By The Way...

Thursday, December 6, 2007
5:12:00 PM EST
Hearing Nothing at the moment
MSNBC is alerting folks that an e-mail hoax is going around involving US soldiers and holiday cards:

There are a few versions of this e-mail out there, this one being the most common:

When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20307-5001

If you approve of the idea, please pass it along to your e-mail list.

It’s a great idea, but unfortunately if you send something addressed this way, it won’t be delivered. So please, don’t forward this e-mail.

The U.S. Postal Service will not deliver any letter, post card, or package that is not addressed to a specific individual. Anything sent to “A Recovering Soldier,” “Any Wounded Soldier,” or “Any Service Member” is unacceptable.

It's good to know this: It keeps you from sending along more useless e-mail, and it also keeps your good-hearted gesture toward the folks at Walter Reed from going to waste. The article also offers ideas to show your support ofr our soldiers that actually will work -- which is a good thing. So check it out.


Written by johnmscalzi Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

This entry has 3 comments: (Add your own)

• #3 Comment from excentricat 
  12/6/07 11:31 PM | Permalink

  The Red Cross and Pitney Bowes have created a way that you can send cards to recovering soldiers.
  
  Send them to
  We Support You During Your Recovery!
  c/o American Red Cross
  P.O. Box 419
  Savage, MD 20763-0419
  
  http://www.snopes.com/politics/christmas/soldiercards.asp#update
  for more info
• #2 Comment from promiseluv372 
  12/6/07 6:58 PM | Permalink

  Thanks for the info.  Last year I was stupid enough to get a little "care" package together and sent it to "any soldier" (with my friend) and well it was a waste of our time and energy it seems.  It was never returned but I am sure now no one got it.  I got the address from an email, something like this one. oh well..  That's too bad.
  
  Promise
• #1 Comment from malagutigrrl 
  12/6/07 6:54 PM | Permalink

  THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS!  I was bumming because it's too late to send something to a soldier in Iraq.  But this is still doable...  
  In fact, Walter Reed is close enough to visit...