United States Post Office

I avoid this post office if I can. The service is incredibly slow, even when there’s a long line. I can honestly say that I have never been here without some kind of issue. I’ve talked with friends that have had similar bad experiences. It’s too bad that there is such terrible customer service for our soldiers and families here.

I entered this post office at 4:58pm one day with the intention of mailing my husband in Kuwait some care packages. I know I was cutting it very close. That was my fault. I was busy at work and leaving early is never easy.
The clerk informed me that I was the last customer. Then when she noticed the boxes were going to an APO address she got a grim look on her face and asked me if I’d filled out the customs forms. I said no. She then told me that the forms take a long time to fill out, that she couldn’t help me, but that I could go to the Lakewood Post Office which is open until 6pm.
I understand that it would have been absolute hell for this postal clerk to stick around 5 extra minutes while I quickly filled out the forms. But it might surprise her that while driving 8 miles to the Lakewood Post Office was a great idea to her, it didn’t sound so good to me.
I also like how if I had been trying to ship boxes to my MeeMaw in Kansas or wherever, she would have been glad to help. But shipping boxes to a Soldier who’s deployed? Take a hike! What a weird attitude for a post office on a military installation.
This staff needs customer service classes (first lesson: it’s not about YOU). Otherwise people are going to keep steadily migrating over to FedEx and UPS like they have been for decades.

I like using this location because it has an Automated Postal Center, which comes in handy if the station is busy. Since this location is on JBLM, it can be busy at various times and they handle a lot of APO shipments. The hours of operation are convenient, though. They are also open on Saturday. If you’re visiting this location early in the morning, there is usually only one clerk working which can result in a wait if everyone decides to come in on their way to work. This is when the Automated Postal Center is helpful, unless you’re mailing something that requires a clerk’s assistance such as Media Mail or International mail. Parking is ample and they have drive-​up mail collection. If you’re looking to rent a mailbox, this station offers pricing comparable to the Lacey branch but is a bit higher than the nearby DuPont station.