Kadena Post Office: pick up packages as soon as possible

Yoshitomo Shimabukuo, 18th Communications Squadron postal clerk, labels a box number on the side of a received package at the Kadena Post Office Oct. 22, 2015, on Kadena Air Base, Japan. The post office offers a variety of services ranging from mailing out parcels, money orders, parcel pick up and an email notification system, as well as an official mailing center for mission-related shipments. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Zackary A. Henry)

Kadena Post Office: pick up packages as soon as possible

Yasuto Iha, 18th Communications Squadron postal clerk (left), assists Masahiro Iha, 18th CS postal clerk, in working through a pile of newly received packages at the Kadena Post Office Oct. 22, 2015, on Kadena Air Base, Japan. As the holidays draw closer, customers are asked to check their mailboxes daily to ensure there is room for the influx of packages expected to arrive on island over the next few months. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Zackary A. Henry)

Kadena Post Office: pick up packages as soon as possible

Kiyonobu Kuda, 18th Communications Squadron postal clerk, sorts and labels a large pile of packages at the Kadena Post Office Oct. 22, 2015, on Kadena Air Base, Japan. With the holidays approaching, the post office’s hours are changing; starting Nov. 28 the pick-up window’s hours will be Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Zackary A. Henry)

Kadena Post Office: pick up packages as soon as possible

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Adam Vandyke, 18th Communications Squadron postal clerk, assists Capt. Alex Khutoryan, 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron deputy chief of weapons and tactics, with his parcel at the Kadena Post Office Oct. 22, 2015, on Kadena Air Base, Japan. As the holidays draw closer, customers are asked to check their mailboxes daily to ensure there is room for the influx of packages expected to arrive on island over the next few months. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Zackary A. Henry)

Kadena Post Office: pick up packages as soon as possible

Published Oct. 23, 2015
By Airman Zackary A. Henry
18th Wing Public Affairs

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- As the holidays draw closer, packages are starting to pile up at the Kadena Post Office.

Anyone with a post office box should check it daily to ensure there is room for the influx of packages expected to arrive on the island over the next few months.

"With the holidays fast approaching we're trying to get everyone in the mindset of bringing the email notification with them to pick up packages from the parcel pick up window," said Master Sgt. Frizi Anthony, 18th Communications Squadron postmaster. "The line would move a lot quicker if everyone would bring the required items."

Those required items are a common access or dependent identification card or passport with SOFA stamp as well as the email notification, either printed out or on your smart phone.

Anthony went on to say that the email notifications include a shelf location and box number, which can be written down on a scrap piece of paper and brought to the post office as well for picking up packages. The shelf location consists of a letter and number combination such as G45 or FC9.

"It's also important to make sure the email on our records is the correct email," said Anthony. "This email is the one that notifications will be sent to and it's important for those notifications to be received. Anyone needing to check or update their email can do so at the customer service window, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday," Anthony added.

The post master made another important point about the upcoming holiday season for those who travel.

"Personnel that take leave, have temporary duty assignments or get deployed for more than five days should place their mail box on hold," said Anthony. "This ensures that the mail does not get returned to the sender and is waiting for your return."

For those of you sending packages back to the United States, there are a few ways to make sure they arrive in time.

"One of the problems we encounter is people covering packages with wrapping paper," said Staff Sgt. Robert Madison, 18th CS custodian of postal effects. "This wrapping has the 'to' and 'from' information on it, and can be easily ripped which creates problems during shipping. We suggest either not covering packages in wrapping paper, or wrapping them again with normal shipping paper to prevent the easily torn wrapping paper from becoming a problem."

Starting Nov. 28, the pick-up window and finance section hours will be changing. The finance mailing hours for packages being shipped out of Kadena will be Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. The pick-up window's hours will be Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m.

In order to prepare for this holiday season the Kadena post office is already looking for volunteers. For more information, call Tech. Sgt. Ashunta Taylor at 634-2155.

For questions regarding postal services during the holidays, call 634-7401.