Postage Stamp Closer to Reality

By Deone Roberts, AU Sport Development

In addition to working with members at the local level to promote the sport, your AU national office continues to identify unique ways to market the national organization. This includes the request for a pigeon postage stamp from the Unites States Postal Service.

Having a pigeon stamp issued would certainly show the support of our federal government. What a great opportunity to raise positive public awareness, which is always helpful with ordinance issues and gaining support of local lawmakers.

In 2003, the American Racing Pigeon Union reported that an application for a federal postage stamp had been submitted to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, focusing on wartime service.

Each year the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee receives over 55,000 applications for postage stamps. Because of the heavy volume, the committee does not provide status of the applications; however, the AU has learned that the stamp application for Homing Pigeons is under consideration. 

To illustrate the success for consideration to this point, 20,000 applications that did meet the criteria were rejected. The wartime pigeons application is in a group of only 500 under consideration for future issuance. 

What is necessary to encourage issuance is communication from the public that they are interested in the stamp.

The committee has ample material and utilizes a research firm if additional information is required.

“Members have an opportunity to share in this promotional activity. If all fanciers let their desire for the issuance of a postage stamp be known, we will be one step closer to seeing this become a reality,” said Frank Greenhall, AU President.

Now it is up to us to make this come about. The committee wants to know that the public is interested in seeing this stamp issue.

Act now! Write a letter indicating your interest.

Sample letter:

The Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee
United States Postal Service
1735 N. Lynn St., Suite 5013
Arlington, VA 22209-6432

RE: War Pigeons Stamp Application

I would like to encourage the issuance of a postage stamp commemorating our feathered wartime hero, the Homing Pigeon.

[Insert a brief paragraph about your personal experience with the birds and their importance.]

Pigeons served alongside our military in World Wars I and II, the Korean War and the war in Iraq. I urge you to think about how important the pigeon has been to this country when considering issuance of a commemorative postage stamp.

Sincerely,

______________________