Free Republic

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2009 – Realignment of military medical facilities in the national capital region ordered by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission is on track to meet the commission’s deadline, senior Defense Department officials said here yesterday. Walter Reed Army Medical Center here is consolidating with the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., and a new hospital is under construction at Fort Belvoir, Va. “Recommendations proposed a transition from a legacy service-specific medical infrastructure into a premier, modernized joint operational medicine platform,” said Allen W. Middleton, acting principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for health affairs. “We are...

Walter Reed, Week 241, 11/27/09 Thanksgiving – Thanking Our Brave Soldiers The Friday After Thanksgiving FRONT GATE NOTES November 27, 2009, Thanksgiving, No Bus and Patriotism Friday night after Thanksgiving is normally quiet with light traffic. Tonight was no different. Very windy, making the hi 40’s seem like the lo 30’s. Even so, eleven of us were in place during the evening. The wind was so stiff that our banners would have blown away, leaving us with signs and hand held flags. The war doesn’t stop though and two big ambulances raced down Georgia Ave and into Walter Reed to...

If you haven't heard yet, ConcreteBob was having problems Tuesday night and went to the hospital Wednesday morning where it was determined that he had suffered a heart attack. [Mrs] T and I visited ConcreteBob on Saturday and as one can see, he is in good spirits. CB says that he is being a model patient, not complaining or moaning about anything. But that didn’t keep his nurse from almost having her own heart attack when walking by ConcreteBob’s room and seeing the cigar. Just this past Saturday ConcreteBob was at Walter Reed putting on Cooking for the Wounded,...

GW University Students Enthusiastically Display Troop Support At Walter Reed FRONT GATE NOTES November 20, 2009, Students, Soldier Hugs and Patriotism A big Shout-Out for the over 33 university students from George Washington University who warmed a brisk Friday evening by waving American Flags at passing cars, chanting USA, USA, USA…. and singing patriotic songs until 8:30pm. Many wounded warriors are about the same age as these students, and seeing university students supporting our military was especially meaningful to the wounded warriors and their families who are constantly coming and going through the front gates. It is an important...

The 2008 national election clearly shows our next generation of leaders must possess something that many recent and current elected officials lack: intellectual courage. President Nixon believed all leaders, regardless of their time, needed “brains, guts and heart.” Others have defined those character traits as “the right stuff.” “Given what is likely needed to right our ship of state, I don't think that it will come as a great surprise to many that our current men and women in the military are likely going to be the ‘right’ individuals for the job when they come home,” said Lara Brown, a...

The title page of Nidal Hasan's PowerPoint demonstration for a medical lecture in June 2007, indicates how little interest he took in medicine and how much in the perceived contradiction between being a Muslim and an American soldier. As the Pentagon and Senate launch what one analyst dubs "dueling Fort Hood investigations," will they confront the hard truth of the Islamic angle? Despite encouraging references to "violent Islamists" by Sen. Joseph Lieberman (Democrat of Connecticut), chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, there is reason to worry about a whitewash of the massacre that took place on Nov. 5; that is...

Now that we’ve covered the jihad-related red flags that were missed, we can start in with the professional red flags that were missed. How horrible was this guy at his job? So horrible that private shrinks tell NPR they wouldn’t have hired him even if they were desperate for people. He was, quite seriously, a hazard to his patients long before he ever picked up a gun. And the Army knew it, and sent him to Fort Hood anyway — along with the radioactive evaluation. Unbelievable: The memo ticks off numerous problems over the course of Hasan’s training, including proselytizing...

There is little better in this world than doing some good, and especially doing some good for the troops with a good group of people. Cooking with the Wounded is now a formal program, and Phase II kicked off in high style thanks to Katy and Molly of the Yellow Bowl Bakery, who have founded their own group Bakers without Borders to do for the troops, and to Concrete Bob who brought together the 173rd ABN, the Warrior Legacy Foundation, DC Free Republic, and the grilling regulars to do quite a cookout. The result was pure Southern hospitality: grazing from...

Neither evening was unduly cold, but the wind and rain kept us from deploying the MOAB on either FReep 238 & 239. Although it's a lot more difficult to put up and take down wearing winter gear, the exertion required has the effect of warming you up. No matter, because Trooprally and Lurker Bill always have their Mini-MOABs. You can see one behind BufordP, and they work in all but the most extreme weather. There was a CBS satellite vehicle outside the hospital on Nov 6 to tape a segment about the terrorist Major Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 of...

