Posted on 03/01/2007 5:32:24 AM PST by FLOutdoorsman
If it's any comfort to you, both BufordP and tgsltakoma and myself and dozens of other DC FReepers have been at Walter Reed every week for the past two years. Doctor Raoul, Cindy-True-Supporter, sonoftgsl and myself have all been in Building 18 several times. Once while I was there, I went into the basement and used the bathroom. I did not see any mold, rats, mice, droppings, or smell any bad odors.
When Doc and I went upstairs in Building 18 to a patient's room to drop off a donation, the soldier opened the door and we did not see any bad conditions. It looked like a dorm room.
The article was a hit piece, and you need to moderate your position that any missed appointment at all is an abomination. Any government-run organization is going to have shortcomings. That's why most of us on FR are in favor of free markets (competition brings innovation and improvements) and small government and against socialized medicine, in which everyone in America will be subjected to government bureaucracy surrounding healthcare.
Well, of course I don't have an answer, having no one there, and not being military myself. Of course, in your eyes, that means I can't have a valid opinion...aiaiai!
This didn't involve as much stuff as the Post said. On the other hand it probably shouldn't have involved anything.
Still, the Post didn't report it immediately upon finding it, and that's typical of the Post. They wait for the most politically opportune time. Obviously this was supposed to be released concident with the Dem's in the Senate and the House passing resolutions condemnng "W".
Just add another guy's name to the list of "Ex Marines" ~ Donald Graham Jr. ~ the guy who owns the Post.
I'm grateful for your service, corlorde. I appreciate your post, and hope you will continue to get great care in the VA system.
I think the point some of us are trying to make is that the two Post reporters with a foreplanned anti-Bush, anti-war agenda, went into an overwhelmed facility in the middle of a war, one that is scheduled to be closed, and looked only for the worst possible stories. And of course, as they sought, they found.
I don't think there is any hospital anywhere in the world that does not have its share of disappointed or even angry patients, and Walter Reed is no exception. But they wrote the article as if it were a screenplay, not reportage. They made a fuss about a suicide, without mentioning the comparable statistics in the general population, where the rate of suicide among young men is higher than in any other age group, and for all we know, at a higher rate than in the military – they didn't bother to make the comparison. They used terms like "snowed" to describe soldiers on medication. They had an above-the-fold, almost lifesized, full color photo on the Sunday edition of a soldier with one eye missing and no eyepatch - obviously meant to upset people. It has been a very, very mean and destructive series of articles.
That said, I hope there are many improvements at Walter Reed. But these will have come at the cost of a spirit of treachery and the politicization of the wounded for the glory of the Post reporters, not for the betterment of our servicemen. Our wounded were simply pawns in the Post reporters' Pulitzer-seeking game.
Thanks, Albion. Glad you showed up here.
Some FReepers apparently still need to learn --- and learn it good --- who the enemy is!! How they operate, how relentless they are, etcetera.
And then there are all the new posters of the leftward persuasion, signing up just for this topic....
So there aren't really any problems over at Walter Reed? This is just a big to-do over nothing?
...I taped a podcast with military.com about the situation at Walter Reed. I'm not proud of it, though. There were some things going on at the house when I was taping it, and I was trying to shoo away repairmen and focus on the questions at the same time. Poor Ward, he had to deal with this too. After listening to the podcast, there were two things that I wish I could change. First, I said "the rest is history..." Who says that? Yes, these things happen, don't they, my friend? Secondly, when I'm discussing life inside Walter Reed, I said, "it's a terrible existence" and it is in many respects. Who wants to live on a hospital campus for months or years and battle an unforgiving administrative system? But, what I failed to add was that these families find ways to thrive and they handle an unimaginable existence with grace, dignity and class. So, I'm adding this in retrospect because I'm unhappy with how this part of the interview comes across. It seems to diminish the courage and heroism that is prevalent behind those gates. That was truly not my intent.
