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60 Pages·2014·3.05 MB·English

Front Cover
2 postal bulletin 22384 (3-6-14)
Contents
COVER STORY Update: Stamp Announcement 14-14: C. Alfred
USPS Uses Innovative Ideas to Enhance the Value “Chief” Anderson Stamp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
of Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Update: Stamp Announcement 14-15: USS
Arizona Memorial Stamp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
PUBLICITY KIT: C. ALFRED “CHIEF”
2014 Stamps and Postal Stationery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
ANDERSON STAMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Stamp Stock Items Withdrawn From Regular Sale
POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND FORMS and From Sale at Philatelic Centers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
UPDATES Pictorial Postmarks Announcement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Digital Color
Manuals
or Traditional Postmarks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
DMM Revision: Clarification of Periodicals Carrier
Route Eligibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
IMM Revision: Free Matter for the Blind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
IMM Revision: Individual Country Listings for PULL-OUT INFORMATION
Azerbaijan, Belgium, Moldova, and Ukraine. . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Fraud
Handbooks Invalid USPS Corporate Account Numbers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Handbook EL-312 Revision. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Missing, Lost, or Stolen U.S. Money Order Forms . . . . . . . . 24
Missing, Lost, or Stolen Canadian Money Order Forms. . . . 30
Publications
Verifying U.S. Postal Service Money Orders. . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Publication 223 Revision: Directives and Forms
Counterfeit Canadian Money Order Forms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Toll-Free Number Available to Verify Canadian
Publication 431 Revision: Changes to Post Office
Money Orders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Box Service and Caller Service Fee Groups. . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Other Information
ORGANIZATION INFORMATION Overseas Military/Diplomatic Mail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Information Security
USPS Wins Award for Innovative Online Security. . . . . . . . . 20
Mailing and Shipping Services Postal Bulletin Index
Mail Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Annual Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PB 22381 (1-23-14)
Stamp Services
Stamp Announcement 14-16: Yes, I Do Stamp . . . . . . . . . . 21
USPS National Emergency Hotline
Stamp Announcement 14-17: Verrazano-Narrows
Bridge Stamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Is your facility operating? Call 888-363-7462
Stamp Announcement 14:18: Jimi Hendrix Stamp. . . . . . . . 42
Stamp Announcement 14-19: Ferns Stamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Stamp Announcement 14-20: Tree Stamped Card. . . . . . . . 45
Stamp Announcement 14-21: Charlton Heston Stamp. . . . . 47
Correction: Stamp Announcement 14-13: Star-
Spangled Banner Stamp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Also on the Web at about.usps.com/postal-bulletin
Cover Story postal bulletin 22384 (3-6-14) 3
Cover Story
USPS Uses Innovative Ideas to Enhance the Value of Mail
Alternate Postage presents an easy and convenient way Frequently Asked Questions
to send Single-Piece First-Class Mail® letters and post- Q.Is this a test or a new product?
cards without affixing a stamp. To use the new price cate-
A. After a successful market test, the Postal Regulatory
gory, participating businesses produce and distribute pre-
Commission agreed to make Alternate Postage a
approved envelopes and postcards according to specific
new product.
design requirements established by the Postal Service™.
Businesses may also enhance the value of their pre- Q.Is the revenue reallocated to the Post Office (ZIP
approved envelopes by applying a Picture Permit Imprint Code™) where the postcards and letters are sold?
indicia at no additional charge. After purchasing Alternate A. No. The revenue is recorded as “commercial” and is
Postage items, individual consumers can mail those items assigned to AIC 114, Postage Due, in the office
without the extra steps associated with using regular post- where the permit is held, similar to a Business Reply
age (e.g., determining the price, going to a Post Office to Mail (BRM) account.
purchase stamps, and affixing postage).
