The term “snail mail” to apply to regular mail as opposed to e-mail may take on a whole new meaning for thousands of military retirees who live overseas and receive their government stipends and Tricare pharmacy prescriptions via State Department APO/FPO addresses. State plans to divorce itself from the DOD APO/FPO mail system, going on Dec. 3 with a new Diplomatic Post Office address that will lock out some 4, 800 military retirees. According to The Military Coalition, which sent a letter of protest to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton earlier this month, the retirees will be forced “to use foreign mail systems that in some parts of the world can be slow, unreliable or expensive.” TMC asks Clinton to explore “possible alternatives” before the plan goes into effect “to not penalize military retirees for choosing to live abroad.”
Lt. Gen. Jason T. Hinds took charge of NATO Allied Air Command and U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa on Oct. 31, one day after being confirmed for the post by the Senate.