2009 D.C. Convention DVD's Are Finally Here! Just in Time for Christmas! Presented by Free Republic and Zot Productions Couldn't make it to D.C.? Made it to the convention and want a great souvenir? Get the DVD!! Featuring the musical talents of our very own Lloyd Marcus and Lisa Mei Norton! Also featuring: Freep of Walter Reed Army Hospital with the D.C. Chapter to support our troops!9/11 Candlelight Vigil overlooking the Pentagon.Freeper John Manning, winner of WorldNetDaily's Independence Day Tea Party national speech contest!Videos "An American Anthem" by Justin Holcomb, and "The Second American Revolution" by Dr. Bob Basso!A...

When you send our men and women off to battle, you had better have the damn best support both in the battlefield and when they come home. And this includes medical support to those who need it. On Monday, I had made this post. Why did the Army react the way they did when Hasan was clearly incompetent at his job. And last, since it has been reported Fort Hood had a high suicide rate, you have to ask, what kind of mental health treatment was/is being provided to soldiers at Fort Hood when you consider Hasan was part of...

The shooting massacre at Fort Hood should raise many questions with the public. For starters, why did the FBI react the way they did with what they knew? At least six months ago, Hasan came to the attention of law enforcement officials because of Internet postings about suicide bombings and other threats, including posts that equated suicide bombers to soldiers who throw themselves on a grenade to save the lives of their comrades. Investigators had not determined for certain whether Hasan was the author of the posting, and a formal investigation had not been opened before the shooting, said law...

The suspect, a Virginia Tech graduate and one-time Vinton resident, was shot but survived at Fort Hood, Texas. Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the Army psychiatrist accused of shooting 12 people to death and wounding 31 others at Fort Hood, Texas, on Thursday, was the son of Roanoke merchants and restaurateurs, lived in Vinton and graduated from Virginia Tech. Hasan was born in Arlington to Palestinian immigrants from near Jerusalem who later settled in Vinton. Neighbors on Vinton's Ramada Road remembered him as a "studious" boy who went by "Michael." While his brother Eyad -- "Eddie" -- would play football with...

<p>WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is pushing back a trip to Capitol Hill aimed at discussing the proposed health care overhaul with lawmakers.</p> <p>Obama had planned to head to the Capitol on Friday. Now the White House schedule shows Obama planning to visit the Capitol on Saturday.</p>

White House officials tell ABC News that President Obama will visit with wounded soldiers tomorrow at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The trip was scheduled before the incident today at Fort Hood, officials said. President Obama visited wounded troops at Walter Reed as president-elect in January and has visited wounded troops at Bethesda Naval Hospital as senator. Last week the president made a secret late-night journey to Dover Air Force Base to participate in the dignified transfer of troops and DEA agents killed in Afghanistan. He is in the midst of making up his mind about a new strategy in...

The military psychiatrist accused of gunning down 12 people in Texas lived most of his life in the D.C. area where he was considered a caring Muslim by friends -- but he had recently made disturbing statements about suicide attacks. U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, earned a degree from Virginia Tech, completed a residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and attended prayer services nearly every day in Silver Spring for several years. He was described as a caring person by a local Muslim leader, but those who got to know him after he was transferred to Fort...

In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Rush Limbaugh suggested that President Obama's recent visit to Dover Air Force Base was nothing more than a staged photo-op. This elicited a torrent of outrage from pundits in the liberal mainstream media. Conversely, when Obama made similar remarks about former president Bush, the mainstream media didn't even bat an eyelash. As I noted in my previous post, in March of 2007, President Bush toured Walter Reed Army Medical Center after he had learned of the dilapidated conditions there and the poor quality of care that the patients were receiving - which...

Week 233 (Oct 2) Week 232 (Sep 25) [Mr] Trooprally Me and Fraxinus Cindy-True-Supporter RonGKirby Week 233 (Oct 2)   Week 232 (Sep 25) CTS and Dennis from Families United [Mrs]texaschip Sep 25: A woman pulled over and asked Dennis does he think "we", meaning herself and her ilk, don’t support the troops. Cindy suggested she pull into the parking lot to talk. So she did and they talked for about 30 minutes. She had an Obama sticker on her car window. Said she graduated from Howard University. She said we don’t read enough to see how good Obama...

Walter Reed, Week 236, 10/23/09, and Week 237, 10/30/09, Twas’ the Night Before: The US Marine Marathon and Halloween FRONT GATE NOTES October 23, 2009, the Feisty Few Standing Tall Weddings, Support the Troops events, illness and birthdays took their toll on this breezy cool evening, but the feisty few stood tall on the four corners all evening. Drivers were honking their support all evening. One driver even rolled down his window and gave an unsolicited donation. (It will be used to support the troops). Right around 9pm two new big buses arrived with soldiers.: One from the NNMC (National...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23, 2009 – The American Red Cross again will sponsor a national “Holiday Mail for Heroes” campaign to receive and distribute holiday cards to servicemembers, veterans and their families in the United States and abroad. The card campaign includes those working and receiving care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here. A special P.O. Box address will be published the first week of November online at http://www.redcross.org/holidaymail. In the meantime, people shouldn’t send cards to Walter Reed unless they are addressed to a specific wounded warrior. Due to security restrictions, Walter Reed cannot accept generic mail addressed to...