Q.What are the mailing elements on the Alternate Post-
Rather, in order to collect the necessary payment, Alter- age postcards and letters?
nate Postage relies on Intelligent Mail barcode® (IMb) tech- A. The mailing elements consist of:
nology to identify and count each pre-approved mailpiece
1. Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMb): The IMb will enable
as it moves through the postal system. Once a mailpiece is
the recording of piece-level information for vol-
scanned and counted, the participating company’s Cen-
ume and revenue reporting.
tralized Automated Processing System is debited the
appropriate amount. The participating company will pay 2. Facing Identification Mark (FIM): A new FIM E has
postage in two stages: (1) they will pay the agreed upon been introduced for this product to separate and
prefunded portion of the total postage at the time they pro- orient the mailpiece, and to allow separate identi-
duce or distribute the Alternate Postage mailpiece and (2) fication of this mail.
they will pay the remaining portion when the IMb on the 3. Indicia: Mailers may use a Picture Permit indica (at
Alternate Postage mailpiece is scanned during normal mail no extra charge) or print the following in lieu of
processing. postage:
The mailpieces may have handwritten addresses, or be First-Class Mail U.S. Postage Paid
pre-addressed to a single destination within the United Company Name
IMB-Postage
States. Alternate Postage mailpieces may be deposited
into the mailstream in the same way as other Single-Piece Q.What happens if the letter exceeds 1 ounce?
First-Class Mail. The mailpieces follow First-Class Mail A. The postage price of Alternate Postage letters and
handling procedures, and will be processed and delivered postcards is a premium price that factors in the pos-
according to Single-Piece First-Class Mail standards. sibility that some customers may add photos and
In summary, the key features of Alternate Postage are: other items to their letters. There is no need to weigh
or measure those letters and postcards.
(cid:132) Added ease and convenience when sending Single-
Piece First-Class Mail letters and postcards (no need Q.What happens if the card enters the mail but doesn’t
to affix postage); get a scan?
(cid:132) IMb Technology to identify, scan, and count each A. Our preproduction tests revealed a very low “no
unique mailpiece; scan” risk, which was factored into the premium
price for Alternate Postage letters and postcards.
(cid:132) Ability to send mailpieces from multiple locations to
multiple destinations using a convenient postage Q.What happens if the cards are deposited in “Local
payment feature, and; Mail” slots?
(cid:132) Offer Picture Permit Imprint indicia at no additional A. This program relies on Intelligent Mail barcodes to
charge. detect Alternate Postage Payment postcards and let-
ters as they travel through the postal system. Al-
though the possibility of “no scan” was factored into
the premium prices, Post Offices are to follow nation-
4 postal bulletin 22384 (3-6-14) Cover Story
ally established procedures for mail preparation and Q.Are there any special instructions for Postal Service
dispatch. employees?
Q.What happens when the First-Class Mail prices A. Handle them as First-Class Mail, and do not obliter-
change? ate the barcode.
A. The pricing during the test is established through a Q.Will Alternate Postage postcards and letters get for-
contractual agreement and is not subject to normal warded?
price changes. A. Yes. They will be forwarded if the U.S. Postal Ser-
Q.Can these greeting cards be sent to international ad- vice® has a change-of-address notice on file that has
dresses? not expired.
A. No. Alternate Postage postcards and letters can be For more information, contact Jenny Kalthoff, Marketing
mailed only to domestic addresses and APO/FPO lo- Specialist, Mailing Services, at [email protected].
cations within the United States.
Q.Will Alternate Postage postcards and letters take
— Mailing Services,
longer to be delivered?
New Products and Innovations, 3-6-14
A. No. The postcards and letters are processed and deliv-
ered like First-Class Mail items with stamps or other
postage.
Publicity Kit: C. Alfred “Chief” Anderson Stamp postal bulletin 22384 (3-6-14) 5
Publicity Kit: C. Alfred “Chief” Anderson Stamp
Note: The term “second-day” ceremony is no longer used
as it implies that a local ceremony can only be held the day
after the FDOI. Rather, to enhance awareness of Anderson
and the Tuskegee Airmen, Postmasters should feel free to
conduct local ceremonies at any appropriate time following
the March 13, 2014, First-Day-of-Issue.
This Publicity Kit contains:
(cid:132) Stamp image information.
(cid:132) Sample media advisory.
(cid:132) Sample news release (includes background informa-
tion on Anderson).
(cid:132) Sample fill-in speech.
(cid:132) Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. chapters for inviting surviving
World War II airmen: http://tuskegeeairmen.org/
explore-tai/tai-chapters/
(cid:132) Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. media kit materials containing
airmen backgrounds: http://tuskegeeairmen.org/
wp-content/uploads/2013-TAI-Media-Kit.pdf
(cid:132) Contact for obtaining stamp enlargements for local
ceremonies.
