The 'kick the mail off' nonsense was going on some years ago when I had a short 5 week sentence in HQ Fuerza Aerea Malvinas. The main reason being that the effects of forecast pressure and temperature had been miscalculated, leading to an overly optimistic ZFW being planned by the muppetry. Come the day and the crew realise that the RTOW is limiting, the fuel has to stay but the ZFW has to be reduced. Last thing on is first thing off - and that's the mail. This happened 3 times in a row just before Christmas; until you've seen the effect on morale which that causes, you can STFU about mail contracts etc!
But the visiting MPs and wheels on fishing trips who inevitably appear just before Christmas when the weather is at its least awful cause nothing but angst. You never see them in the depths of the S Atlantic winter, only around Christmas time whe they think that their presence is somehow going to 'cheer up the troops'.... So it's yet another rentacrowd dinner in the Deathstar, standing around your unit whilst inane questions are asked "Boots fit?" Yes "Food OK?" Outstandingly good "Mail getting through" No - some timewaster and his entourage coming here meant that it had to be kicked off the TriShaw - yet again! "Hmm, must move on, so many people to see......"