Saudi Sand Sent Home by Soldiers Messing Up U.S. Postal Machines

CENTRAL SAUDI ARABIA —  The U.S. Postal Service may not stop for rain, snow or dark of night, but Sgt. Michael Bragg says American troops have come up with something that is certainly slowing the mail down--letters filled with Saudi Arabian sand.

“They are sending it and it’s messing up our machines,” Bragg said today. “The sand comes out of the letters in leaks and it gets into our (postage stamp) canceling machines and they get bogged down by the sand.”

Bragg, who sorts mail for U.S. forces participating in Operation Desert Shield, said sand-filled letters have caused the canceling machines to break down several times, and on one occasion postal workers had to resort to stamping mail by hand because both machines were out of order.

“There’s nothing wrong with sending sand, but they’ve got to put it in boxes and mark it because that’s merchandise and it needs a customs tag,” added Sgt. Thomas Brown, another postal worker. “You just can’t seal it in an envelope and send it . . . “

Bragg said he’s not sure exactly why so many soldiers are trying to ship Saudi sand back to the United States, but it has become a popular pastime. Some soldiers try to get field rations with a tiny bottle of Tabasco sauce inside so they can fill the miniature container with sand.