Mailroom, Borden, Ont.

[Signalman150]

I'm a little surprised at the number of people who immediately jumped all over Governor Mac's question.

One of the things I remember most about being on course--first with the air cadets and later with the reserve--was how much of a morale booster mail was during the course. There were some days that, after dragging my butt in from a day in the classroom or in the field, mail from home sitting on my bunk was the one thing that kept me going.  So it was for many of my course mates, and I'm sure that's true of soldiers whether they're in Borden or Kandahar.  If there are problems, they need to be sorted out.

As an aside, I remember my first callout w/ the regular force back in '75.  This was at a time when the res often didn't get adequate joining instructions going to reg force units.  As a result I had to send back home to Victoria fm Montreal to get the rest of my combat clothing and equipment.  My folks sent it within a couple of days of my arrival, but I didn't get the package for the whole three months I was there.  I made inquiries but to no avail, and wound up begging and borrowing what I needed.  When I got home, I traced the package and found it spent almost the entire three months sitting in the mail room at Valcartier. :rage: No "war on" then guys.  It was straight bloody incompetence.  And yes, it was addressed correctly.

If there's a problem, sayin "suck it up Buttercup" doesn't solve it.

 

[aesop081]

If there's a problem, sayin "suck it up Buttercup" doesn't solve it.

......and making blanket statements like calling the postal clerks at the the Borden mail room "slack" ( as done by g_m earlier) is infuriating.  She has no clue where the mail was lost and even less of a clue as to why.  My experience with posties over the last 14 years has been nothing but positive.

And besides, who says there's a problem ?

Edited to add : Calling the posties slack because a 3-day package too 5 days would be the same as calling me slack because ship X didnt get located in one flight.  Shit happens and its not always the fault of the guy on the pointy end.  Sometimes it just happens and usualy the people calling others "slack" have no clue how stuff works in the first place.

 

[govenor_mac]

HATS OFF TO YOU SIGNALMAN! ! ! Thank goodness SOMEONE  ELSE  can understand what I was trying to convey. Yes, It certainly is a morale booster to come in after a long arduous day and have a letter from a loved one waiting for you. Someone has to be able to answer as to why these individuals do not get their mail in a timely fashion. Quit making up excuses for their ineptness.If I didnt tend to one of my Residents at my job or ignored their needs, their life would be jepordized and I would be charged with neglect. I know this is an intirely different subject but it still remains that we have to answer to our short-commings.

 

[Trinity]

HATS OFF TO YOU SIGNALMAN! ! ! Thank goodness SOMEONE  ELSE  can understand what I was trying to convey.

Well maybe you need to be more clear in what you are trying to say.  I read your posts as a whiny crybaby
and I'm not surprised to the reactions that the other gave you. 

What if your son failed to visit the Post office and fill out his info properly (clearing in) and the reason things aren't getting
to him are your son's fault.. not the system? You immediately accused the system.  You got yourself wound up and the comments
that you received were equally as wound.  Or as Newton said...  Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

Thus, you are as responsible for the results here by the poor wording and behaviour of your own.

But what do I know.... :

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

HATS OFF TO YOU SIGNALMAN! ! ! Thank goodness SOMEONE  ELSE  can understand what I was trying to convey. Yes, It certainly is a morale booster to come in after a long arduous day and have a letter from a loved one waiting for you. Someone has to be able to answer as to why these individuals do not get their mail in a timely fashion. Quit making up excuses for their ineptness.If I didnt tend to one of my Residents at my job or ignored their needs, their life would be jepordized and I would be charged with neglect. I know this is an intirely different subject but it still remains that we have to answer to our short-commings.

Bullshit!!!!  Don't go comparing residents who are in your charge to full-grown adults. If it really bothers you that much than get a PO box off base for him and send it there and he can check his mail at his convenience.

Problem solved...next!

 

[aesop081]

but it still remains that we have to answer to our short-commings.

You still havent shown me what shortcomings and on who's part.........NEXT !!

 

[Signalman150]

......and making blanket statements like calling the postal clerks at the the Borden mail room "slack" ( as done by g_m earlier) is infuriating.

Take a chill-pill man, a discussion about mail isn't worth getting infuriated over. 

Calling someone "slack" over a single incident is not valid, I agree w/ you.  But if you read the initial post, Gov_Mac also mentions three letters that never got delivered. That would suggest a problem.  I'm not suggesting that the mail handlers be publicly flogged, only that if there's a problem than it should be addressed rather than ignored.

 

[govenor_mac]

Well, well, well.... Haven't I opened a can of worms and the wiggliest ones are still squirming. I never thought a simple question and an opinion from little ole me would raise such a clatter.  Thank you Signalman for your input and for your understanding what I was trying to convey. I do appologize for the 'slack 'word...but it was in my opinion only,in the heat of the moment and not ment to offend so many of you. I do appologize. Have a cooley, relax, veg a while. Life does go on. I got over it... so can you.

 

[George Wallace]

OK!!!!!!!!

Let's end the BS NOW!

Reasons that a person may not get their mail in a timely fashion while in Borden:

1.  Item lost or destroyed by Canada Post;
2.  Item is destroyed in a Vehicle Accident;
3.  Item is incorrectly Addressed; (Wrong Course, Wrong Name or Initials, Wrong Service Number, Wrong School/Unit, Wrong Postal Code)
4.  Recipient has changed Courses or Units and now has a new address;
5.  Sorting by the Post office into unit mailbags, misplaces item into wrong bag;
6.  Mail pickup by unit at an infrequent time;
7.  Delay or mistake in sorting by unit into Company/Crse mail boxes;
8.  Infrequent pickup by Company/Crse Orderly Room staff;
9.  Delay in sorting into platoon/course mail boxes;
10. Delay in pickup by course staff (possibly including a move to new building);
11. Person was in Field;
12. Person was on a Tasking outside of Unit;
13. Two people with same name and rank, (Item without Initials and Service Number);
14. Item lost in Mail Bag or Transport Vehicle: and
15. Person in Hospital or Holding Coy/PAT/PRET.

There are dozens of other reasons a person may not get mail in a timely fashion, and they would be covered under 'Acts of God', Natural Disasters, and Canada Post.

Now let's Lock this down.


In the CASE OF RECOURSE pay close attention to points #3, #4 and # 15.