July 2026

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POSTAL SUPERVISORS

JAMES E. PARKS, JR. BRANCH 526

 JULY 2026

President’s Message 

Welcome Branch 526 members!

Over the years we have heard many times that the Postal Service is facing major financial issues and that drastic changes are needed. Postmaster General David Steiner recently said that USPS cannot stay on its current path. “Because the pace of change in commerce today is faster than ever, we do not get to choose whether the market changes. We only choose whether we are ready and whether we are agile enough to meet it.” It looks like Steiner is committed to reforming USPS, but will he succeed where others (including business focused PMG Louis DeJoy) have struggled? Steiner’s recent statements in front of a Congressional Committee demonstrate that he is not afraid to create controversy as he focuses on financial priorities. But the problem occurs when the implementation of fast-paced changes and accountability for new goals are put at the feet of front-line supervisors and managers. It remains to be seen how Steiner’s plans will impact EAS employees. Count on NAPS to keep you informed and protect your rights.

The role of USPS in handling mail in ballots has been in the news. Postal Service policy is likely to be impacted by court decisions and additional Executive Orders from the President. When interacting with your employees and the public, be sure to refrain from any comments on ballots or election mail that could be interpreted as political. If approached by any member of the media, notify your manager and refer the matter to Corporate Communications. 

Make sure you are keeping up with assigned training. Failure to complete required modules before the deadline will mean limited access to ACE systems you complete the course. Check My HR on the blue page for any upcoming training.

USPS has made Cyber security a priority as threats to digital information increase in frequency and sophistication. Make sure you are protecting USPS data from these threats by following all policies regarding online activity, protecting passwords, and using only authorized devices to save and store data.

During summertime, heat exposure can cause several medical problems that can escalate rapidly. Awareness and preparation are essential. Make sure employees know the signs of heat stress and respond quickly if an employee indicates they are not feeling well. All USPS personnel have a role in making sure that every employee returns home safely at the end of the workday.

Our Branch Meetings are normally held on the 3rd Thursday of every other month (the odd numbered months). Unless otherwise announced, meetings will be in person and held at the Merrifield Post Office, located at 8409 Lee Highway, room 108.  Light food is provided starting at 6:30 pm and the meeting begins at 7:00 pm. 

NAPS is conducting an online raffle to support SPAC; you can participate at https://naps.org/. This is a great way to support NAPS’ legislative efforts and possibly win a great prize. Ticket sales end on Thursday, July 23, 2026.

Stay cool and stay safe,

Lloyd B. Cox, President, James E. Parks Jr. Branch 526  

    A good idea then……..A good idea now

 From POD Publication 50 A Program For Good Housekeeping, October 1962 

Next month, delegates from Branch 526 will be heading to the 70^th NAPS National Convention in San Francisco. All three NAPS Resident Officer positions will be changing hands, and locally we will have new leaders take on the leadership of our Eastern Region and Capitol-Atlantic Area. 

Branch 526 has been lucky to have the stewardship of Richard Green as Eastern Region Vice President for over a decade. As Richard pursues a new role in NAPS we thank him for his advice, availability and steadfast efforts to help members. Richard has assisted Branch 526 Advocates on numerous cases and was always ready to provide guidance on understanding USPS policies. His years of fostering relationships with postmasters, POOMS, and other postal officials was reflected in improved communication and effective intervention for members. Branch 526 looks forward to the next chapter in Richard’s NAPS journey.

Our NAPS National President, Ivan Butts, is retiring. Ivan has spent his NAPS career tirelessly fighting for members. Prior to being elected President Ivan served

as Executive Vice President after six years as Eastern Region Vice President. During Ivan’s administration significant increases in the salary ranges and PFP payouts have been achieved. Ivan directed the filing of an unprecedented lawsuit against USPS in 2019 that resulted in a federal appeals court determining that the postal service is not providing adequate compensation to EAS employees. Branch 526 wishes for Ivan and his wife Laurie, many years of continued health and happiness. 

NAPS National President Ivan Butts

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The July meeting of NAPS Branch 526 will be held on Thursday, July 16,

2026, at 7:00 PM in Room 108 of the Merrifield Post Office, 8409 Lee Hwy,

Merrifield, VA 22116. The meeting will commence at 7:00 pm but networking and refreshments will begin at 6:30.

Serving The American People For Over 250 Years

By June Brandt, Branch 526, Senior Research Analyst, Postal History

We heard a lot about our country celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.  But the Post Office of the United States celebrated its 251st anniversary.  A year before the country declared its independence from Great Britain, it realized that establishing a postal service was vital to the effort to form a nation. 

On July 26, 1775, the Second Continental Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin as postmaster general of the United Colonies. The founders were committed to the free exchange of news, ideas and opinions, and a Colonial postal system was formed. During the

Revolutionary War George Washington depended on post riders to keep his constantly moving Army connected to the Continental Congress. 

When the Constitution was ratified in 1788 it gave Congress the power “to establish Post Offices and post roads.” At that time, less than a hundred Post Offices served a population of 4 million people. As the population grew, the postal system grew and moved west with the frontier, exploring new methods of transportation to get information to the people as soon as possible.

