A project 70 years in the making, a new post office opens its doors at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay this week. A $3 million military construction program will deliver a modern postal facility to a community that has sent and received mail out of a converted horse stable since 1952.
“It will provide state-of-the-art postal services to the customers of Guantanamo Bay,” said Otilio Santos, director of postal operations for Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center (NAVSUP FLC) Jacksonville’s 17 sites, including Guantanamo Bay.
“The main benefit is that postal services will be provided in a facility that allows the utilization of technology — a modern facility that allows for 24/7 customer service,” Santos said.
A grand opening ceremony is scheduled for Aug. 23. The new mail site was built by renovating a base warehouse.
For customers, the new post office will offer a new lobby and service counters and the ability to receive electronic alerts about waiting mail. Soon, officials expect to add “smart” lockers that allow contactless mail pickup around the clock.
For postal workers, the site provides upgraded technology – including a conveyer belt and mail “dumper” — that should make unloading and sorting the mail faster and less labor-intensive.
Mail service is vital to this unique island community, where military transport a few times a week is the only means of travel to the United States.