<p>FReeper “melancholy” had asked that I post the photos he took of the 912 March on DC.</p> <p>Due to time constraints and a few computer problems they were not ready to post until now. My hope had been to have them posted by yesterday in celebration of the three week anniversary of the March, but alas I failed. Guess now I will be inducted into the Obama Fail Club.</p>

Link only.

A beautiful evening in Washington DC brought out 14 faithful FReepers to our weekly vigil outside Walter Reed Army Medical Center. It was not quite the 500-800 that we had last week on 9-11-09, but quite enough to let the troops know that our support never waivers. A huge THANK YOU again to everyone who was able to come last week. Here is Mr Trooprally setting up station in front of the main entrance Caddy corner from him was Lurker Bill, Having observed this operation for almost 5 years it's interesting how it all works. Some FReepers, like me, are...

On the eighth anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attack on America, a band of patriots were on a special mission at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, in Washington, DC, with America’s wounded warriors. Their mission, the brainchild of 69-year old, decorated Vietnam veteran, George Samek, was to help the wounded warriors’ recovery by providing them with donated laptops with webcams.

Last Friday, September 11 2009, somewhere around 500 patriots gathered outside of Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC. It was the largest number of people that we have had there since Free Republic started holding vigils there in early 2005. Certainly also a lot more than the dozen or so we usually get on a Friday night! I am just going to go straight off to the photos you are interested in the most; the ones from when the crowd was at it's maximum: The whole event had a festival atmosphere. We set up tents in the small...

Video and slide show from Walter Reed. Uncle Jimbo from blackfive.net and a few good people from Gathering of Eagles were there.

Walter Reed - Weeks 228 and 229, August 28 and September 4, 2009; Friday Evening 9/11 – Next Week, Join Us FRONT GATE NOTES Next Friday, 9/11, Please Join Us Two weeks of great weather have set the stage for a great rally this Friday, 9/11. Many patriotic groups are gathering this week in Washington to protest growing taxes and increasingly intrusive government programs. These groups encourage fiscal responsibility and limited government. Elected representatives who are out of touch with their constituents will find it hard to ignore the tens of thousands constituents on Washington DC streets. They won’t be...

CLICK ON EACH ONE OF THESE TO GET A FULL-SIZE PDF OF IT:..AND FIND MANY OTHER POSTERS HEREALSO -- Find links to the artwork to make 300dpi POSTERS at the bottom of that.

14 & 21 August 2009 Elder Street and Georgia Avenue, Washington, DC On 14 August Mrs T spotted an Azzhat poster with the words, “Thank God for IEDs” printed on it. She didn’t get a picture of it so you’ll just have to take her word. My experience says her word is pretty damn good. On 21 August we had weather make up all around us and it finally cut loose. I wanted to go down the street and pass out soap but Mrs T wanted to have a wet tee shirt contest. Without any beer it was hard to...

Week 225 (Aug 7) Week 224 (Jul 31) Lurker Bill Memorial Statue Cindy_True_Supporter, me RonGKirby [Mr] Trooprally Fraxinus, me Jimmy Valentine's Brother Week 225 (Aug 7)   Week 224 (Jul 31) Lurker Bill Memorial Statue Jul 31st - I wasn't there but Mr T tells me the weather was great which seems obvious from the beautiful sunset photo taken by Mrs T that you can see near the upper left corner. They were paid a visit by a troop who was assigned to Walter Reed 6 months ago and works as an LPN. She was previously assigned to Ft...

Six high-profile veterans groups are raising objections to the House healthcare reform bill, warning House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) that it could jeopardize the care of millions of veterans. Citing “grave concerns,” the groups are urging Pelosi to modify the House bill. If changes are not made, the veterans groups say they will actively oppose the measure. In a letter to Pelosi that was obtained by The Hill, the groups state “the legislation could limit the health care choices for veterans, increase the cost of health care for veterans, deny coverage to dependent family members of veterans, and threaten the...

