Anthrax concerns cancel letter-writing system
By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer
Cynthia Espiritu was planning on having students at Wheeler Elementary School write to overseas soldiers for the holidays as they have done in the past.
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser
Then came the news that the "Operation Dear Abby" program they had used was being canceled as the result of nationwide anthrax concerns. The "Any Servicemember" letter-writing campaign went the same route.
Anthrax concerns caused the military to cancel programs for sending holiday greetings to service members overseas. Also, new FAA rules have slowed delivery of packages.
"We're kind of bummed to find out we couldn't do (the Dear Abby program)," said Espiritu, the parent community network coordinator at Wheeler, where 95 percent of the students are from military families.
More than a quarter-million letters were sent out for the holidays in past years through Operation Dear Abby, an offshoot of the newspaper column that made it possible for folks on the homefront to pen soldiers holiday greetings.
Wheeler kindergarten and first-grade students in the past sent handmade ornaments, paper lei, and notes saying, "Dear soldier, we hope you have a merry Christmas," Espiritu said.
"It's, I guess, just the world situation," she said. "It's kind of hard to believe things have come to that."
But the threat of anthrax has put a crimp in more than just those holiday mailbags.
Military and civilian mail here is being affected by a Federal Aviation Administration ban placed on the transport of priority mail packages on passenger airlines, said Felice Broglio, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Postal Service in Hawai'i.
"Before Sept. 11, we were able to have three-day service to and from most parts of the United States," Broglio said. "Since Sept. 11, that has changed."
Cargo flights to carry the mail have been added, but Broglio said there is still a large percentage of priority mail "not meeting that high level" of delivery time. Express mail, delivered in one to two days, can be put on passenger as well as cargo flights.
The Sept. 11 attacks and nationwide anthrax concerns have affected the transportation of mail for domestic and international destinations, Broglio said.
"It will take a little longer than the service prior to Sept. 11," she said.
Navy Capt. Eugene DuCom, deputy commander of the Military Postal Service Agency, previously warned that military mail destined for overseas locations would get through, but it would be delayed.
For international mail to destinations other than Japan, the post office suggested items go out by Dec. 3 to arrive for the holidays.
For packages, "there's still a good chance it would make it, but it depends on where the base is," Broglio said.
"Cards, packages — everything — should go out as soon as possible for the military," she said.
Although the "Dear Abby" and "Any Servicemember" programs were canceled, the military has come up with an alternative, albeit less personal option — e-mail.
The Navy program, which benefits members of all services, can be found at www.lifelines2000.org or, anyservicemember.navy.mil/.
Messages of support or holiday greetings can be passed along at the sites. The "Any Servicemember" program makes it possible to select one or all branches of the military.
To receive a message, soldiers will log on to the Web site and choose messages for their branch of the service and home state. Senders who would like a response can include a return e-mail address.
Espiritu, meanwhile, isn't giving up. She said she'll redirect the letter-writing effort at Wheeler to local troops who can be assured of the safety of the letters they are receiving.
"They know me and I know them," Espiritu said, "and I'll ask the students to distribute the letters to the single soldiers (without family here) and maybe the ones on guard duty keeping us safe."
Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-5459.
