Holiday Cards for Wounded/Recovering Soliders

As the holiday seasons nears I start receiving email about the community's effort to support wounded or recovering soldiers. Before the heightened need for domestic security, families could address extra holiday cards to "Any Wounded Soldier" or "Any Recovering Soldier" and mail them off to Walter Reed and other military facilities, this is no longer an option.

Cards sent to "A Recovering American soldier" or similar will not be accepted by Walter Reed Army Medical Center and no soldiers will receive them.

There are, however, programs where cards can be sent. The American Red Cross has stepped in and started a Holiday Mail for Hero's program. Please reference the article below. It also includes a link to the Walter Reed website (where the article was published) and the correct address to mail your holiday cards to.

~~

The American Red Cross is sponsoring a national "Holiday Mail for Heroes" campaign to receive and distribute holiday cards to servicemembers and veterans both in the United States and abroad.

Holiday Mail for Heroes, which began Tuesday, Veterans Day, is a follow-up to the 2007 effort that resulted in the collection and distribution of more than 600,000 cards to hospitalized servicemembers. This year's program will expand its reach to not only wounded servicemembers but also veterans and their families. The goal is to collect and distribute 1 million pieces of holiday mail.

"As we enter this holiday season-a time to celebrate with family and friends-it's important to remember the thousands of men and women who serve our nation in harm's way and those who are recovering in military and veterans hospitals," said Army Col. Norvell V. Coots, commander, Walter Reed Health Care System. "The Holiday Mail for Heroes program is a wonderful outreach effort and a great way to acknowledge the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform."

Holiday cards should be mailed to:
Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD. 20791-5456

All cards must be postmarked no later than Dec. 10. Cards should not be mailed or delivered to Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

For more information, visit www.wramc.amedd.army.mil or www.redcross.org/holidaymail for Holiday Mail for Heroes program guidelines.Walter Reed is not accepting mail addressed to "A Recovering American Soldier."

Click for the original article, found on Walter Reed Army Medical Center's Website