Holiday Cards to Wounded and Recovering Soldiers

Walter Reed Army Medical Center ^

[Lady J USA 1981]

Holiday Cards to Wounded and Recovering Soldiers

Walter Reed Army Medical Center officials want to remind those individuals who want to show their appreciation through mail to include packages, letters, and holiday cards addressed to 'Any Wounded Soldier' or 'A Recovering American Soldier' that Walter Reed cannot accept these packages in support of the decision by then Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Transportation Policy in 2001. This decision was made to ensure the safety and well being of patients and staff at medical centers throughout the Department of Defense.

In addition, the U.S. Postal Service is no longer accepting "Any Service Member" or "A Recovering American Soldier" letters or packages. Mail to "Any Service Member" that is deposited into a collection box will not be delivered.

Instead of sending an “Any Wounded Soldier” letter or package to Walter Reed, please consider making a donation to one of the more than 300 nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping our troops and their families listed on the "America Supports You" website,

www.americasupportsyou.mil

Other organizations that offer means of showing your support for our troops or assist wounded servicemembers and their families include:

http://www.usocares.org/ http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/tooursoldiers/ http://www.redcross.org

For individuals without computer access, your local military installation, the local National Guard or military reserve unit in your area may offer the best alternative to show your support to our returning troops and their families. Walter Reed Army Medical Center will continue to receive process and deliver all mail that is addressed to a specific individual.

As Walter Reed continues to enhance the medical care and processes for our returning service members, it must also must keep our patients and staff members safe while following Department of Defense policy. The outpouring of encouragement from the general public, corporate America and civic groups throughout the past year has been incredible. Our Warriors in Transition are amazed at the thanks and support they receive from their countrymen.

[listenhillary]

Thanks for posting a thread. I bounced this back to the email list that sent me the email that suggested sending cards.

[KEmom]

I had received an e-mail to send Christmas Cards to “a Wounded Soldier”. I had confirmed the address of the Walter Reed Army Med Ctr on their web site but had not seen this notice. Thanks for sharing!!

[murron]

You can check in into this if you want, but a friend of mine sent me an e-mail asking for Christmas cards be sent to Walter Reed, and then he sent me a follow-up saying that Walter Reed is asking that we DON’T send cards because they don’t have the capabilities of handling the enormous amounts that would be sent. If I can find the follow-up e-mail he sent, I’ll post the information.

[murron]

Here is the letter that my friend forwarded to me:

Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Public Affairs Office
Washington, D.C. 20307-5001
(202) 782-7177
Release No. _____
Date ____________
For Immediate Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Walter Reed Army Medical Center continues to be overwhelmed from the tens of thousands of Americans showing their support to our Wounded Warriors here in the form of cards, letters, care packages and more. However, this patriotic level of support has not only heightened security concerns but has also increased administrative burden, drained resources and limited other functions. Therefore, the medical center is phasing out its ‘To Any Wounded Soldier’ mail program. It is instituting a more effective alternative for such American generosity.
Whether individuals or groups want to send a care package to a soldier, donate airline miles to help reunite returning military men and women with their families, support scholarship funds or send support to wounded service members, the organizations listed below that are dedicated to helping soldiers and their families.
http://www.americasupportsyou.mil
http://www.defendamerica.mil/support_troops.html
http://www.usocares.org/src/uso_donate.htm
http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/tooursoldiers/
http://www.redcross.org
For individuals without computer access, the local National Guard or military reserve unit may offer the best alternative to mailing packages to Walter Reed. In order to phase out the ‘To Any Wounded Soldier’ mail program and promote this more effective alternative, notifications are being sent to civic groups, news media outlets and community leaders.
“Our patients, military and civilian staff members and hospital leaders appreciate everything the general public has done to support our Soldiers,” said Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman, commanding general of Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the North Atlantic Regional Medical Command. “This generosity is truly the embodiment of the American spirit.”
Walter Reed has treated 5,400 patients from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom since the Global War on Terror began, 1,730 of whom have been battle casualties.
# # #

[Thank You Rush]

“”but has also increased administrative burden, drained resources and limited other functions.”

“”Therefore, the medical center is phasing out its ‘To Any Wounded Soldier’ mail program.””

So in spite of the DOD regulation, they have been accepting mail to non specific recipients?

[SandRat]

Pease use the links above to send your Christmas Greetings to the Troops.

[HiJinx]

I bounced this back to the email list that sent me the email that

Some of the folks who are at WRAMC every Friday night may have some information on how to get cards to the troops recovering there.

And, as the letter says, you can always check out the groups affiliated with America Supports You. There are many fine organizations there who support our troops in a myriad of ways - with phone cards, care packages, homefront help, help to deployed troops, job placement - you name it, someone is doing it.

Shameless plug for my organization...we send Care Packages.

[HiJinx]

So in spite of the DOD regulation, they have been accepting mail to non specific recipients?

I don't believe they have, no. I think they stopped when DoD said to, and posted the information that makes up this post at that time. The e-mails going around are probably re-treads from Christmases past.

[bigjohnmiska]

VFW Post 8208, POBox 653,Ruckersville VA 22968 will be happy to deliver gifts cards etc to the wounded troops.
Bigjohn

John Miska CDR VFW Post 8208

SEE http://www.snopes.com/politics/christmas/soldiercards.asp

[HiJinx]

BUMP!!

Thanks, John - you guys are alright.

(VFW Post 9972, here)

[perryb]

I understand how the DOD is concerned about patient safety,
but it is not right for them to not deliver the letters. Many people are very upset that all their letters are returned or not delivered. Stamps are not cheap any more. They should have someone taking care of these letters.