(cid:132) Corporate Communications contacts for promoting
media interviews and/or events.
(cid:132) Government Relations contacts for inviting elected
officials.
C. Alfred “Chief” Anderson, who played a critical role in
Word documents of the sample media advisory, news
training the Tuskegee Airmen — the nation’s first African-
release, and speech are available by emailing
American military pilots — will be immortalized on a 2-
[email protected].
ounce 70-cent stamp. Anderson is known as the Father of
Black Aviation for his major contributions to the field.
Stamp Image
U.S. Postal Service Administrative Judge William
Campbell, whose father was a decorated Tuskegee Air- Illustrator Sterling Hundley of Richmond, VA, used a
man, will be joined by a number of surviving Tuskegee Air- combination of acrylic, watercolor, and oil paint to create
men in dedicating the stamp, March 13, 2014, at its first- the stamp art. His portrait of Anderson is based on a pho-
day-of-issue (FDOI) ceremony in Bryn Mawr, PA. tograph from a 1942 yearbook of the Tuskegee Institute’s
flight training school in Tuskegee, AL. Hundley added
Postmasters are encouraged to recognize Anderson’s
headgear used by pilots in World War II. Verso text appears
achievements by inviting surviving Tuskegee Airmen to
on the back of the stamp pane. Art director Phil Jordan of
take part in local stamp dedication ceremonies.
Falls Church, VA, designed the stamp.
6 postal bulletin 22384 (3-6-14) Publicity Kit: C. Alfred “Chief” Anderson Stamp
Contact: [Name]
[Insert Date] [email protected]
XXX.XXX.XXXX
usps.com/news
Town Resident, Tuskegee Airman, Dedicates Stamp
Honoring Father of Black Aviation

A high-resolution image of the stamp is available for media use only by emailing
[email protected].
WHAT: Town Name Resident, Tuskegee Airman, to dedicate stamp immortalizing the Father of Black Avi-
ation, C. Alfred “Chief” Anderson.
WHEN: Time, Day, Date
WHERE: Location
Street Address
City, State, ZIP
WHO: Name, a Tuskegee Airman who served in World War II and was trained by Anderson.
Name
Name
Name
BACKGROUND: Include background on Tuskegee Airman at stamp ceremony here.
Publicity Kit: C. Alfred “Chief” Anderson Stamp postal bulletin 22384 (3-6-14) 7
Upon securing his pilot’s license in 1932, Anderson was the only African American in the country qualified to serve as a
flight instructor or to fly commercially. He then began breaking flight records and inspiring other African Americans to
become pilots. During World War II, Anderson served as the chief flight instructor of a flying school at Tuskegee Institute. To
the Tuskegee Airmen who learned their piloting skills from Anderson, he was affectionately known as “Chief.” During the war,
the Tuskegee Airmen flew thousands of sorties in the European theater, destroyed more than a hundred German aircraft and
received scores of Distinguished Flying Crosses.
# # #
Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS newsroom at http://
about.usps.com/news/welcome.htm.
For reporters interested in speaking with a regional Postal Service public relations professional, please go to http://
about.usps.com/news/media-contacts/usps-local-media-contacts.pdf.
Follow us on http://twitter.com/USPS and like us at http://facebook.com/USPS. For more information about the Postal Ser-
vice, go to http://usps.com and http://usps.com/postalfacts.
8 postal bulletin 22384 (3-6-14) Publicity Kit: C. Alfred “Chief” Anderson Stamp
Contact: [Name]
[Insert Date] [email protected]
XXX.XXX.XXXX
usps.com/news
Tuskegee Airman Dedicates Stamp
Honoring Father of Black Aviation
A high-resolution image of the stamp is available for media use only by emailing
[email protected].
City, State — Local resident [Name], a World War II vet- (800-782-6724), at Post Offices nationwide or at http://
eran who served as a member of the prestigious Tuskegee ebay.com/stamps.
Airmen, joined the [Name] Post Office in paying tribute dur- (Insert quote from Tuskegee Airman here. If possible,
ing a special stamp dedication ceremony to honor the icon have the quote reflect on his relationship with Anderson
who played a key role in training the nation’s first African- and the value his leadership and training brought to the
American military pilots — C. Alfred “Chief” Anderson who Tuskegee Airmen.)
served as Chief Flight Instructor.
