November 2011-January 2012 - Wisconsin National Guard ...

Sgt. 1st Class Jim Wagner157th MEB Public AffairsThe mail clerk is one of the mostpopular people to deployed Soldiers, andat no time is that more true than during theChristmas holiday season — especiallyfor nearly 200 Wisconsin National GuardSoldiers deployed at Camp Bondsteel,Kosovo.Soldiers from the Milwaukee-based157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade(MEB) and Company F, 2nd Battalion,238th Aviation Regiment arrived a fewdays before Thanksgiving in supportof the United Nations peacekeepingmission as Kosovo Force (KFOR) 15.After approximately three months ofmobilization training, mail from home is awelcome sight.Being away from home during theholidays is always tough, according tologistics officer Capt. Johnathan Koeppenof Milwaukee.“This is my third deployment andbeing away from family and friends nevergets any easier,” Koeppen said. “It is sonice to pick up a package sent from myfamily or my friends and read the cardsand see how much support I have. It’s anice break from the action and makes mefeel connected to those at home.”As expected, there is a lot of mailcoming from family and friends, said Sgt.Jessica Simmons, a Multinational BattleGroup East mail clerk assigned to TaskForce Falcon, the headquarters element ofthe battle group. The Macon, Ga., residentis responsible for sorting and processingmail for approximately 400 people in thebattle group.Simmons and her assistant — Pfc.Clinton Glenn, a driver and administrativespecialist on loan from the JointImplementation Commission section@easeExpressCapt. Johnathan Koeppen, a deployed Wisconsin ArmyNational Guard logistics officer from Milwaukee, picks upa large delivery of packages Dec. 12 at Camp Bondsteel,Kosovo. Inset: Army Sgt. Jessica Simmons, mail clerkduring the holiday mail surge — deftlymaneuver through the cramped spaceavailable after Monday’s delivery ofpackages.For the Georgia Army National GuardSoldiers, it’s their daily job to take thelarge stacks of mail that arrive and sortthem by section and individual.Despite being assigned to a hectic dutyaway from his assigned responsibilities,Glenn said he has enjoyed the work so far,and the perks.“I get to get my mail before anyoneelse without waiting,” the Atlanta residentassigned to Multinational Battle Group-East and a memberof the Georgia Army National Guard, processes holiday mailat Camp Bondsteel. Wisconsin National Guard photo by Sgt.1st Class Jim Wagnersaid with a laugh. “It keeps me busy, butbeing occupied is a good thing.”Mondays, according to Simmons, arethe busiest day of the week — with thepost office closed on Sundays, it meansan extra day of accumulated mail. Onthis particular day, there were 41 piecesof accountable mail items — insured,certified or registered mail requiring asignature —and approximately 120 nonaccountableitems.She said the record, currently held byKosovo Forces 14 from last year, is 122accountable items in one day. Since thereis no official tally for non-accountablemail, there is no way to measure what thegrand total might have been.But, Simmons said, she expects tosee her office get close to that amountbefore Christmas comes and goes, and shewouldn’t have it any other way.“Mail is a nice surprise at any time, butduring the holiday season it helps bringa taste of home to us,” according to StaffSgt. Sara Anderson of Eau Claire, Wis.“It’s amazing how receiving mail canimmediately brighten up your day and puta smile on your face.”25 November 2011-January 2012