Hello fellow gatherers:
I'm sorry to say that after indepth checking, it appears that this year we cannot send cards to "any wounded soldier". Below is the statement regarding that. I apologize for any confusion my earlier article regarding sending cards may have posed to anyone.
Pam
Here is a statement posted on Walter Reed's Web Page:
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.
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Comments: 10
very sad world we live in.
We need to make up our minds one way or another for the sake of our military personnel.
From the website:
You select one or more soldiers from the Where to Send page. You will notice the Soldier's address includes the line, "ATTN: Any Soldier" . The Soldiers are volunteers for this effort, they will see the "Attn" line, and will put your letters and packages into the hands of Soldiers who don't get much or any mail. This effort is 110% voluntary.
We provide help on the What to Send and How to Send pages.
You send your support, and maybe some stuff, directly to whatever unit or units you want, you don't send us anything. PLEASE read the entire web site before you send anything as we want you to be informed and comfortable with this effort.
This group uses specific service members who have volunteered to be the "contact name" for mail and care packages. They receive the mail/care package and make sure it gets to any soldier in their unit that receives little or no mail. They also have links to associated sites that also provide support to these people.
There is also another site called Operation First Response
From their Mission Statement : The Mission of Operation First Response, Inc (OFR) is to support our nation's wounded Heroes and their families with personal and financial needs.
Please forgive my hijacking your article but it seemed like a good place to share this information.