Sending Holiday Mail to Wounded Warriors

It's that time of year again, when caring folks wish to send Holiday mail to our Wounded Warriors.

Unfortunately, a number of years ago an email began virally circulating that claimed you could send Holiday cards to 'any wounded servicemember' at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

So, to be clear....NO, YOU CANNOT SEND HOLIDAY CARDS TO 'ANY WOUNDED SERVICEMEMBER' at Walter Reed.

For one thing, Walter Reed Army Medical Center CLOSED in August, and merged with Bethesda Naval Medical Center to become the  Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

For another, it's been quite a few years since  any of the military hospitals acceptedmail addressed to 'any wounded servicemember' .

But, fear not!......thanks to the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes

YOU CAN SEND HOLIDAY MAIL TO WOUNDED WARRIORS THROUGH THE

HOLIDAY MAIL FOR HEROES  program

Send cards to the address below:


Holiday Mail For Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

All cards must be postmarked no later than Friday, December 9th. Cards postmarked after this date will unfortunately be returned to the sender. This deadline ensures enough time to sort and distribute cards before the holidays..

Ensure that all cards are signed.


Use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member.” Cards addressed to specific individuals can not be delivered through this program.

Only cards are being accepted. Do not send letters.

Do not include email or home addresses on the cards, as the program is not meant to foster pen pal relationships.

Do not include inserts of any kind, including photos, as these items will be removed during the reviewing process.

Please refrain from sending holiday cards with glitter. Many of these cards will be delivered to military and veterans medical facilities and the glitter could interfere with a patient’s recovery.

We encourage participants to mail as many cards as they are comfortable sending. If you are mailing a large quantity, please bundle the cards and place them in large mailing envelopes or use a flat rate box from the post office. Each card does not need its own envelope, as cards will be removed from all envelopes before distribution




Hope this helps you get your Holiday Mail on the way!! and Bless you, for wishing to send Holiday Wishes to our Wounded Warriors.

Thank you!! again this year, to Red Cross and Pitney Bowes.

Think Christmas:)

Aunty Brat  posts the Christmas 2011 Military Mailing deadlines

and Off the Base passes on the word about Military Family Ministries 'Stockings for the Troops'

Operation Christmas Cards has their info Here on how to send cards to the Troops

Soldiers Angels has 6 Months of Christmas-Cards & Letters  and
the Holiday Card Project 2011

and Wreaths Across America Day will be Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011

and, of course, please don't forget the Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes program, to send cards to recovering wounded soldiers.

Spread the word, won't you?  and if I've missed posting something here, or you wish to pass on about any other Christmas/Holiday programs to support the troops? please leave a comment or send me an email .

Holiday Shipping dates for Deployed Troops, and "Holiday Mail For Heroes" for Wounded Troops

Blackfive  and   Assoluta Tranquillita  both have posts up about shipping dates for cards and packages to deployed troops, so wanted to link to those so you can check them out.....

and I also wanted to mention  Holiday Mail for Heroes  
The American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes are gearing up for this year’s Holiday Mail for Heroes program.

Beginning September 3rd you are invited to send holiday cards to our American service members, their families, and veterans. Please send all cards to:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
PO Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD
20791-5456

The deadline for this year is December 10th.

(and go check out the  YouTube playlist for last years Holiday Mail for Heroes  )

Every year at Holiday Time, that unfortunate email starts circulating that incorrectly claims folks can send cards to 'any wounded soldier' at Walter Reed , and you can NOT do any such thing.

The only way that you CAN send such cards is through the
 Holiday Mail for Heroes Program from the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes

Spread the word, won't you?

No, You CAN'T send Christmas cards to "Any Wounded Soldier"...but, you CAN still send cards to recovering soldiers at Walter Reed

This is the time of year when emails circulate asking folks to send Christmas and holiday cards to 'Any Wounded Soldier' at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.....which, sad to say, you CANNOT do, due to security considerations.
However, there IS still a way to get those cards to recovering soldiers at Walter Reed, and elsewhere.........from the WRAMC website


The American Red Cross again will sponsor a national “Holiday Mail for Heroes” campaign to receive and distribute holiday cards to servicemembers, veterans and their families in the United States and abroad.

The card campaign includes those working and receiving care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

The American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Inc., will partner for the third year to provide screening of all mail sent to the following P.O. Box address:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Cards should be postmarked no later than Dec. 7 to reach servicemembers recovering at Walter Reed.

People shouldn’t send cards to Walter Reed unless they are addressed to a specific wounded warrior.

Due to security restrictions, Walter Reed cannot accept generic mail addressed to “A Recovering Soldier” or “Any Soldier.” In past years, hundreds of cards were returned to senders because of generic addresses, many sent in response to misleading e-mails.

Holiday Mail for Heroes

My alert Mother forwarded an email sent to her and many others tonight, with an address to send cards to "A Recovering American Soldier" care of Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Folks, you CANNOT send cards to "A Recovering American Soldier",it says so right here on this page from Walter Reed's website:

(bottom of the page- "Walter Reed is not accepting mail addressed to "A Recovering American Soldier." )

HOWEVER, as you can see on the page I Linked

You CAN send cards through the Holiday Mail for Heroes program, run by the
American Red Cross partnering with Pitney Bowes

Check out any of the links above, and also Snopes.com

They all say the same thing



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.

The guidelines for sending cards are:

Card Guidelines
Please follow these guidelines when mailing a card to ensure that your card will quickly reach service members, veterans and their families. Every card received will first be screened for hazardous materials by Pitney Bowes and then reviewed by Red Cross volunteers working in one of 16 sorting stations around the country.

All cards must be postmarked no later than Wednesday, December 10, 2008. Cards sent after this date will be returned to sender.

Please ensure that all cards are signed.

Please use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member.” Cards addressed to specific individuals can not be delivered through this program.

Please send cards as opposed to long letters which delay a quick review process.

Please do not include email or home addresses on the cards, as the program is not meant to foster pen pal relationships.

Please do not include inserts of any kind, including photos, as these items will be removed during the reviewing process.

Participants are encouraged to limit the number of cards they submit to 25 from any one person or 50 from any one class or group.
If you are mailing a larger quantity, please bundle the cards and place them in large mailing envelopes. Each card does not need its own envelope.

All cards received may be used in program publicity efforts, including appearing in broadcast, print or online mediums.
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I was sad when Mom forwarded me that email, which a very good-hearted and caring person had obviously passed on to many other people.......all that mail they will send to the Walter Reed address will be returned to them, and their good wishes for our Recovering Troops will not be passed on.

So please, if you're going to forward Any email about sending cards to recovering troops this holiday season?
Go to the American Red Cross website HERE

They have a form at the bottom to pass that page on via email. (My suggestion? email it to yourself, and then forward it on to everyone you can think of!)

Let's get the cards to our recovering servicemembers this year(not see those good wishes returned to you)
and Thank You, to the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes, for working to make this happen.