Photo By Cpl. Robert Medina | SA-330J Puma helicopters transfer mail and essential gear from the Military Sealift...... read more read more
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USS BOXER — A voice announces "Mail orderlies, muster in the hangar bay," over the ship's announcement system. Next, a crowd of service members wrap around aircraft, parts and machinery in the ship's hanger-bay, each having a sense of urgency to receive that special package they have been waiting for.
A human chain is then formed, transporting all the ship's mail from the flight deck elevator to the staging area. The mail is then broken down by service and unit, and eventually whittled down to the individual Marine or Sailor.
"Mail does not come everyday," said Cpl. Dustin M. Matovich, a machine gunner with Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team 1/1, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. "The longest we have been without mail is around a month."
When mail does come, it's a good day for all who receive its special gifts.
"It's all the little things that we get in the mail that make for a good surprise," said Matovich, also know by his platoon as "Bam Bam," from Walkerton, Ind. "There is no other feeling like it."
Matovich said their days on ship are spent doing weapons maintenance, vehicle maintenance, classroom instruction and physical training. He said they look forward to the occasional mail commodities.
Mail is one of the few luxuries Marines look forward to receiving when on deployment. It's one of the best ways to raise morale of the Marines thousands of miles from home.
"Mail is not the most important thing as far as mission accomplishment, but it's definitely high up there as far as troop morale," said Sgt. Hugh Clark, intelligence systems chief with the 13th MEU. "It serves as a reminder from back home that there are people who appreciate what you are doing."
Clark, from Bronx, N.Y., explained how he at one point had waited for three different mail deliveries for one special package. Each time he had sorted the mail it took between five-to-eight hours.
"It started getting frustrating, then that turned in to me just laughing about it," said Clark. "It was to the point where I was just happy to get a bill."
Once Clark received the package, he was ecstatic.
"It definitely brightened up that day," said Clark. "Mail is one of those things that makes you feel good—you just know that it makes your life here on ship a little more comfortable."
| Date Taken: | 05.07.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 05.07.2009 12:04 |
| Story ID: | 33317 |
| Location: | ABOARD USS BOXER, AT SEA |
| Web Views: | 695 |
| Downloads: | 658 |
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