Army Apologizes for John Doe Letters to Gold Star Families
EmailABC News’ Luis Martinez Reports: The Army is apologizing for having sent letters mistakenly addressed "Dear John Doe" to 7,000 family members of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Army Chief of Staff George Casey is sending personal letters to the 7,000 family members who received the improperly labeled letters sent this past December. The letters were intended to inform the families about private organizations offering assistance to those who have lost loved ones in both conflicts.
An Army statement blames a printing error by the contractor hired to send out the letters. They were supposed to have contained the specific names and addresses of survivors, but were instead given the placeholder greeting of "Dear John Doe."
The U.S. Army Human Resources Command’s Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Center, which issued the letters, has formally apologized for the error.
"There are no words to adequately apologize for this mistake, or for the hurt it may have caused," said Brig. Gen. Reuben Jones, the Army’s Adjutant General. "It is important the original intent of the letter is not lost. The organizations mentioned are dedicated to honoring loved ones and recognizing their sacrifice and commitment."
The Army says all the other information in the letter referring to the assistance organizations was correct.
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You know there is no hint of how we will ever get out of our current wars and stop spending are money and our kids lives to fight them ,but we should somehow be very very good at helping the families of the people who have died to fight these wars. I am sick at heart to think anyone would get a John Doe letter from our gov. It seems we just keep doing stupid things. We can’t win these wars and we can’t stop them and we can’t do the right thing by those who we ask to do the fighting. All the while we at home don’t suffer at all we are not asked to help we are told to spend and to “support our troups”. Tell me just how I am to do that? Spending is out of the question now and the yellow magnets on the tailend of cars seem lame, just how can we support this mess?
And we owe everyone for everything and have no way to stop the cycle. I hope people are moving into leadership rolls that are able to see a way out of this in my lifetime.
Posted by: Bonnie Kimberly | January 7, 2009, 5:52 pm 5:52 pm
I don’t understand. If only 4,800 something soldiers have died since 2001 – Why would the army be sending out 7,000 letters in one month? There must be something basic I am not understanding.
Posted by: Nancy Hahn | January 7, 2009, 6:06 pm 6:06 pm
I must be stupid or something because i did not understand where they said it was an ERROR. I have a malfunction of the BRAIN
Posted by: Nancy Hahn | January 7, 2009, 6:19 pm 6:19 pm
Please tell me the government will not longer be using this “contractor”
Posted by: mparks | January 7, 2009, 7:20 pm 7:20 pm
Just an example that our army is just another private corporation that doesn’t care about anything except profit and world domination – just like any other company – it’s controlled by a bunch of jerks who don’t really care about its employees – as long as we get to build pipelines in Afghanistan or KFC’s in Iraq who cares if thousands die or their families are traumatized ?
Posted by: snooch | January 7, 2009, 8:58 pm 8:58 pm
Are you kidding me?? I cannot believe how this has blown out of proportion. I myself received one of these letters. Did I take it personally? Absolutely not. No one, and I mean no one, could possibly say or do anything to me or my children to hurt us more than losing our soldier. This was a MISTAKE! EVERYONE makes mistakes. I don’t understand why it is falling back on Gen. Casey. He has done nothing but support the families of our our fallen.
It’s time to revert back to the lessons we learned as children, “Sticks and stones………..but words will never hurt me”. Lets save our energy for praying for our troops and this country.
Posted by: Stephanie | January 8, 2009, 5:01 pm 5:01 pm
Sometimes it happens. Poor familys.
Posted by: rss | January 10, 2009, 1:04 pm 1:04 pm