(Quote from Postmaster/Dedicating Official here.)
As the 15th stamp in the Postal Service’s Distinguished
Illustrator Sterling Hundley of Richmond, VA, used a
American series, the 70-cent First-Class Mail stamp, avail-
combination of acrylic, watercolor and oil paint to create
able in sets of 20, is good for mailing First-Class letters
the stamp art. His portrait of Anderson is based on a pho-
weighing up to 2 ounces. Customers may purchase the
tograph from a 1942 yearbook of the Tuskegee Institute’s
stamps at http://usps.com/stamps, at 800-STAMP24
flight training school in Tuskegee, AL. Hundley added
Publicity Kit: C. Alfred “Chief” Anderson Stamp postal bulletin 22384 (3-6-14) 9
headgear used by pilots in World War II. Art director Phil vided funding to train tens of thousands of young people
Jordan of Falls Church, VA, designed the stamp. who could be transitioned to military service in the event of
war. A provision in the legislation permitted civilian flight
The Father of Black Aviation training for African Americans, a significant step toward the
long-range goal of opening up the elite, all-white Army Air
C. Alfred “Chief” Anderson (1907-1996) traced his fas-
Corps to qualified African-American applicants.
cination with airplanes to his early childhood when he lived
Tuskegee Institute won a government contract to estab-
with his grandmother in the Shenandoah Valley near Staun-
lish a Civilian Pilot Training Program and named Anderson
ton, VA. She was troubled by his habit of running off in
chief flight instructor soon after hiring him in 1940. To those
search of planes.
who learned their piloting skills in the program, he was
After returning to his parents’ home in Bryn Mawr, PA,
affectionately known as “Chief.”
Anderson pursued his dream of becoming a pilot. Since no
Tuskegee’s subsequent role in training the nation’s first
flight schools would accept him as a student because of his
African-American military pilots is historic. In January of
race, he needed a plane of his own to learn how to fly. He
1941, the year leading up to the country’s entry into World
was able to raise $2,500 from supportive members of his
War II, the War Department announced plans to create a
community and bought a used plane. As Anderson later
“Negro pursuit squadron” that would be trained at Tuske-
recalled, he learned to fly by reading books, getting some
gee. In March, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, a champion of
help from a few friendly white pilots, and, in his own words,
equal opportunity for African Americans, visited Tuskegee
“fooling around with” the plane. By 1929, he taught himself
and was introduced to Anderson. He later recalled her say-
well enough, against all odds, to obtain a private pilot’s
ing that everybody told her African Americans couldn’t fly.
license.
“I’m going up with you,” she told him, “to find out for sure.”
To help him qualify for an air transport or commercial
After Anderson gave her an aerial tour of the campus and
license, Anderson eventually found an instructor, Ernest
surrounding area, she announced, “Well, you can fly all
Buehl — a recent immigrant from Germany and owner of a
right.” A widely publicized photograph of the smiling pair in
flying school near Philadelphia — who was able to refine
the cockpit of a Piper Cub sent a powerful message about
his techniques and even persuade a federal examiner to let
the First Lady’s support.
Anderson take the commercial pilot’s test. When Anderson
Soon after her flight, Mrs. Roosevelt participated in the
secured the license in 1932, he was the only African Amer-
decision to finance the construction of Tuskegee Institute’s
ican in the nation qualified to serve as a flight instructor or
own airfield, Moton Field, which the institute needed for a
to fly commercially.
primary flying school. Construction also began in the sum-
Anderson was soon breaking flight records and inspiring
mer of 1941 on the Tuskegee Army Air Field, where gradu-
other African Americans to become pilots. In 1933, he and
ates of the primary flying school earned their wings by
Albert E. Forsythe, a physician and Tuskegee Institute
completing basic and advanced military flight training.
alumnus, teamed up to become the first African-American
The War Department’s plans for an African-American
pilots to complete a round-trip transcontinental flight. With
pursuit squadron took shape when the 99th Pursuit Squad-
that flight and their goodwill tour to the Caribbean in 1934,
ron (later renamed the 99th Fighter Squadron) began training
they sought to prove to the world the abilities and skills of
in March 1941. The first class of African-American pilots
African-American aviators.
