The U.S. Postal Service highlights its long and proud history of ensuring a vital connection between American service members and their loved ones back home. From the battlefields of the Revolutionary War to modern-day global operations, the mission to deliver mail to the military has remained a cornerstone of U.S. postal history and a crucial morale booster. “Ever since George Washington and Benjamin Franklin were appointed to lead the Army and the Post Office, we’ve had a strong partnership built on service to the American people,” said USPS Historian Steve Kochersperger. “When away from home, to get a handwritten card or letter that was in the hands of your loved one just a few days before, maybe it even has a smear of lipstick or a scent of their perfume — no email can do that.” The tradition of supporting military mail runs deep. During the Civil War, the Post Office Department coordinated with the U.S. Army to organize mail flow, recognizing its immense value in maintaining troop morale. A “Soldier's Letter” program was introduced that allowed soldiers to send letters without stamps, with payment collected from the recipient, ensuring communication was not hindered by lack of postage. In addition, postal money orders allowed soldiers to securely send money back home, and absentee ballots allowed them to cast their votes from distant battlefields.

Americans’ outlook about the economy improved somewhat in June as moderating gas prices brought some relief to inflation-weary consumers. The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index ticked up by 0.6 points to 91.2, in June, up from a downwardly revised 90.6 in May but below its year-ago reading of 95.2. “Consumer confidence inched up in June as falling oil prices in recent weeks provided some relief to consumer inflation fears,” said Dana M Peterson, chief economist, The Conference Board. Perceptions of the current labor market softened measurably in June as the percentage of consumers saying jobs were ‘hard to get’ rose to 22.5%, the highest level since January 2021 (22.8%).

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