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force,  truly the most capable, well-trained, well-educated force this nation

has ever sent into harm's way, can handle anything that may come along.


        To prepare for any possible mission and to keep morale as high as

possible, our troops are training very hard in joint and combined

operations--to  include live-fire exercises.


        Not surprisingly, our troops are very interested in news from home

and we have taken a range of steps to make sure that they continue to get

it.   Since Operation Desert Shield was initiated on 7 August, the Military

Postal Service Agency (MPSA) has developed a postal system to provide

mail service to our troops.   Despite some initial problems, the MPSA and US

Postal System have worked well together to improve mail delivery to our

deployed    forces.


        Currently, all personnel within the Desert Shield AOR are able to send

mail free-of-charge.   The volume of mail being processed has increased

dramatically.   On 24 August, about 5,000 pounds per day were being

dispatched.   That volume has increased dramatically to its current total of

some 600,000 pounds per day.       As Christmas packages begin arriving in

earnest, we project that the daily volume will increase to 800,000 pounds

(400 tons) per day, or about 3 1/2 pounds per person.   An indication of the

quality of the mail service is that the average letter is taking only 8 to 10

days to arrive in Saudi Arabia from the United States.


        Some other statistics: well over 100,000 books, 35,000 Red Cross

messages, and over 1,000 VCRs and TVs have been sent.       Recreational

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