graduated in March 1942, and soon thereafter the nation’s
As part of the publicity campaign for their goodwill flight,
first all-African-American military aviation unit became fully
Anderson and Forsythe flew to Tuskegee, AL, for a cere-
staffed. In 1943, under Lt. Col. Benjamin O. Davis Jr., the
mony at Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University),
99th of the U.S. Army Air Forces began combat operations
where their plane was christened The Booker T. Washing-
in North Africa. Members of the 99th — along with members
ton, after the famous leader who was the first head of the
of several other all-African-American flying units whose
renowned educational institution. Tuskegee provided sup-
pilots began their training under Anderson at Moton Field —
port for the tour, initiating the school’s public role as a pro-
are now commonly known as the Tuskegee Airmen.
moter of African-American aviation.
During the war, the Tuskegee Airmen escorted heavy
bombers on hundreds of missions in the European theater.
The Tuskegee Airmen
They flew thousands of sorties, destroyed more than a hun-
World War II gave Anderson the opening he needed to dred German aircraft and received scores of Distinguished
make a career in aviation. In 1939, as war erupted in Europe, Flying Crosses. Their professionalism and effectiveness in
Congress created the Civilian Pilot Training Program at the combat was a significant reason that in 1949, the newly
urging of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The program pro- independent U.S. Air Force became the nation’s first armed
service to desegregate.
10 postal bulletin 22384 (3-6-14) Publicity Kit: C. Alfred “Chief” Anderson Stamp
For the rest of his life after the war, Anderson pursued Philatelic Products
his passion for flying and for teaching others to fly. In 1967,
There are seven philatelic products available for this
he helped organize Negro Airmen International (http://
stamp issue:
www.blackwingsonline.com/) to encourage interest in avia-
tion among African-American youth. In 1996, Anderson (cid:132) 117106, Press Sheet w/Die Cuts, $112.00
(print quantity of 1,000).
died at his home in Tuskegee at age 89. In 2012, Ander-
son’s granddaughter, Christina, started the C. Alfred (cid:132) 117108, Press Sheet w/o Die Cuts, $112.00
“Chief” Anderson Legacy Foundation to honor the legacy (print quantity of 1,000).
of Chief Anderson (http://chiefanderson.com). (cid:132) 117110, Keepsake (Pane of 20, 1 Digital Color
Postmark), $15.95.
Ordering First-Day-of-Issue Postmarks (cid:132) 117116, First-Day Cover, $1.14.
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue (cid:132) 117121, Digital Color Postmark, $1.85.
postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at local (cid:132) 117131, Stamp Deck Card, $0.95.
Post Offices, at http://usps.com/stamps or by calling
(cid:132) 117132, Stamp Deck Card w/Digital Color Postmark,
800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes
$2.20.
of their choice, address the envelopes to themselves or
Customers may view the C. Alfred “Chief” Anderson
others and place them in larger envelopes addressed to:
stamp, as well as many of this year’s other stamps, on
C. Alfred “Chief” Anderson Stamp
Facebook at http://facebook.com/USPSStamps, on Twit-
16 North Bryn Mawr Avenue
ter @USPSstamps or at http://uspsstamps.com, the Postal
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010-9998
Service’s online site for information on upcoming stamp
After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the
subjects, first-day-of-issue events and other philatelic
Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail.
news.
There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50.
For more than 50, there is a 5-cent charge per postmark. # # #
All orders must be postmarked by May 13, 2014.
Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio,
photo stills and other media resources, visit the
Ordering First-Day Covers USPS Newsroom at http://about.usps.com/news/
welcome.htm.
The Postal Service also offers first-day covers for new
For reporters interested in speaking with a regional
stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items post- Postal Service public relations professional, please
marked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each go to http://about.usps.com/news/media-contacts/
item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the usps-local-media-contacts.pdf.
quarterly USA Philatelic catalog online at http://usps.com/ Follow us on http://twitter.com/USPS and like us at
shop or by calling 800-782-6724. Customers may request a http://facebook.com/USPS. For more information
about the Postal Service, go to http://usps.com and
free catalog by calling 800-782-6724 or writing to:
http://usps.com/postalfacts.
U.S. Postal Service
Catalog Request
PO Box 219014
Kansas City, MO 64121-9014