SUPPORTING THE TROOPS. With the holidays imminent, Americans again are asking what they can do to support servicemen and women, especially those overseas. Just like last year, "Any Service Member" mail currently is prohibited due to safety concerns, but customers and employees have other options for supporting our troops, according to the Department of Defense.

Online, send an e-mail greeting through www.OperationDearAbby.net, sign a virtual thank-you card at www.defendamerica.mil, or donate a calling card to help service members keep in touch with their families through Operation Uplink at www.operationuplink.org. The Department of Defense also recommends volunteering at veterans hospitals or other military support organizations.

SAFETY FIRST. USPS is turning to high-tech machinery to protect customers and employees from exposure to bio-hazardous materials and to combat potential biological threats to the mail. In addition to the current irradiation of mail delivered to the federal government, USPS plans next year to install detection and filtration equipment at several postal sites across the country.

The new Biological Detection System (BDS) air-sampling equipment uses a technique that duplicates DNA to detect biological threats. Already pilot-tested at the Baltimore P&DC, BDS will be installed in 14 pre-production sites in early 2003.

Also in the USPS anti-terror arsenal are ventilation and filtration systems (VFSs) that minimize employee exposure to bio-threats. Recently tested on mail-processing equipment at the Northern Virginia and Dulles, VA, P&DCs, VFS will come to the Cleveland, OH, P&DC in January.

Other high-tech options include capture and archiving mailpiece images, containment systems for collection boxes and video recordings of post office retail transactions. Internationally, USPS is working with U.S. Customs officials on radiation detectors that would screen mail and packages entering the United States.