South African Army Corps of Signals, Training in Mail Handling for Soldiers

Article by Lieutenant Colonel R. van Heerden, South African Army Corps of Signals Reserves

The ability to handle and process mail professionally is now part of the skills of ten Military Skills Development System members.

The Learning Institute of the South African Post Office, presented a course in Mail Handling over a period of eleven weeks at the South African Army Signal Formation. The course will result in the members receiving a National Certificate in Mail Handling at NQF3.

The members received practical training at their local suburban civilian Post Offices, in order that they may receive, sort, dispatch, and deliver mail, in the shortest possible time in terms of the South African Post Office's regulations.

These members have now been deployed at field post offices in the Mission Areas in Central Africa, where they will form part of South African Army Signal Formation, 11 Field Post Unit (Reserve Unit) which has been mandated by the South African Post Office, to provide a field postal service to South African National Defence Force members, deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Sudan and the Central African Republic.

It is said that a soldier marches on his stomach, but when it comes to regular contact with loved ones at home, mail is often more important. This keeps our men and women motivated.

Providing an effective field postal service ensures that our soldiers know that they are part of an effective system and that the South African National Defence Force cares about their well being and that of their families.

"Once these soldiers complete their military contracts, they will form part of a pool of qualified citizens who could be employed by the South African Post Office. As a preferred provided of postal services to government, we are particularly excited by this opportunity to share knowledge with the South African National Defence Force, and also by helping to improve the postal service to service men and women on missions abroad" said Susan Myburg of the South African Post Office's Learning Institute.

Field Post Office 3 at South African Air Force Base Waterkloof, dispatches an average of ten tons mail per month addressed to loved ones at home.