Military suggestion...off topic

[Roadster90]

This post is certainly off topic, but think of how many folks I can reach with this very worth while message by posting it here....

I belong to a Seabee Organization (my old unit), and I received an email from the group today which included the below:

************************************************************

When doing your Christmas cards this year, take one card and send it to this address: If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards these wonderful special people who have sacrificed so much would get.

A Great Idea ! ! !

When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please

include the following:

A Recovering America soldier

c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center

6900 Georgia Avenue,NW

Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

If you approve of the idea, please pass it on to your e-mail list.

[Rawja]

BOGUS

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

[jonlabree]

Ya, Send the RED CROSS $100.00 and they will make sure that a vet will get a Dollar gift. Some one has to pay the pres. salery of $150,000.00 a year.

IF YOU WANT TO SEND ANYTHING TO A VET GIVE IT TO THE "SALVATION ARMY"!!!!!!

[Roadster90]

Darn, I guess that I am just naive as heck (another word for that is "STUPID"). I certainly can not understand WHY any one would want to do anything adverse/mean to a wounded/disabled veteran....From the script all that is suggested is a simple card and a thank you messsage maybe....not asking for money....

I don't know...below is the whole email...is from an Officer and his wife of the Naval Mobile Construction Battlion Eleven Association

?

[Roadster90]

I never knew about this Snope.com site...unique and useful for sure.

The email is not exactly bogus, but just not acceptable in the world that we live in today. This was someones brainstorm, and was not a good idea as there are those (which a lot of us are naive, and do not realize that there are evil influences everywhere) who would use the gesture and action to harm our disabled veterans....sick but true.

Anyway, this is the second time I have been caught with something like this on the forum...will not be 3 ........ sorry,

Nic

[Lucky91]

Your heart was in the right place Nic...

[unca vinny]

Just because the military says they can't deliver generically addressed cards because someone *might* try to use one to hurt a wounded soldier doesn't necessarily mean that anyone has ever sent anything that would actually do so.

Perhaps someone did something in the past and now they're once bitten and twice shy. Maybe not...

But the military, among other organizations, are capable of imagining that someone *could* do such a thing and they choose to err on the side of caution. Imagine the liability issue for the Army, Red Cross, or whoever if someone put a biohazard substance into an Xmas card and a wounded soldier (or unwounded nurse or doctor) got sick or died due to exposure. Imagine how such a thing might impact recruiting.

It's not like they have spare personnel that can be assigned to checking get well or Xmas cards, although if they did have people assigned to do that it might increase the chances of some jerk sending a letter bomb to a hospital.

If anyone wants to see occasional glimpses into the crazy side of Zero Tolerance programs (usually public school related, but not always), I recommend subscribing to Randy Cassingham's weekly "This is True", delivered to your email box in either Free or Premium version. Premium is supposed to have more stuff, but I've been getting the Free version for a couple of years and it's a Laff Riot every week. You can sign up for free at www.thisistrue.com and try it.

[charlie1]

Wow!

We already placed that address on our Christmas card mailing list. Since I received it from a Vet friend of ours.

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

Here if you want to send cards to our troops send them to:

Any soldier

LSA Anaconda Iraq

APO AE 09391

I just got back from there and I can tell you that we received mail adressed just like this on a regular basis.

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

And thank you for thinking of our millitary members, it truly is apprecitated by all of us

[charlie1]

Is it regular postage Forty One cents?

Thanks

[matthewlawe]

Yes!

Regards,

1989 White/Blue

[Roadster90]

U P D A T E >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

CORRECTESD ADDRESSES:

Thanks to Rocky, I have a correction to the address I sent out a few minutes ago.

Thanks Rocky,

Larry Hagler

(512) 267-8873

mcb11@earthlink.net

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Rocky [mailto:brorat2@cox.net]

Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2007 10:39 AM

To: 'Larry & Liz Hagler'

Subject: RE: Christmas Card Suggestion

Larry and Liz, Walter Reed and Bethesda will not distribute the cards if addressed in this manner. The way they want them is as follows:

Cards to Recovering Troops

American Red Cross

c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center

6900 Georgia Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C. 20307-5001

Also

American Red Cross

c/o Bethesda Naval Hospital

8901 Wisconsin Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C. 20814

Frank "Rocky" Ray

HMC, USN, Retired

MCB-11 1958 - 1961

100% Disabled Vietnam Veteran

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Larry & Liz Hagler [mailto:lhagler475@earthlink.net]

Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:28 AM

To: mcb11@earthlink.net

Subject: Christmas Card Suggestion

When doing your Christmas cards this year, take one card and send it to

this address.

If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards

these wonderful special people who have sacrificed so much would get.

A Great Idea!!!

When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please

include the following:

A Recovering American soldier

c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center

6900 Georgia Avenue,NW

Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

If you approve of the idea, please pass it on to your e-mail list.

Larry & Liz Hagler

(512) 267-8873

lhagler475@earthlink.net

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[charlie1]

I just read the BOGUS address in my church bulletin.

Such a shame these things get started.

[Guest MauiWowee]

Update to an excellent thought:

Update: 6th December 2007

As noted above, cards addressed generically to "A Recovering American soldier" care of Walter Reed, will not be delivered. However, on 5th December 2007, the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes announced an initiative that allows people to send greeting cards and messages to soldiers via the Red Cross. The following press release provides details of this new initiative:

America's wounded soldiers are always grateful for supportive cards and notes – especially during the holiday season.

This season, communities across America 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 between the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Inc.

With the support of the Department of Defense, Walter Reed Army Medical Center and with help from Pitney Bowes Government Solutions, the American Red Cross will collect, review and disseminate holiday greeting cards to wounded military personnel. For security reasons, the Red Cross will only be able to accept holiday cards, not packages. Red Cross volunteers will receive and bundle the cards to be shipped by Pitney Bowes Government Solutions. Then, Red Cross volunteers at military medical facilities will distribute the cards to patients and their families in time for the holidays.

"So many Americans want to show their support and gratitude by reaching out to wounded service members at Walter Reed and other medical centers during the holiday season," said Neal Denton, American Red Cross Senior Vice President for Service to the Armed Forces. "With the support of the Department of Defense, Walter Reed leadership and Pitney Bowes, we can bring a little cheer to those soldiers," added Denton.

"It is an honor to provide this small measure of comfort at holiday time to those who have sacrificed so much," said Pitney Bowes President and CEO Murray Martin. "We want to make it as easy as possible for all Americans to show their appreciation to the men and women who serve this nation so proudly and selflessly."

Holiday cards should be addressed to:

We Support You During Your Recovery!

c/o American Red Cross

PO Box 419

Savage, MD 20763-0419

Be sure to affix adequate postage. Cards must be received no later than December 27. Cards received after this date will be returned to sender. Senders are reminded that “care packages” are not part of the program. Cards and notes only – and please refrain from using glitter or any other inserts that would not be appropriate in a hospital environment.

[Guest TommyH]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 63viking</div><div class="ubbcode-body">salery of $150,000.00 a year.

</div></div>

I thought she made $450,000.

[Guest TommyH]

And the prez of the salvation army makes slighty more than minimum wage.