For seven years, the DC Chapter kept our face-to-face ministries inside WRAMC a secret from FR's public Forum for the specific purpose of avoiding the leftists at the gates from demanding access to the wounded. DC Chapter gained access because so many freepers who came out to our counterprotest rallies already had veteran status or military family, and some even had active military ID cards.
One time Cindy Sheehan came to the leftists' Friday night anti-war demonstration at the gates and made a big thing that she was going to go into the hospital and greet the troops. She has a single $2 grocery-store potted plant in her hands as she was dishing this BS to the media — the MSM often sent reporters to interview the Code Pink and Veterans Agains the War traitors demonstrating outside the gates, but always, always pointedly ignored the 15 to 50 freepers across the street with signs honoring the troops and their sacrifices.
So two of the ambulatory wounded soliders who used to come out and chat with us (and who were off duty and dressed in civvies) FOLLOWED her into Walter Reed, observed her set the potted plant on the receptionist's desk, go to the ladies' room, come out again and exit the hospital fifteen minutes later, not having spoken to a single soldier! bwahahahahahahaha! We duly reported it in our weekly AAR here on FR. I wish I could find the URL for that, but in seven years, we published more than 350 AARs, and even "Ms Detail" here failed to keep track of everything.
Both inside the campus and outside on the street was an enormous, sustained effort every Friday night for 7 years in sun, rain, snow, ice, wind, fog, even on holidays—like the postmen of old. But it was one of the best things ever.
Many of the DC Chapter leaders gave unstintingly of themselves, such as kristinn, tgsltakoma, Doctor Raoul, billf, bufordp, concretebob, landry fan, lurker bill, 3D-Joy, mr and mrs trooprally, tom the redhunter, plea deal, fraxinus, yours truly, and many, MANY more too numerous to mention. Literally thousands of freepers across the country read our AARs and commented, or made the trip to DC to stand with us as they were able, and as you did. And Jim Robinson deserves a crown of glory in eternity for it.
It was one of the most rewarding things I have done in my life, to have had the opportunity to spend time with real patriots who care about their country, both in and out of Walter Reed.
You folks...all of you...will always have my utmost respect.
And you are correct, Fisher House does amazing work of a type that volunteers simply can’t do. They are a godsend to any military member who needs their services while being treated for an extended stay at a military hospital such as Walter Reed. Their goal is to keep family members supported and connected, and sometimes also funded, during long hospitalizations.
Thank you very much, Albion Wilde! FReepers are the absolute greatest! And the DC Chapter has performed brilliantly all these years — above and beyond the call of duty! God bless.