Holiday greetings to the troops at WRAMC

[mike-munich]

I just received this from a friend stateside. I though some of you might be interested.

Stay safe, God bless.

Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2006 3:58 PM
To: DL - USASOC G-3 (Operations)
Subject: Holiday Greetings to our Troops at Walter Reed Army Medical
Center (UNCLASSIFIED)
Importance: High



Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

This could be a nice activity for the children at the units Christmas
party, or something to add to an FRG newsletter.

The holiday season is a nice time to remember family and friends. It is
also a good time to give thanks for all the freedoms we have due to the
courageous men and women who serve in our great military. If you would
like to bring some holiday spirit to a Wounded Warrior at Walter Reed
Army Medical Center, you may send to the following address. A holiday
card with a short note thanking them for their service and personal
sacrfices will go a long way. Your act of kindness will never be
forgotten.


A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20307-5001

[Gypsy]

Thanks for passing this info along.

[mike-munich]

My pleasure Sir ! I´ll be mailing a couple of Christmas cards from Germany this week so they´ll get there in time.

[Gypsy]

I'm sure that will be much appreciated Mike.

Oh....and please don't call me Sir!






Mostly because I'm a female. :D ;)

[x SF med]

Hey, Gypsy lady! Are you sure you're not a Sir? Huh? (and the wrath of God fell down upon him):rolleyes:

[Gypsy]

Pretty sure, after all...I do work for a living. :p

[mffjm8509]

Thanks for this note Mike.

I get over to Walter Reed to visit our wounded about once a month......and really that isnt enough.

Let me say this, our boys have cards, letters, and pictures plastered on the walls of thier rooms. I always leave with a lifted feeling as thier spirits are so high.

Most of us remember getting care packages while deployed. These kids are no different. We shouldnt forget them at this time of year.

mp

[Gypsy]

mffjm8509 I received this list of wish list items, are you aware of other things that they might need/enjoy? I was thinking of items such as toothpaste, mouthwash etc. as well.


WISH LIST FOLLOWS (Please, no used items or money.):

1. Prepackaged candy, cookies, and crackers (no homemade)

2. Weight lifting gloves (for wheelchair patients - and there are many of them)

3. Pillows stuffed with polystyrene beads (very soft)

4. Postage Stamps

5. Pre-Paid Phone Cards (120 Minute and up)

6. Flannel Pajamas

7. Shoes (size 9-12)

8. Sweatshirts / Jackets (zipped & hooded)

9. Break-away trousers (snaps or zips along legs)

10. Coats & Jackets (cold weather)

11. Gloves (cold weather)

12. Scarves (cold weather)

13. Backpacks (all black with single strap across the chest)

14. Carry-on size luggage (with wheels if possible)

15. Electric Razors

16. Umbrellas

17. Credit Cards, Prepaid (Gas, Gift cards & Food for Giant & Safeway nearby)

18. Portable DVD Players

19. DVDs -Action to Comedy (use common sense as far as content and subject)

20. Portable CD Players and CD’s

[mffjm8509]

Gypsy,

All of those items sound good, and many of them look like items i've seen the boys with or wearing.

We've got 2 LNOs over there that work specifically for USASOC taking care of our boys and thier families.

I've got an RFI out to them for similar information, whats needed/wanted, and what can we provide to help share the holidays with our boys that can't go home for Christmas.

I'll share anything I get back from Walter Reed when it comes in.

Nothing can take the place of your time. Our guys appreciate it when we stop by and just hang out. So do thier families. Its no different than sitting in a Team Room, they just want to share thier stories and be around others from the Regiment. If you are in the area and have the time, let me know and Stu and I will go over with you.

mp

[mike-munich]

I'm sure that will be much appreciated Mike.
Oh....and please don't call me Sir!
Mostly because I'm a female. :D ;)

Oops, sorry Ma´am. :D

Oh, that´s right, you work for a living, so no "Ma´am" either. :p

Gypsy, I think the guys like car magazines as well.

It´s a darn shame that I can´t mail food to the US, I´d send them German christmas cookies and ginger bread.

[Gypsy]

mffjm8509, thanks for your response and offer. If I find myself in the area in the future I'll definitely let you know...it would be an honor to visit.

Mike, no worries. ;)

[mike-munich]

Mike, no worries

Gypsy, never ! :cool:

[Beach Bum]

What is required as far as identification of the sender? I have purchased items to send down on Monday and would like to know what I need to include about myself in the package. If I send cards do they require that a return address be placed on the envelope? Thanks for the help!

[Gypsy]

Beach Bum, whenever I've sent anything I do include my full return address, and always write a letter or a note inside of a card...makes things more personal.

[Dan]

Recieved this update email:

Last week, a test message was sent to members of all of our mailing lists. Included in the test message was a Stars & Stripes article which requested donations for wounded soldiers at Walter Reed. Well, it appears that the folks at Walter Reed have been overwhelmed by donations and can no longer accept them (see new S&S article below). Many thanks to mailing list members who participated in this program.

Hope all of our mailing list members have a very Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and a wonderful Holiday Season.

Thank you,


Milton Bell
Listserver Mgr

P.S. Please let me know if you receive duplicate copies of this message or want to get off any of our mailing list(s).

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


Walter Reed Stops Accepting 'Any Wounded Soldier' Gifts.
Packages Sent To Specific Individuals Will Still Be Delivered

By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Sunday, December 10, 2006


WASHINGTON - Officials at Walter Reed Army Medical Center will stop accepting anonymous holiday gifts and cards for wounded patients there, citing administrative costs and security concerns.

All packages and cards delivered to "any wounded soldier" at the medical campus will be returned to their senders with a note explaining the program change and suggesting other charities. The change was enacted in the past week.

Packages sent to specific patients won´t be affected.

Center spokesman Terry Goodman said officials appreciate the donations, but staff simply cannot handle the distribution and monitoring of the packages. Last December, the hospital received more than 500,000 holiday packages and cards.

"A lot of that was not able to be delivered to the troops until weeks after the holidays," he said. "It´s just too overwhelming."

Goodman said officials believe donors will understand the security and logistical reasons behind the decision, and hope it will not affect their generosity. Program administrators are speaking with local charities about receiving some holiday donations for the wounded patients, but no decisions have been made.

The center´s medical family assistance center will still distribute some donations both with patients in Washington and at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, he said.

Meanwhile, officials have offered a list of Web sites of other charities where donors can send their gifts:

o America Supports You charities: http://www.americasupportsyou.mil o The USO: http://www.usocares.org/src/uso_donate.htm
o To Our Soldiers: http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/tooursoldiers
o The Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org

Rules of what can and cannot be donated vary depending on the organization.

Maj. Gen. George Weightman, commanding general of the medical center, in a statement said the hospital staffers "appreciate everything the general public has done to support our soldiers."

Walter Reed has treated more than 5,400 patients from Iraq and Afghanistan over the last five years, about 1,700 of whom have been battle casualties.

[letinsh]

I live in Austin and it's a short drive to Brooke Army Med. Center at Fort Sam. Do the same procedures apply for visiting soldiers down here as well?