www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Christmas Cards for Wounded Vets

Hi Everybody (in the U.S.),

Please consider helping a wounded vet this Christmas. As you are sending out your Christmas cards, please consider sending one or two cards to wounded vets who are recovering in our nation's military hospitals.

Please also consider including a phone card inside your Christmas card. The U.S. government does not pay for long distance telephone calls by wounded vets. A phone card would enable a wounded vet to call home for the holidays. The card can be for any length, but a 1/2 hour is a nice minimum.

If you choose to do this, please remember to make your Christmas card "nondenominational" because vets come from a variety of religious backgrounds. Please send one to each address: one for Army vets and one for Marine vets.

It isn�t about politics. It isn�t about whether you are for or against the war. This is about showing a measure of gratitude to the men and women who were wounded serving our country.

Thank you for considering this.

-- John




ARMY VETS

MEDFAC (Medical Family Assistance Center)
Walter Reed Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Building 2, Third Floor, Room 3E01
Washington, DC 20307-5001


MARINE VETS

Naval Marine Corps Relief Center
National Naval Medical Center
8901 Wisconsin Ave
Building 8, Floor 2, Room: 2189
Bethesda, MD 20889

I sent cards last year, and will do so again. thanx for your ministry.
Much Love,
Jonn
son of a Marine combat veteran

Are these cards going to be screened at these addresses? I read multiple articles that these mass-mailed cards were unopened and thrown away because of fears of chem-bio weapons. Some of the Congressman and Senators are accepting mail for the soldiers at the Capitol, which will be screened by Capitol USPS mail screeners, and then delivered to hospitals and elsewhere.

No. Other articles have indicated that the facilities do not have the manpower to screen them.

The concerns are both for attacks (e.g., anthrax) and hostility (e.g., "Die Baby Killer").

It would be great if we had a way to do this, though.

The Christmas cards do get through. The Postal Service has facilities to detect mail that carries biological or other threats. Just go ahead and send them, and may God bless you.

-- John

There seem to be ways to send them, but just sending them won't work at many places. The post office delivering them isn't enough.

ABC Story [abc4.com]

General google list of articles [news.google.com]

And the Red Cross seems to be accepting, screening, and delivering:

Red Cross article [kidk.com]


so send, but check that where you're sending actually works!

A.M.D.G.

hawk

Hawk, thank you for that post; it was actually useful.

He's right, and my original post was WRONG. Disregard it. I apologize.

If you want to send a card to a wounded vet, please check out the message at Walter Reed's website:
http://www.wramc.amedd.army.mil/Lists/WRNews/DispForm.aspx?Id=31&

Better yet, check out http://www.americasupportsyou.com/americasupportsyou/help.html
It was posted by Bethesda Naval Hospital's website. It has links to organizations that are authorized to help vets, including wounded vets.

Again, my apologies.

-- John