Commanding generals do not get relieved of duty because everything is wonderful. If there were nothing to the story that would have come out by now. The military has professional Public Affairs Officers whose jobs depend on squashing unfavorable information like a bug. I'm sure the areas you saw looked perfectly fine, but the Army has admitted to the conditions.
A "few" appointments that slip are one thing, but what about appointments being unavailable for months, leaving a servicemember in constant pain and with permanent orthopedic problems that persist 20 years later? Is that acceptable to you?
That is my personal history, so forgive me if I do not look too kindly on the military brass who allowed these conditions to exist.
The "posties" knew about this for many months and neglected to report it in a timely fashion. No one knows how many soldiers suffered as a consequence of the Post's lack of responsible citizenship.
-Your comment is pretty ironic given that when the Post first reported the problems at WRMC most FReepers refused to believe it because it was reported by the Post.-
Not to mention the fact that apparently Joyce Rumsfeld and Congressman Don Young of Florida had also reported this to the higher-ups.
Just another "Bash Bush" moment, brought to you from the leftist "Hate-the-Republican-President" propagandist press.
Freeper reaction to the Post article was quite rational.
BTW, the Warsh Post is going down the tubes as quickly as the other print media ~ we're catching on to them.
Later on, with other witnesses, we've been able to ascertain that "posties" were hanging around Building 18 and might well have seen something, but they didn't report it at the time.
This lack of a sense of moral obligation is another reason for NOT trusting the MSM.
Okay, LadyNavyVet....your only enable Jane Fonda to star in another movie "Coming Home II"
http://yoursay.imdb.com/title/tt0077362/
Why didn't Dana Priest complain about the hospital conditions in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 or during the Mid terms 2006?
The place was falling for years...why suddenly now?
The Army is building another facility or moving everything to the Navy Hospital not too far from Walter Reed. They've been working on that since the outbreak of OIF.
Why didn't the Clinton Administration stop the growth of mold and rattling steam heating system for our service guys when he was in office?
Why does the Army solely get the blame for a building?
Its all political emotions to give the Army a BLACKEYE and demoralize the troops....just like they did during Vietnam.
Another question. How long was their stay? 3-Day stay before being shipped off to a new state of the art facility down the street or was this permanent living conditions for those who lost their limbs?
So, it's okay by you for the troops to be in these conditions? They should keep their mouths shut and put up with substandard facilities and inadequate care so the Army and a Republican administration don't look bad? No way. No freakin' way, and you have a lot of nerve to suggest that these men and women, who have already given so much, should just suck it up.
Fixing the situation for the troops is not demoralizing to them. On the contrary, what is degrading and demoralizing is to fight for your country, sustain injuries in the fight, and then have your needs ignored by the Army and by and the Congressmen who were only too happy to use the troops for photo ops while ignoring their plight.
What's pathetic is that it took an agenda-driven flaming liberal to expose the situation. And what's more pathetic are Freepers who "support the troops" until the troops and their families have the audacity to expose their squalid conditions to a reporter.
The news article from the Washington Post is to give the Army a Black Eye.
Lady your being too emotional. We all want quality care for our Soldiers and Marines but the military is funded by taxpayers money.
Did you know Walter Reed is slowly being closed down because its worn out? They can't move everyone at once but they are phasing it slowly but surely to the new facilities that is under construction down the road.
What would the taxpayers say if you put every wounded soldier and marine in a Motel 6 establishment. You think the Washington Post would be fair and objective then? No, they will comment they were still living in squaler with their families. Overcrowded conditions with no kitchenettes or elevators to get down to the first floor.
You can't please Washington Post because they always have an objective to kick the military when they're down.
Walter Reed was built in 1909! The place had mold, rickety steam pipes and reeked of mice droppings since Reagan been in office.
Why didn't they put money into modernizing these facilities during peace time? We won the Cold War. We had peace dividends during the whole 1990's but we scaled back on the military infrastructure which includes military healthcare.
