Email flier says Christmas cards can be sent to wounded servicemen and women at Walter Reed Army Medical Center by addressing them to 'A Recovering American Soldier.'
Description: Email flier
Circulating since: Oct. 2007
Status: False (as written)
Email example contributed by Cindi B., Oct. 30, 2007:
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. 20307-5001If you approve of the idea, please pass it on to your e-mail list.
Comments: Not quite true. One of the consequences of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 is that the U.S. Postal Service will no longer deliver mail addressed to "Any Service Member," "A Recovering American Soldier," or any similar generic addressee.
This is to protect the safety of American servicemen and women. Likewise, according to a statement dated November 8, 2007, the Walter Reed Army Medical Center will not accept such mail at its facility (though mail addressed to specific individuals will still go through).
The Army recommends instead making donations to one of the nonprofit organizations dedicated to supporting the troops and their families listed at www.ourmilitary.mil, or to the American Red Cross.
Update: The American Red Cross has announced a program to facilitate the collection and distribution of holiday greeting cards for wounded and recovering military personnel at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and other facilities through December 7, 2009. It's called "Holiday Mail for Heroes."
Please note: no packages or inserts of any kind will be accepted due to security concerns, but cards and notes to hospitalized servicemen and women may be sent to the following address:
Holiday Mail for Heroes
PO Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456
For further details visit the Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes website.
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Sources and further reading:
Mail to 'Any Soldier' Is Returned or Tossed
Associated Press, 12 December 2007Program Sends Holiday Cards to Troops
Associated Press, 12 November 2008Holiday Mail for Heroes
Associated Press, 11 November 2009
Last updated: 11/25/09
