Thursday, November 10, 1994, The Gazette, Page 5 Page 4, Thursday, November 10, 1994, The Gazette wo o ?0& from the Fleet Post Office a, Mail - one of the essential needs in the life of military personnel. "Food, shelter, clothing and mail are the most important needs in someone's life," said Master Chief Petty Officer Michael Minor, postal officer. "People would eat coconuts as long as they get their mail." According to Petty Officer 1st Class Keith Kinder, Post Office leading petty officer, "Mail is the most important link between servicemembers here and their families back in the states, besides the telephone, and that's expensive." During the holidays, the amount of mail coming in and going out of the post office doubles. "In October, we handled one-hundred and seventy two thousand pounds of incoming mail and forty thousand pounds of outgoing mail for base and Joint Task Force personnel," said Kinder. "We expect these numbers to double in December." The postal service has set deadlines to ensure packages, cards and letters are delivered to families in time for Christmas. For letters and cards the deadline is Dec. 10; for priority mail, Dec. 8; for parcel airlift mail (PAM), Dec. 6; and for space-available mail (SAM), Dec 2. "If items are mailed by these dates, customers can be reasonably sure their loved ones will have these items under the tree on Christmas morning," said Minor. To ensure holiday mail gets tosan individual on time, the post office is manned 24 hours a day and the staff is using every available flight to transfer both incoming and outgoing mail. Another way to ensure holiday packages are delivered to lovedones on time is by properly packing them. The post office personnel have given helpful hints for packaging items. First by securely packing items to withstand pressures of moving the packages onto pallets. It is also important to put "to" and "from" addresses inside packages DCVI as well as the outside just in case the outer wrapping is destroyed during transfer. Lastly, insure items of any value. The staff of the post office is made up of fifteen permanently stationed personnel and seven augmentees. "Our augmentees are from various bases 7/z from Texas to Connecticut," said Kinder. The staff handles mail for everyone on the base, including JTF personnel. However, the Marine Barracks, Leeward and JTF personnel are additionally supported by their own personnel. Not only does mail bring together servicemen bers and families back in Petty Officer First Class Tim Jeffers sends his holiday packages early so his the state the omt effort agan rings loved ones receive them before Christmas. Photo by JOSN Melissa Farley together all the services. NEX Auto Shop works for you (Above Left) Dave Slovak prepares to align a vehicle. (Left) James Morro uses the diagnostic computer to thoroughly check a vehicles system. This helps the mechanicsIocate troublespots quicker. (Below) Norman Johnson begins working on a van by removing the front grill. Photos by J03 John Bolger . . .... / I A Florenzano transfers to Fleet Reserve Wednesday Guantanamo Bay -- Chief Petty Officer Andrew Florenzano of Security here, will be retiring next Wednesday in a ceremony held at the Base Police Station. Florenzano's military career beganin February 1959when he joined the United States Marine Corps. He attended basic training in Paris Island, S. C. Upon graduation in MayJ hewas assigned to Advanced Infantry Training, Camp Geiger, N. C. Florenzano served with the 1st Battalion 6 Marines 2nd Marine Division in Camp Lejeune, N. C. from June 1959 to Dec. 1961. He transferred to Marine Barracks, Navy Ammunition Depot in McAlester, Okla. where he served from Dec. 1961 to Feb. 1963. His duties at the Ammunition1 Depot included Guard DetachmentI Corporal of the Guard. Florenzano transferred to the Marine Reserves in Feb. 1965. In Dec. 1973, eight years later Florenzano joined the Army NationalI Guard serving as a military police-I man until April 1974. Not being satisfied in the National Guard, Florenzano joined the United States Army in August of that year. HewentI to Basic Training in Fort Polk, La., graduating in November. For three years Florenzano served with the1 181st Signal Co. in Heidelberg, Germany as a 36H, dial central office repairman and a 36C, telephone installer and lineman. He was discharged in.November, 1977 at Fort Jackson, S. C. Three months later, Florenzano joined the Army Reserves, becoming a Drill Sergeant in the 95th Training Division, McAlester, Okla. In October, 1981, Florenzano joined the United States Navy as a construction electrician 2nd class and attended indoctrination at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, 111. His first Navy assignment was at Diego Garcia. Florenzano transferred to Naval Air Station, Naples, Italy where he was assigned to the then Shore Patrol (now Master at Arms) for a four-year tour. Florenzano attended Master-at-Arms school at Fort McClellan, Ala. In April, 1987, Florenzano was stationed at Security Department, U.S. Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he served as the chief of police until December 1992. From Jan. 1993 to Dec. 1993, Florenzano was the assistant security officerfor Pensacola, Fla. Naval Hospital Security. Florenzano reported, for the second time, to Gitmo in Jan. 1994 as chief investigator. Florenzano and his wife Paula have three children: Paul, 31; Robert, 28 and Andrea, 25 and one grandchild, Hayley, 7. Computers ease isolation of mechanics' problems Unless you are a mechanic or mechanically inclined and your vehicle breaks, life can become a real headache. The Navy Exchange Auto Service Center Staff is the only place on base where personnel can get their automobiles thoroughly serviced. Dave Slovak manages the car rental department, gas station, appliance services and parts department. Slovak, who has worked in the Auto Center for three years, works with seven full time skilled mechanics. Some of them have been there for 20 years or more and rememberwhen the auto store was located in the current Toyland. But times have changed since they first arrived and with changes, improvements can make their job easier. "We are equipped with a diagnostic system, an R-12 air conditioning unit, and alignment system for wheel alignment and a wheel balancer. We also have a pipe bender to do exhaust work," said Slovak. The diagnostic system is obviously the pride and joy of the center because of the time it saves on mechanical work. "The system checks the codes and the computers within the car and it gives an idea of what's wrong and where to look for major problems, said James Morro, inline mechanic for the Auto Center. "For instance, if I' m checking the spark plugs, the gauge shows the high and low points. I can figure outwhich one has the weak spark. It makes the job easier." Morro, who also does warranty work for Chevy, Ford and Chrysler/ Dodge automobiles, also rebuilds transmissions and overhauls engines. Being the only overseas Auto Center to have the ability to service privately owned vehicles under warranty, Guantanamo Bay's staff of professional mechanics work to meet the needs of the community. 1*11