At first mail was carried by horseback with post riders traveling between taverns and print shops By the end of the 19^th Century stagecoaches were contracted to take letters and newspapers between Post Offices (parcels were not carried in the U.S. Mail until 1913). 

In 1808 mail began being carried by steamboats, with rivers, and later railroads being designated as “post roads.” Railroads started mail transport in 1832 and with the establishment of the first Railway Post Office in 1864 mail was sorted as it traveled. Cities and towns quickly grew along the rivers and rail lines served by mail contracts.

Early mail looked much different than today’s automation compatible letters. Letters were folded and sealed with wax before envelopes became common, and there were no stamps in the

United States until 1847. Even after the first stamps depicting George Washington and

Benjamin Franklin were issued, customers still had the option to continue to deposit mail for free with the recipient paying the postage. 

An act of Congress in 1863 led to the establishment of City Delivery which hastened the move toward numbered addresses and eliminated the need for customers to call at the Post Office for their mail. Rural Free Delivery was begun in 1896 to the 65% of the country too remote to be served by city routes. 

While Pony Express has held an outsized share of the public’s imagination, it only operated for 18 months. Over the years a variety of vehicles have been used to transport mail including bicycles, motorcycles, busses, jeeps, and three wheeled “Mailsters.” While some mail was transported in a hot air balloon in 1857, the first domestic air mail began in 1911. The establishment of regular airmail routes in 1918 helped subsidize the commercial airline industry. Efforts to speed up mail transport have included gyro-copters and pneumatic tubes that traveled under the streets of major cities.

Women have been a part of the United States Post Office since its beginning. In 1776 two women are known to have been serving as postmasters, Mary Katharine Goddard in Baltimore, Maryland and Ann Clay in New Castle, Delaware. The Post Office Department was among the first governmental agencies to provide opportunities for minority or disabled employees. Veterans’ preference hiring began after the Civil War and today USPS employs over 64,000 US military veterans. 

As mail volume increased exponentially after World War ll, the Zoning Improvement Plan Code, or ZIP Code, was developed in 1963. Despite advances in mail sorting equipment such as the MPLSM and the OCR, continuing service issues led to the creation of the United States Postal Service in 1971.

While we have always been proud of our past, USPS has always tried to be ahead of the technological curve. In the 1840s the Post Office briefly ran telegraph services before they were turned over to commercial companies. As well as being quick to integrate railroads and airplanes, the Post Office contributed to many devices that were widely adopted by businesses and commerce. In the 1980s the Postal Service tried an email service but was forced by Congress to abandon its Electronic Computer Originated Mail, or E-Comm as private firms advanced the technology. 

Mail service changed rapidly in the late 20^th Century. In 1977 Air Mail was eliminated as a separate class and the last Railway Post Offices concluded their runs. In 1997 Special Delivery ended as more urgent communications were conveyed by fax or email. USPS has continued to evolve and modernize and remains an important resource for the American people. 

To find out more about postal history and its employees, along with photo galleries, visit the

USPS website https://about.usps.com/who/profile/history/. The 250^th Anniversary edition of Publication 100 The United States Postal Service: An American History can be downloaded

which follows the journey of the Post Office as it helped to create the nation https://about.usps.com/publications/pub100.pdf. 

__________________

Branch 526 Member Advocates 

Customer Service--Alice Jackson (703) 763-9317, 

Mail Processing--Deborah Farmer (301) 356-6955, 

Headquarters--June Brandt (412) 600-6206

If unable to reach an advocate contact President Lloyd Cox at (571) 422-8749

Contact a NAPS advocate ASAP if you are asked to participate in an Investigative Interview or are issued corrective action.

________________________________________________________________________

The upcoming mid-term elections will be filled with overpowering ads and overblown rhetoric. Every seat in the House of Representatives will be on the ballot as well as key Senate and Gubernatorial races.  

A reminder that NAPS uses SPAC monies to support candidates not based on political party but by their stance on postal issues and legislation of concern to NAPS. 

NAPS will be losing a firm ally on Capitol Hill as Steny Hoyer of Maryland’s 5^th District has announced that he will retire at the conclusion of this term. 

Taking office after winning a special election in 1981,

Congressman Hoyer is the longest-serving Democrat in Congress. NAPS thanks Congressman Hoyer for his years of co-sponsorship of NAPS supported legislation and defense of the rights of postal and Federal employees.  

Please make your voice heard by voting this November. Before you cast your ballot, check the candidate’s stance on privatization, preservation of Universal Service, and protecting the rights of EAS employees.

Congressman Steny Hoyer met with Branch   526 representative Junemarie Brandt during   the NAPS Legislative Training Seminar   

                     NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POSTAL SUPERVISORS

JAMES E. PARKS, JR. VIRGINIA DISTRICT BRANCH 526

BRANCH 526 JULY MEETING THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026 

AT 7:00 PM IN ROOM 108 OF THE MERRIFIELD POST OFFICE  8409 LEE HIGHWAY, MERRIFIELD, VA 22116