Seriously wounded Soldiers arriving at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, are loaded aboard an ambulance bus and escorted to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center by members of LRMC�s Deployed Warrior Medical Management Center. Photo by Heike Hasenauer March 20, 2006

First Andi:

Christmas For Our Wounded Heroes Last Christmas my husband was deployed, so I decided to spend Christmas Day at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. I left the hospital more blessed than when I had entered.

The father of one of our wounded troops told me that he saw exactly what he wanted to see on Christmas Day in Ward 57 -- the ward where many of our most critically wounded reside -- people arriving with their arms loaded with goodies for our troops. The wife of one of the soldiers told me that it didn't matter that they were spending their Christmas in a hospital, "our family is together".

Many milbloggers are familiar with Carrie Costantini, the wife of a Marine and a frequent commenter on milblog sites. I had the incredible pleasure of meeting Carrie over breakfast last week. Carrie and Deb worked on Operation Santa last year. This year, Carrie had the brilliant idea to expand the project out to include wounded troops at Walter Reed and Bethesda.

From Carrie:

Christmas.
Just typing the word brings back memories of happiness, of warm cookies, of trees decorated with colored lights and glass ornaments, of grandmom's Chanel No. 5 scented hugs, and of festively wrapped presents. My favorite part of Christmas was seeing what Santa had put in my stocking.

Hospital.
That word also brings memories. Memories of rubbing alcohol, bright lights, kind nurses and especially, of missing home. I was born without hip joints and spent quite a bit of my earliest years at Walter Reed. I can remember being in the cast room there alongside wounded soldiers from Vietnam. (Yes, I'm that old).

I'm sure you're all wondering why I am writing about two words that seem mutually exclusive. They're not, at least not to the wounded Marines, Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen who will be at Walter Reed and Bethesda this Christmas. There will be servicemembers in those hospitals on Dec. 25th. That is a sad truth.

I know that they'd rather be back with their units in Iraq or Afghanistan AND at home with their loved ones but they can't be either place. They must be there to heal.

I am pleased to announce the newest Operation Santa venture: Operation Santa/Bethesda and Walter Reed. It will work mostly the same was as the other Operation Santas. We want to bring them a stuffed stocking and a little bit of home. Candy canes, cookies, crackers, ornaments, cards, books, dvds, cd's, batteries, new socks.

You can help us do this. You can send some Christmas cheer to a wounded servicemember at Bethesda or Walter Reed. You can donate money, you can donate gift cards from Sam's, Walmart, Target, etc. You can donate material goods. You can make a difference in a servicemember's holiday away from home.

The question is: Will you do it?

If you have any questions or comments, please email me or Andi.

We're looking to stuff and deliver hundreds of stockings to our wounded troops. Any donation, no matter how small, will help.

We have a modest goal of only $3,000. I think, with your help, we can raise that in no time at all

You can make a tax-deductible donation here (use the pink Operation Santa button). Please be sure to note that your donation is for Operation Santa/Bethesda and Walter Reed, otherwise your donation will go to the general fund for Operation Santa.

Donations by mail can be sent to:

Marine Corps Family Foundation
Operation Santa - Bethesda & Walter Reed
4000 Lancaster Drive- Suite 57 Salem, OR 97309

Thanks in advance for your help. It's hard to describe the joy these troops feel when strangers work to ensure that their Christmas is as good as it can possibly be.

Now me: If one tenth of our average visitor count donates $5, a pittance for most of us, that's $850, 1/4 of the goal, from this website alone. $5. Make me proud, eh?

To get you started:

Marine Corps Family Foundation Receipt -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ship To: John Donovan XXXXXXXXXXXX Leavenworth, KS 66048 United States Seller Information: Marine Corps Family Foundation riecke-at-marinecorpsmoms.com

Transaction ID: 1SM555XXXXXXXXXXX Placed on Dec. 2, 2006
Payment For Quantity Price
Marine Corps Family Foundation 1 $25.00 USD
Subtotal: $25.00 USD
Shipping & Handling: $0.00 USD
Sales Tax: $0.00 USD

Total Amount: $25.00 USD

For a certain member of the readership whom I know is in a financial pinch at the moment - that last $5 is me covering your instincts, 'k?

A pittance, people.

That is all.

Maj. Gen. Patrick Brady, a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, enjoys a visit with wounded warrior Staff Sgt. Nathan Reed July 13 shortly after having hip replacement surgery at Brooke Army Medical Center. Photo by Nelia Schrum July 20, 2006