Its the same old story for the fighting guys and retirees.
This is what we got. They only do improvements when we actually go to war or bad PR by the Washington Post.
Military health care sucks from my experience but I will give five stars to Great Lakes Naval Hospital. We been going to that hospital since 1989. We are closing down NHGL facilities because they were built when the Panama Canal was being built. The place is worn out.
Traditionally military health care has been poor for those who served.
My father had to resort going to a VA hospital in 1974. He had final stages of Emphysema. He had to quit working at the paper mill. We had to wait for Medicare to start and we had to send him to Albany so he could use the breathing machine there.
It was very demoralizing for my dad because he fought in the Pacific during WWII and he expected the government to help him out during times of need. He said the facility was dump. It was uncleaned, paint was peeling from the walls, the staff was indifferent to the call button and you had to watch your wallet. He said he ate chicken three times a day and he was worried that we would leave him there.
We nearly did because the incompetent doctors could not get him off the breathing machine.
Sad story but true but Civilians pays the taxes and military gets the last handouts.
Its historical been that way. My dad said when the war broke out they did not have real guns to shoot with...they used wooden ones. Everything went to the front.
Is this a uncommon story?
My husband and I were stationed in San Diego in 1987. We had to use the Naval Hospital there. It was run down and falling apart too. Some parts of the building were not used because the didn't pass the sanitation inspection by the State.
I gave birth to my daughter at that nasty hospital. They wouldn't admit me until my water broke then I was in labor for 24 hours. They did not perform a C-section because I was not schuedled for one. The staff were rude and would scold me if I started to scream in pain. They were reluctant to use painkillers or induce labor when things got difficult.
I just felt my doctor did not know anything about birthen babies.
My mother said she saw scraps of paper, dust bunnies and hypodermic needles under my bed. I was totally wiped out after being in labor so long but they expected me to breastfeed my child on demand. I was too pooped out to produce anything and I went into a deep depression.
I didn't get any treatment for my depression either. It was the worst undiginfied experience I went through. I treat my cows better than that!
The present day Army is trying to correct a problem and heads did roll but your sooooo Emmootionalll.
The Army richly deserves this black eye. I hope some olive green undies at the Pentagon are in a real wad right now, and that the perfumed princes get scared enough about future negative press to overhaul the whole military medical system, and fix the VA while they're at it.
As for my "excessive" emotionality, where the troops are concerned, the troops who are fighting, dying, and sustaining injuries so that I and my family can live in security, you bet I'm emotional. I'm angry, passionately angry because I care about these men and women. Supporting the troops isn't just a feel good soundbite to me.
There is a time to be subdued and blase, and there is a time to get righteously pissed off. This situation calls for righteous pissedoffedness, passion, not passive acceptance, and if you don't like that then tough. Don't read my posts.
I pity you if this is only politics as usual for you. You know first hand how much the military medical system stinks. You have been a victim of it, as have I and many people I know, but apparently that's okay with you because the taxpayers don't want to pay any more. Well, it's not okay with me. The government wastes billions every year in bridges to nowhere and handouts to the least productive members of our society; it can spend more to renovate and upgrade medical care for the wounded soldiers we have put in harm's way.
If you'd bother to read more of my posts on this subject, you wouldn't ask questions I've already responded to. I am well aware that Dana Priest is a liberal only too happy to make Republicans look bad. I am well aware that Walter Reed is scheduled to close. None of this changes my opinion on the necessity, the MORAL OBLIGATION we all have to get these wounded soldiers the very best care our society can provide.
You're worried about the reputation of the Army as an institution; I'm worried about the troops as human beings. If I were you, I'd reexamine my priorities.
I guess you didn't read my post. Your too emotional and not rational.
Is it the Army's fault?
"The government wastes billions every year in bridges to nowhere and handouts to the least productive members of our society; it can spend more to renovate and upgrade medical care for the wounded soldiers we have put in harm's way."