Walter Reed - Weeks 220 and 221, July 17 and 24, 2009; New Buses For Wounded Warriors New Buses, Wounded Warriors, and BirthdaysAnother great night to be at the Front Gate of Walter Reed.. Good camaraderie and good weather. And, as is the norm, many passengers in cars waved and drivers honked showing their support of the troops and their families. Slipping beneath our radar on the 17th was the fact that the Big Bus, returning wounded warriors and their families from the Friday Night dinner hosted by one of several restaurants in the DC area, had been replaced by...

WASHINGTON, July 22, 2009 – Sounds of dribbled basketballs and players’ shouts filled the Wagner Gym at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here yesterday, but absent were the thuds and squeaks of players running up and down the court. A member of the National Naval Medical Center team shoots during a wheelchair basketball tournament at Wagner Sports Center, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C., July 21, 2009. DoD photo by William D. Moss  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Replacing them at the first City Wheelchair Basketball Tournament were the hissing of hands slowing wheelchairs and the clanging as...

A chaplain from Walter Reed. A doctor from Walter Reed. The owner of a new hair salon. An architect. On a Metro train, in one terrifying instant and its aftermath, their lives became forever intertwined. This is their story. He heard the familiar whine of a Metro train approaching the platform, and Tom Baker decided to run for it. The next train was scheduled to arrive at Takoma Station in two minutes, another in six minutes and yet another in 10. But it was the first Monday of summer, and Baker had left work early with a weightlifting routine to...

big>July 3On the downside the breeze was too strong for us to deploy the MOAB. On the upside it made for a very pleasant evening. By 9pm it was positively chilly, so maybe the "climate change" the lefties are talking about nowadays is really global cooling. You've noticed how they've dropped "global warming" in favor of "climate change?" A subtle but important point, as it would seem to me they've conceded the debate but can't stop the train they've set in motion. Tom the Redhunter, Fraxinus, Kburi, Cindy-True-Supporter, RonGKirby, Mr & Mrs Trooprally, Tolerance Sucks Rocks, Jimmy Valentine's Brother, 3DJoy,...

20 AND 27 JUNE 2009 Elder Street and Georgia Avenue, Washington, DC This AAR will be like Section 788 of Henry Waxman’s late-night, 300-page manager’s amendment to H.R. 2454June 20 Pics courtesy of Mrs. Trooprally. Mrs. T writes, “Here are the pictures from Friday. The bus did not come we left at 11:05PM, We were asked to leave. The new Garrison Commander and his wife came out to thank us for being there. He said he may have the moonbats remove their signs off Gov property . They make him angery (sic). But he said he will try and be...

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, June 29, 2009) -- Wounded Soldiers sent home from overseas are greeted by their own before they are even off the plane at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. The Army’s wounded are welcomed back to the country by a team of three Soldiers from the U.S. Army Military District of Washington: the Medical Evacuation to CONUS Hospitals team. Col. James Conaway, Master Sgt. Jon Taylor and Master Sgt. Juan Reyna act as advocates and liaisons for wounded Soldiers transitioning back to the United States. “We help to coordinate, communicate and just take care of all the...

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, June 26, 2009) -- Several Walter Reed Army Medical Center staffers survived the deadliest accident in Washington Metrorail's 33-year history Monday. Maj. David Bottoms, a Walter Reed chaplain and Col. Thomas Baker, chief of pathology, said they were both riding in the first car of the train that slammed into another stopped train during Monday's rush-hour commute home. "I was reading and listening to my iPod, and I noticed the front end of the car was buckling and it was coming toward us. It looked like a wave ... it stopped three seats in front of...

Week 216 (June 5) Week 217 (June 12) ToleranceSucksRocks, Fraxinus [Mr] Trooprally Lurker Bill, Cindy_true_supporter Small bus RonGKirby Bus Week 216 (June 5) Week 217 (June 12) RonG's shirt Titusville crew, Frax, and TSR VFW Post 5958 June 5th - Drizzly rain. I wasn't there. Then the bus. The End. June 12th - Drizzly rain. I wasn't there. Then the ... NO, WAIT! The weather was great and I WAS there! We got a visit from the Titusville VFW. Bob, Beth, and Carrie drove all the way from the other side of Pennsyvania to spend the evening with us...

President Obama Visits Wounded Troops Posted By Blackfive David Borden Jr. was wounded in Iraq on January 19, 2008. A suicide bomber rushed him and detonated, and Borden was hit by over 200 pieces of shrapnel. He lost right leg (below the knee) and his left arm was severely damaged. He was in a coma for over a month. He's inspired more than a few people while recovering. The NY Giants football team reports that he's the grandson of a NY Giant. According to the email below from his father, David Borden (Sr.), David Jr. had an uninspiring visit from...

