Soldiers' post in firing line

[Stormproof]

Soldiers' post is in firing line
By Rupert Hamer Defence Correspondent 16/03/2008

Royal Mail bureaucrats are threatening to close a post office which provides a lifeline to thousands of troops fighting abroad.

Officials want to axe the service at Dalton Barracks, near Abingdon, Oxfordshire, because of government cutbacks. But troops whose families use the post office to send parcels and letters free to Iraq and Afghanistan are devastated.

Last night Lt Col Dave Roberts, CO of 3 Logistics Support Regiment based at Dalton, said the closure would hit everyone hard.

He added: "Both Regiments from Dalton were deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan last year. The service the barracks post office provided was vital for local families to be able to regularly send letters and parcels to their loved ones."

A Royal Mail spokesman said the proposed closure was still under consideration.
http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/sund ... -20352234/

[Lounge Lizard]

Just the same situation as thousands of rural communities, and probably not a lot they can do about it other than drive to the nearest Post Office that's not closing.
How long before they consider withdrawing the free post the blind have received for over a century, a service not offered by rivals TNT, DHL, etc. ?

[dvbuk55]

There's always the NAAFI - I'm sure those hard working lads and lasses would provide the same service at home or abroad.