Civilians have priority over Military. It's been traditional that way. Take a look at History as a guide.
If Walter Reed was in poor condition for twenty five years why didn't previous Administrations do something then?
Because it was not a priority then.
The Federal Government only fix problems when guys get sustained injuries during a conflict? They sounds like poor planning to me and stingy.
"I'm worried about the troops as human beings."
That's righteous but tell Joe Six Pack that. He never sees the fighting guys and gals. He is only concerned about what his Union can provide for him and his family. He gets good wages and lives in a fine home.
He is the one who forks out taxes every year in his Federal Income Tax Payment. He complains about why is his taxes are going up for Education, Social Security, Medicare, Welfare payments and health care to illegal immigrants.
His Senators and Congressmen have to listen to him and illegal immigrant groups who demand health care for everyone. They also have to listen to States who want Bridges to Nowhere because it will provide jobs to Civilians.
Military people are a minority and they don't count.
Now try to get people motivated to help out our guys who are missing limbs or have sustained injuries. Many people don't like this war and they will say...."We should of never went into Iraq and these guys wouldn't be seriously injuried."
This is how people think. We never got over Vietnam and we are afraid of having powerful military.
Heads are rolling now because Army personnel perfer to fall on their swords because they can't agrue with the Civilains and the Federal Government.
It's Catch 22.
"Military people are a minority and they don't count."
Yep, nobody cares. Nobody gives a damn. That's why the story is headlining the news. That's why the head of Walter Reed and the Secretary of the Air Force have been given pink slips. That's why Building 18 is being renovated as we speak. That's why the President is reviewing military medical care from the top down, because nobody cares. The fact is Joe Sixpack cares if he knows. Unfortunately the troops' families had to take the story to press to get the problem into the public's consciousness, but it's there now, and I care and everybody I've talked to cares.
Nope, Milligan, it is obvious from the contempt for the military that is dripping off of your posts that it is YOU who don't care. You are positively eager to minimize the situation and belittle the troops. Take the yellow ribbon off your car; it's a lie.
Your type of posts are usually found at military.com or the Letters to the Editor section of Stars and Stripes.
You crybabies are the ones with contempt for the military and for this administration. Aren't the liberal websites enough for you .... oh yeah, I forgot, there's probably plenty of bitching going on at the Hannity forum, too.
Got anything useful to say, or are you just going to make baseless, illogical, overwrought attacks?
My husband is a permanently disabled vet. His disability is the direct result of incompetent, inadequate medical care received in a military hospital. He lives in pain every day. Every single day without cease. I also have a permanent injury stemming from delayed, inadequate medical care received during my military service. This is not just a political issue to me; it is the daily reality of my life. If you don't like it, too bad.
These men and women have volunteered to serve and been injured in the fight. Those who are permanently disabled will serve this country every day for the rest of their lives. They are human beings worthy of honor, respect and dignity, not political pawns to be denigrated and cast aside when negative publicity about them threatens your side of some political argument. Newflash, LE, some things transcend politics. Not everything is about making the Republicans look good and Democrats look bad. It sickens me that those on your side of the argument want our wounded soldiers to suffer in silence so that a liberal journalist doesn't get a Pulitzer, or so Hollywood doesn't make a negative movie, or so the Army doesn't look grossly incompetent, or so the Bush administration doesn't look callous, or so support for the war isn't undermined. Your attitude is contemptible.
As for your ridiculous attacks, I must have hit the target if I'm taking this much flak. LOL!
Okay!
Okay!
I'll tell you what, Lady. Your husband knows many good veteran organization that help our disabled military folks.
Dealers choice. Pick one for me to donate to.
I'll sent up monthly allotment with my bank.
There's so many organizations out there but I don't know which one is legit. I usually give money to my local VFW so they can distribute the funds to our local VA hospital.
Dealers Choice, Ma'am!
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