Michelle Malkin » THANK YOU, JOSHUA SPARLING

THANK YOU, JOSHUA SPARLING

By Michelle Malkin • December 5, 2005 09:53 AM

Lots of readers watched Fox & Friends this morning and e-mailed about the disgusting greeting card a wounded soldier received while hospitalized at Walter Reed Army Hospital. Thanks to reader Shari for taking these cell phone camera shots of the card displayed by co-host Brian Kilmeade:

The card front, decorated with patriotic and holiday stamps, was deceptively innocuous:

But take a look at what was inside:

Yes, that’s right. It says “P.S. DIE” in the lower right-hand corner.

According to Kilmeade, who visited Walter Reed on Friday, a US Army soldier named Joshua Sparling received the death wish while recovering from a gunshot wound he received in Ramadi, Iraq. It’s the only Christmas card he received. Fox & Friends is urging you to counter the hate by sending your thanks and good wishes to Sparling:

Joshua Sparling
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20307-5001

Do it today.

Nothing up on the Fox & Friends blog about the case yet, but keep checking in here.

Lisa at Two Babes and a Brain was at Walter Reed last Friday and recounts the story here. She has another photo of the card here.

Stuck on Stupid writes:

I called Walter Reed and was told that the patients appreciated calling cards especially at Christmas time.

I am sending him a card with several calling cards to distribute to other patients in his ward.

Anyone else interested in doing the same for others at Walter Reed? Call and get a soldier’s name to send a card. The number is (202)782-3501.

I am sending a get well card, a Christmas card and $240.00 in phone cards for Joshua to keep and/or distribute to his buddies. Anyone want to match me and send some to other soldiers at Walter Reed?

Update: Reader Lynn D. writes…

I called Walter Reed to find out the best way to send a bunch of cards to soldiers, and was directed to the Red Cross office at Walter Reed. The gentleman I spoke to said to bundle multiple cards in one big manilla envelope and send them to the Red Cross office and they will distribute them. He was a nice man who is a wounded soldier himself.

The address I was given is:

Red Cross
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue NW
Heaton Pavillion
3EO5
Washington, DC 20307

The man said they can also use stamps, gloves and stocking caps at the Red Cross office there.

Another gift-giving idea: Rush Limbaugh’s Adopt a Soldier program.

More recommendations from Lorie Byrd.

***

Updates:

12/6/05 Counter the hate
12/8/05 A batch of goodness
12/18/05Unhinged scumbag of the year
12/23/05 Good wishes for Pfc. Joshua Sparling

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#1

On November 5th, 2007 at 3:04 pm, EdGruberman said:

This is a statement made by Reed over at my blog for those of you wishing to send gifts or cards!

Walter Reed Army Medical Center officials want to remind those individuals who want to show their appreciation through mail to include packages and letters, addressed to “Any Wounded Soldier” that Walter Reed will not be accepting these packages in support of the decision by then Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Transportation Policy in 2001. This decision was made to ensure the safety and well being of patients and staff at medical centers throughout the Department of Defense.

In addition, the U.S. Postal Service is no longer accepting “Any Service Member” or “Any Wounded Service Member” letters or packages. Mail to “Any Service Member” that is deposited into a collection box will not be delivered.

Instead of sending an “Any Wounded Soldier” letter or package to Walter Reed, please consider making a donation to one of the more than 300 nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping our troops and their families listed on the “America Supports You” website, http://www.americasupportsyou.mil.

Other organizations that offer means of showing your support for our troops or assist wounded service members and their families include:

http://www.usocares.org/
http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/tooursoldiers/
http://www.redcross.org

For individuals without computer access, your local military installation, the local National Guard or military reserve unit in your area may offer the best alternative to show your support to our returning troops and their families. Walter Reed Army Medical Center will continue to receive process and deliver all mail that is addressed to a specific individual.

As Walter Reed continues to enhance the medical care and processes for our returning service members, it must also must keep our patients and staff members safe while following Department of Defense policy. The outpouring of encouragement from the general public, corporate America and civic groups throughout the past year has been incredible. Our Warriors in Transition are amazed at the thanks and support they receive from their countrymen.
#2

On December 7th, 2007 at 9:13 pm, EdGruberman said:

Dear MM,

This is an Update! It seems that our efforts to support our American Heros, the soldiers of the US military, has overwhelmed the Red Cross. They began sending me emails requesting that we use different ways to send cards because they had stopped accepting them due to the sheer quantity received. They have given us an alternative! This is from Joo Chung at the American Red Cross posted as a comment at my previous blog. Can you update and maybe put a new post up?

Hello,

I work at Walter Reed Information, and received many many calls in regards to sending Christmas Cards and most of them said they got information from this website…so in order to reduce headache for all of you, this is the fact:

Holiday Cards to Injured Service Members This Holiday Season

The following message is from Neal Denton, Senior Vice President, Service to the Armed Forces: Sen This holiday season, we have a great opportunity to bring a touch of home to wounded warriors recovering in military hospitals across the country.

As you may know, the American public has a strong desire to send holiday cards to soldiers staying at Walter Reed and other military medical centers. However, for security reasons, the former military program was discontinued. One of our colleagues at Walter Reed suggested, “If anyone can find a solution to this – it’s the Red Cross.”

We’re proud that this season, communities across America are invited to mail holiday greeting cards along with personal messages of support to wounded soldiers at military hospitals around the country, through a unique partnership of the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Mailing Solutions.

Now we have a solution that will not only benefit soldiers at Walter Reed, but also recovering soldiers at military hospitals around the nation. With the help of the Department of Defense, Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Pitney Bowes, between now and December 27, members of the public will be invited to mail their holiday cards to:

We Support You During Your Recovery!
c/o American Red Cross
PO Box 419
Savage, MD 20763-0419

Red Cross volunteers will sort the cards for appropriate content and repackage them for shipping. Our steadfast partners, Pitney Bowes, will ship the cards to Red Cross stations at the military hospitals.

This project provides a great opportunity for chapters and station offices to coordinate resources and volunteers. Staff members at national headquarters will call each station office before packages are mailed to that military hospital. Those station managers will be looking for chapter volunteer support to help in accepting, storing and delivering the cards.

A national news release will be issued shortly after announcing the program. Once you know that your field unit will be receiving holiday cards to distribute, I encourage you to contact your local media with the attached localizable news release, to take photos and write stories for your Web sites and to send us your stories at SAFstories@usa.redcross.org.

We realize this is short notice. It took some time to work out a plan with the Department of Defense to revitalize this wonderful program and provide a way for people to express their support. I have every confidence that Red Crossers will want to participate in this joyous project. Already, we have had a very positive response at national headquarters to help with the sorting and packing.

Thank you for your support of SAF. And our office hopes that you enjoy your holidays surrounded by friends and family!

You can also confirm this information from Walter Reed Army Medical Center website:

http://www.wramc.amedd.army.mil

Thank you!

Joo Chung