David Borden Jr. was wounded in Iraq on January 19, 2008. A suicide bomber rushed him and detonated, and Borden was hit by over 200 pieces of shrapnel. He lost right leg (below the knee) and his left arm was severely damaged. He was in a coma for over a month. He's inspired more than a few people while recovering. The NY Giants football team reports that he's the grandson of a NY Giant. According to the email below from his father, David Borden (Sr.), David Jr. had an uninspiring visit from the President of the United States: Since Dave...

Walter Reed - Week 215, May 29, 2009, Busy Friday Getting Ready for the SummerA great night to be at the Front Gate. Good camaraderie and good weather. Much of the evening was spent talking with some wounded warriors and visitors who joined us. And, as is the norm, many passengers in cars waved and drivers honked showing their support of the troops. Two wounded warriors, Tommy and Jason stopped and we chatted for quite a while. Both had been in Iraq, Jason –three tours. Tommy’s family will be joining him at WR soon. Thanks largely to the Yellow Ribbon...

    ~The FReeper Canteen Presents~ Road Trip: Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington D. C.  The Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) is the United States Army's flagship medical center on the east coast of the United States. Located on 113 acres in Washington, D.C., it serves more than 150,000 active and retired personnel from all branches of the military. The center is named after Major Walter Reed (1851-1902), an army physician who led the team which confirmed that yellow fever is transmitted by mosquitoes rather than direct contact. Since its origins, what is now the WRAMC medical...

In his weekly radio address, President Obama took time to commend American fighting forces and to explain how his defense, veterans and even economic programs (which he continues to call the "New Foundation") are part of serving the armed forces. It might have been superior for the president to have offered only a patriotic message and a word of thanks and remembrance for the fallen soldiers, but that's debatable. What seems wholly out of place, though, is the president's swipe at his predecessor, George W. Bush, and others: "Our fighting men and women – and the military families who love...

We had 10 people, the Pinkos 9. This is about how it's been for the past half year or so. We need your help. My challenge is that if you live within driving distance of Washington DC you make one trip this year to Walter Reed. That is not asking too much. If all FReepers reading this who live near Washington DC do this it would help tremendously. See below for directions and details, or you can just FReepmail me. On With the AARIt was a beautiful evening; not to hot, not too cold... ok sorry, I used the Three...

24 April 2009, Elder Street and Georgia Avenue, Washington, DC DC Chapter Members in attendance: The usual suspects rongkirby, Fraxinus, Trooprally, Lurker Bill, cindy_true_supporter, BufordP, Mr. & Mrs Trooprally Lacking inspiration this report is more than late. Not much new happens outside Walter Reed. We haven’t had a confrontation with the Azzhats in years. The Azzhats don’t even light candles for their “vigil” anymore.So it’s understandable that attendance has dropped off. However, Ron G did learn a valuable lesson which I will share. It was taught by Mr. Trooprally. It’s fairly easy to remember so if on the off you...

Ted Sampley was a Viet Nam Veteran, and activist for POW/MIA's and he stood with us at Walter Reed on 30 September 2005 when Rolling Thunder paid us a visit. Ted and I became friends with the common thread being our complete and total hatred of code pink. The obituary says a lot, but it doesn't do justice to the passion Ted had for his Viet Nam veteran brothers, or the passion he had for this current generation of Warriors. The world has lost a good man, but he is in good company, re-united with his brothers from "The Herd"

BufordP and Cindy-True-Supporter Fraxinus Lurker Bill Pics of "not the usual" perps. While we were setting up for Walter Reed, a little excitement happened. About four patrol cars sped around our corner chasing another vehicle and all came to a screeching halt at the entrance to the lot we use to park our cars. During the commotion a couple of fellows coming from Walter Reed entered the lot to retrieve their cars. Since they were unable to leave the parking lot I had a chance to talk to one of the young men. Found out he was from India....

Walter Reed - Week 212, May 8, 2009, Standing Tall A pleasant evening with the rain holding off. We were on all 4 corners at Walter Reed’s front gate, with the moonbats 50 yards down Georgia Ave. Many honks and waves tonight, and soldiers walking in and out of the front gate kept us busy all night. Three large Medical ambulances arrived with sirens and lights blazing. Our prayers are with the wounded warriors and their families. VictoryNY always makes a point to talk with the soldiers such as Rod, a wounded warrior, and his wife, Stephanie. They are from...

Don't you just love the new MOAB? I think it says it all quite well. Despite the constant calls for surrender by the Democrats, the troops held firm, and we've now pretty much won the war. All we're doing now is mopping up and making sure the new Iraqi Army is trained well enough to take over when we leave. But maybe we're going to have to start checking to see if our own Department of Homeland Security is spying on us as we gather every Friday outside the main entrance of Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC....