Families of fallen received "John Doe" letters

"Printed and mailed by a contractor" was the quote. That's supposed to explain how something like this happened? When did they decide that it's not worth their own time to write these letters on their own computer and print them out themselves? Would that be too great of an effort for the families of the fallen? Did they think paying a contractor to do this was coming close to honoring the families of the men and women that gave their lives to this nation? The indignity is astonishing!

Casey apologies for ‘John Doe’ letter

Staff report
Posted : Wednesday Jan 7, 2009 14:28:13 EST

Gen. George Casey, chief of staff of the Army, is sending a personal letter to 7,000 families who received improperly addressed correspondence from the Army, officials said Wednesday.

The Army is apologizing and correcting a printing error that resulted in about 7,000 letters being sent to family members who lost a loved one in Operations Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom. The letter did not contain a specific by-name salutation and address, but instead contained a placeholder greeting that read, “Dear John Doe.”

The letter, which was printed by a contractor and mailed in late December, was to inform family members about private organizations offering assistance to families of soldiers who have died in Iraq or Afghanistan. The letter was sent from Human Resources Command's Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Center in Alexandria, Va., which issued a formal apology Wednesday.

“There are no words to adequately apologize for this mistake or for the hurt it may have caused,” Brig. Gen. Reuben Jones, Army adjutant general, wrote in a message Wednesday. “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.”