Letter: USPS gives veterans jobs

As a veteran who proudly served my country, I want to remind our elected leaders that veterans deserve more than recognition on Veteran’s Day. 

Like all Americans, we need good jobs in our communities. We need good health care and we need good job opportunities. 

Some employers understand this and make hiring veterans a priority. The U.S. Postal Service is among the best. In the USPS veterans make up more than 20 percent of the Postal Service workforce. This gives veterans the chance to have a good union job after the sacrifices we have made, and to take care of our families and to continue to give back to the communities we live in.

The fact is these job opportunities won’t be around long if some politicians and big corporations get their way. Organizations lare using their influence to press our government to sell off and privatize the people's Postal Service and that will hurt veteran employment. 

Private corporations will never deliver mail to the 157 million addresses that the Postal Service does six, and sometimes seven days a week. Private corporations will look to provide service in areas where a quick buck can be made. That would leave millions of Americans, particularly those in our rural areas without postal services and veterans like me out of a job and out of luck.

We need to put a stop to this terrible idea today. 

To all our elected leaders: Keep the U.S. Postal Service operating as it is, owned by the people, providing universal service to all the American people, keeping in mind we do it all without costing the taxpayers a dime. We ask that all our elected leaders do all they can to keep your promises to America’s veterans. 

Roscoe Woods
US Army 1983-1987
30 Year Postal Employee