Christmas Cards For “Any” Wounded Soldier - UPDATE
MichaelW on Dec 10 2007 at 2:59 pm | Filed under: MichaelW's Page, Military Matters
This is a follow-up post including new information for those who wish to send mail, gifts, care packages, etc. to wounded and covering soldiers.
About a month ago Keith drew our attention to a popular, yet erroneous, email floating around that encouraged people to send Christmas cards to “any wounded soldier”.
Recently an email similar to the following was sent around. I contacted the Public Affairs officer at Walter Reed to check on this, because I’ve heard for a few years that they do not accept anonymous cards or packages.
As it turns out, for security reasons the mail and packages cannot be delivered to unnamed people:
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.
In the comments to Keith’s post, John Miska was kind enough to leave some contact information so that such packages can be delivered.
VFW Post 8208, PO Box 653, Ruckersville VA 22968 will be happy to deliver Cards, Letters, Gifts and donations to our wounded troops at all the DC area Hospitals.
See www.adoptasoldier.us or http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6163463Bigjohn
John Miska CDR
VFW Post 8208
PH 4347601940
Thanks to John, and to any and all of you thinking about our troops this holiday season.
Technorati Tags: Christmas, cards, wounded soldiers, care packages, any wounded soldier, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, VFW
UPDATE:
John left more info in the comment of this post.
VFW Post 8208, with the assistance of Ladies Auxiliary VFW 3150, is raising funds to supply each kitchenette in Abrams Hall and The Mologne House at WRAMC with all of the basic kitchen accoutrements. This effort is to benefit our wounded troops being housed there. There are 170 rooms with kitchenettes that are not supplied with these basic items by the military.
Items that will be purchased will include pots and pans, plates, bowls, coffee mugs, glasses, silverware, cooking utensils, basic spices, coffee pot, toaster, strainer, mixing bowl, dish towels etc.
We are asking for monetary donations only as we wish to outfit each kitchen identically and set up a volume purchase with a suitable vendor. Any funds in excess of this need will be used for the Post 8208 Walter Reed Relief Fund.
For further information contact John Miska CDR, VFW Post 8208, [email protected]
Donations should be made out to Ladies Auxiliary VFW 3150,
Earmarked Abrams Hall Fund and sent to:
Ladies Aux VFW 3150
2116 N. 19th St.
Arlington, VA 22209.With us support is a 24/7/365
The Red Cross is also accepting Holiday Cards for wounded service members.
http://www.redcross.org/flash/leadership/cardstosoldiers.html
Mail Holiday Cards to Wounded Service Members
This holiday season, you are invited to mail holiday greeting cards along with personal messages of support to wounded service members at military hospitals around the country, through a unique partnership among the American Red Cross, Pitney Bowes Inc., the Department of Defense and Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Please address your holiday cards to:
We Support You During Your Recovery!
c/o American Red Cross
P.O. Box 419
Savage, MD 20763-0419Be sure to affix adequate postage when mailing to the Red Cross. Multiple cards without envelopes may be placed in one mailing envelope or a box that includes a return address. Holiday cards must be received no later than December 27. Cards received after this date will be returned to the sender.
DO NOT send “care packages” as they cannot be accepted. Send only holiday cards.
3 Responses to “Christmas Cards For “Any” Wounded Soldier - UPDATE”
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VFW Post 8208, with the assistance of Ladies Auxiliary VFW 3150, is raising funds to supply each kitchenette in Abrams Hall and The Mologne House at WRAMC with all of the basic kitchen accoutrements. This effort is to benefit our wounded troops being housed there. There are 170 rooms with kitchenettes that are not supplied with these basic items by the military.
Items that will be purchased will include pots and pans, plates, bowls, coffee mugs, glasses, silverware, cooking utensils, basic spices, coffee pot, toaster, strainer, mixing bowl, dish towels etc.
We are asking for monetary donations only as we wish to outfit each kitchen identically and set up a volume purchase with a suitable vendor. Any funds in excess of this need will be used for the Post 8208 Walter Reed Relief Fund.
For further information contact John Miska CDR, VFW Post 8208,
Donations should be made out to Ladies Auxiliary VFW 3150,
Earmarked Abrams Hall Fund and sent to:
Ladies Aux VFW 3150
2116 N. 19th St.
Arlington, VA 22209.
With us support is a 24/7/365
We here at the VFW WILL accept Care Packages. Send to same address as cards!
VFW Post 8208
PO Box 653
Ruckersville VA 22968
I am an Army mom and retired Army wife. For 6 yrs now campaigns have been set up across the US for schools and people to send these letters. Now, no one has informed the public to stop this and they are wasting their money on stamps. I can understand the logistics prblems, but the public needs to be informed majorly not minorly. It needs to be brought to media attention. Senior Centers , schools, and churches across the US are losing money then Thank you.