Sergeant Nige Davis at the Camp Bastion Post Office does the first check on delivered mail to ensure that all mail bags are accounted for as per the manifest
[Picture: Cpl Steve Bain ABIPP, Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]
The latest indications from the British Forces Post Office, now that the last posting date for Christmas mail has passed, suggest that the volume of Christmas mail to Afghanistan has increased by 63 per cent from last year.
The kindness and generosity of people who send boxes of treats out to Afghanistan is greatly appreciated, but the massive increase in post is having a serious impact at the sharp end.
Although the British Forces Post Office can cope with the mail surge and the Ministry of Defence has laid on additional aircraft to get the post out to Camp Bastion, the problems lie with the onward delivery to smaller bases around Helmand province.
Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, explains:
"It is not a matter of lack of investment in equipment or people that makes getting the mail out to soldiers a challenge during Christmas.
"Getting the post to our main distribution point in Camp Bastion, down the artery, is easily managed; it can cope with the increased pressure at Christmas.
"It is getting it on from there to the Forward Operating Bases [FOBs] and patrol bases, down the capillaries, which is the issue.
"Every road move of a convoy to a FOB or patrol base is dangerous. They attract IEDs [improvised explosive devices] which represent a threat not only to our soldiers but also to civilians who use the same roads.
"Convoys are something we therefore seek to minimise.
"Of course the thing we miss the most out here is our families and friends, so it is letters and parcels from them which are of particular importance to us.
"We provide guidance to try to ensure that the post from our loved ones gets through as a priority, which is what we all would want."
For these very reasons, the Ministry of Defence is calling again on people who want to show their support for the Armed Forces to consider alternative ways of doing so, such as donating to the SSAFA Operational Welfare Fund or the charity 'uk4u Thanks!' which works with the MOD to send Christmas Boxes through the existing supply chain to troops overseas.
To reinforce the message, the Armed Forces are launching a poster campaign. The design, which invites people to visit www.mod.uk to find out the most effective ways of showing their support, is being widely circulated around organisations, businesses and military establishments. For example, the poster has been sent to the major supermarket chains for display in their branches.
The Ministry of Defence is delighted to confirm that Tesco has agreed to circulate the poster to all of its UK stores where it may be displayed at the discretion of store managers.
Minister for the Armed Forces, Bill Rammell, said:
"I am delighted that so many members of the public are keen to show their support for our Armed Forces this Christmas. I know how much it means to our brave men and women serving overseas.
"However, it is very important to make sure that people express their support in the right way to make the biggest difference in helping our troops on the ground.
"Rather than sending their own letter or parcel, I am strongly urging people to consider making a donation of whatever they can afford to one of the excellent Service charities on our recommended list.
"This is what those in Afghanistan are saying they would like, as they want to make sure letters from their family and friends get to them without delay.
"Once again, let me say thank you to the British public for their incredible ongoing support for our Armed Forces."