare enterprises.

For news and information about NAVSUP FLC Puget Sound, visit http://www.navsup.navy.mil/navsup/ourteam/navsupgls/navsupflcps or find it on Facebook at www.facebook.com/navsupflcps.

For more news from Naval Supply Systems Command Global Logistics Support, visit http://www.navy.mil/ or http://www.facebook.com/navsupgls/.