Baker on U.S. Rebuilding Iraq After War

We are the parents of a serviceman with the U.S. forces engaged in Operation Desert Storm. We send him a letter every day and a package every week. With an average small package costing $11-$12 to mail, the total monthly cost is close to $60 for postage. We find this a small price, indeed, for seeing to it that our son gets frequent reminders of our love and support.

But what about the significant proportion of indigent families with relatives in the service? How can they afford $60 a month plus the price of the contents of packages? We feel the least the U.S. Postal Service could do is deliver mail to our armed forces free of charge with perhaps a $15 limit on packages.

This measure should be taken immediately, without the usual bureaucratic red tape. Yellow ribbons and flags are fine--we display them, too--but the best support for our troops is to see to it that no serviceman or woman goes away empty-handed from mail call.

SVEN and EVA WAHLROOS, Granada Hills