'Any Soldier' mail not deliverable

By DELANIA TRIGG, Gainesvville Daily Register Staff Writer

Thinking of sending a greeting card or gift package to an anonymous wounded soldier at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. this Christmas?

Think again.

It may sound like a kind, patriotic gesture, but officials at the medical center said sending anonymous mail to wounded soldiers is not a good idea.

Mail addressed to "any soldier" will not reach Walter Reed's patients.

However, there are ways to support wounded soldiers and other members of the military serving in combat.

"We don't accept "any soldier" mailings for security reasons and because it (the "any soldier" mailings) are against postal regulations," said Cynthia Rohm of the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Center at Walter Reed.

She said a good way to help American soldiers is by visiting the web site americasupportsyou.mil and selecting an organization to support from the dozens listed on the site.

One can also access the Walter Reed Army Medical Center web site for ideas and tips on showing appreciation for wounded soldiers, she said.

"If you go to that web site, www.wramc.amedd.army.mil, you'll see the section called "Warriors in Transition." These are the folks you are trying to assist," Rohm said.

In that segment, the public can read about other programs to support wounded soldiers, she said.

The decision to terminate the "any soldier" card and package program came about after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and was a move initiated by the U.S. Defense Department for security reasons.

The reasons for these changes, Rohm said, are obvious. "Not everybody wishes our soldiers well."

"The "any soldier" mail has security concerns," she said. "We appreciate the support, but there's just other ways to show that support."

Rohm also pointed out that "any soldier" packages clog the facility's complex mail center and can delay receipt of gift packages and letters from friends and family members of recovering soldiers.

There is also another reason the center cannot accept "any soldier" items.

"The U.S. Postal Service does not deliver mail addressed to "any soldier," Rohm noted.

Gilbert Bindle, Quartermaster for VFW Post No. 1922 in Gainesville, said his organization has several outreach efforts for soldiers including some initiatives aimed at assisting wounded military personnel.

There are also local representatives within the VFW who help soldiers and their families in all kinds of different situations, he said.

Veteran's service officers often act as liaisons between the public and patients in military hospitals.

Individuals who would like to support wounded troops may do so by contacting one of dozens of organizations set up to provide assistance to soldiers recovering in active military hospitals.

Wounded soldiers are often sent to several different facilities on their road to recovery.

Judson Perry, the Veteran's Service Officer for Cooke County, said soldiers wounded in war-zones such as Afghanistan or Iraq are usually first sent to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany before being transported to Walter Reed Army Medical Center where they receive medical evaluation, treatment and stabilization.

The goal, Perry said, is to place recovering soldiers in facilities that are as close to the soldier's hometown as possible.

Wounded soldiers are usually sent to active military hospitals for specialized care rather than veteran's medical centers, he said. Brooke Army Medical Center near Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, for instance, is a Texas active military hospital known for its trauma unit.

Perry said like other active military hospitals in the U.S., the center provides top-notch treatment for wounded soldiers, especially burn victims and amputees.

Perry often visits wounded military personnel in hospitals and said veteran's service officers can facilitate correspondence between the public and hospitalized service men and women.

Efforts to support U.S. soldiers are not limited to care package campaigns and wounded soldier initiatives.

Perry's wife Jean said she was touched by displays of appreciation lavished on soldiers arriving in DFW recently.

Jean Perry said when her grandson, an active member of the Armed Forces, arrived at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport recently for 18 days of rest and recuperation, the USO (United Service Organization) and other volunteers were on hand to welcome the troops.

"Volunteers met the soldiers when they came in. They gave (the soldiers) lapel pins with the USO emblem and American flags. They gave out veteran's cards thanking them for serving the country," she said.

Jean Perry said DFW airport has a gate reserved solely for military personnel.

Soldiers are greeted by their friends and family while a quartet provides music in the family meeting area, she said.

Another VFW assistance effort is the Unmet Needs Program.

In honor of Veterans Day and for all active military personnel, "The Rusty Humphries Show," in conjunction with VFW's "The National Defense"and hundreds of radio stations across the country, plan to host a national fundraiser for the VFW Unmet Needs program which provides emergency assistance to military families who face financial burdens, complicated and amplified by a family member's deployment, according to a VFW press release.

"The Rusty Humphries Show" will host the VFW Unmet Needs program radiothon November 8-11. During the 4-day event, listeners will be able to dial toll-free 1-866-437-9283 to donate to the valuable military support program.

Since 2004, the VFW Foundation's Unmet Needs Program, has assisted more than 1, 250 military families by providing them with emergency aid such as mortgage assistance, rent, home repair, vehicle repair and maintenance, medical expenses, groceries, and transportation expenses. Thanks to corporate sponsor Vermont American Power Tool Accessories, 100 percent of all donations go directly to the military families in need.

The foundation provided some examples of the Unmet Needs program at work.

After a wildfire destroyed the home of a Washington soldier, the Unmet Needs Program joined with the local VFW post, community volunteers and businesses to help the family find temporary shelter. Volunteers from the organization also plan to help rebuild the couple's home.

In another example, the wife of a Missouri soldier was struggling to pay her medical bills due to a complicated pregnancy. She also had the burden and financial hardship of caring for a new baby on her own.

The Unmet Needs Program approved a grant to cover the medical expenses and one month of rent to help get the family back on its feet.

To join Rusty Humphries in raising funds for the VFW Unmet Needs Program, call 1-866-437-9283 to make your donation. To donate online, go to VFW Unmetneeds.com.

Click to listen to the VFW's "The National Defense." http://www.townhall.com/TalkRadio/Show.

Judson Perry, the area's Veteran's Service Officer may be contacted at his office in the Cooke County Courthouse, Room B-7 between the hours of 8 a.m. and noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday - Thursday.

He may also be contacted by phone at (940) 668-5436 or via e-mail at veterans@cooke.tx.us or by accessing Cooke County's information web site at www.co.cooke.tx.us.

Cynthia Rohm of Walter Reed Medical Center said the facility encourages and appreciates the public's efforts to support wounded soldiers.

"We're very grateful for that support. We just ask that they (donors) go about it in the correct way," she said.

Also see http://hqdainet.army.mil/mpsa/faqweb.pdf



  

In today's PC environment telling the truth is now considered hate speech 

Last Edited By: sully from OK 11/21/09 12:07 PM. Edited 1 times.