you know that package of cookies your moms sent you?

well big brother knows about it as well (no surprises but i keep posting these stories because i am in disbelief. NOT that it's happening BUT BECAUSE IT'S BEING ALLOWED TO HAPPEN WITH NO PROTESTS)
Officials monitor thousands of letters without warrants
John Byrne
The US postal service approves more than 10,000 requests from US law enforcement each year to record names, addresses and other information from the outside of packages, according to information released through a Freedom of Information Act request.
The warrantless surveillance mail program -- as it is known -- requires only the approval of the US Postal Inspection Service Director, and not a judge.
Since 1998, the inspector has approved more than 97% of requests during criminal inquiries, new documents show. According to USA Today, which filed the request, "In 2004, 2005 and 2006, the most recent year provided, officials granted at least 99.5% of requests."
"The idea of the government tracking that amount of mail is quite alarming," Director of the American Civil Liberties Union's national security project Jameel Jaffer told the paper. "When you realize that (the figure) does not include national security matters, the numbers are even more alarming."..........

i knew about this a while ago

you MUST have a specific name and address for mail, any mail, to be delivered to members of the serivce.

there is a wonderful organization out there called soldiers angels that will be MORE than happy to provide you the name of a serivce member you can adopt (you must promise to write to them on a REGULAR basis AND send a care package now and again).

a shout out to my department AGAIN this year. they completed more than 1,000 holiday cards! i packed them up and mailed them to one of my adoptees (who is deployed of course) and asked him to pass the cards out to his unit.

U.S. refuses `Any Wounded Soldier' mail
Holiday Mail Addressed to `Any Wounded Soldier' Will Be Returned or Thrown Out, Pentagon Says
JAY REEVES AP News
Hundreds of thousands of holiday cards and letters thanking wounded American troops for their sacrifice and wishing them well never reach their destination. They are returned to sender or thrown away unopened. Since the Sept. 11 attacks and the anthrax scare, the Pentagon and the Postal Service have refused to deliver mail addressed simply to "Any Wounded Soldier" for fear terrorists or opponents of the war might send toxic substances or demoralizing messages.
Mail must be addressed to a specific member of the armed forces — a rule that pains some well-meaning Americans this Christmas season..........