Posted on 03/01/2007 5:32:24 AM PST by FLOutdoorsman
Complaints about medical center were voiced for years
Top officials at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, including the Army's surgeon general, have heard complaints about outpatient neglect from family members, veterans groups and members of Congress for more than three years.
A procession of Pentagon and Walter Reed officials expressed surprise last week about the living conditions and bureaucratic nightmares faced by wounded soldiers staying at the D.C. medical facility. But as far back as 2003, the commander of Walter Reed, Lt. Gen. Kevin C. Kiley, who is now the Army's top medical officer, was told that soldiers who were wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan were languishing and lost on the grounds, according to interviews.
Steve Robinson, director of veterans affairs at Veterans for America, said he ran into Kiley in the foyer of the command headquarters at Walter Reed shortly after the Iraq war began and told him that "there are people in the barracks who are drinking themselves to death and people who are sharing drugs and people not getting the care they need."
"I met guys who weren't going to appointments because the hospital didn't even know they were there," Robinson said. Kiley told him to speak to a sergeant major, a top enlisted officer.
A recent Washington Post series detailed conditions at Walter Reed, including those at Building 18, a dingy former hotel on Georgia Avenue where the wounded were housed among mice, mold, rot and cockroaches.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
I've also noticed that to some Freepers EVERYTHING is politics. I guess that's to be expected since it's a political forum, but this is not a question of politics, it's a matter of morality, and the Army is clearly in the wrong. I think some Freepers need to examine their support of the troops. Just as you can't support the troops if you don't support the mission, I submit that you also don't support the troops if you make excuses for those in command who have let them recuperate in hidden squalor.
I'm no fan of Dana Priest, but she's done the right thing in this case. That she did it for the wrong reason doesn't change the fact that getting the word out to the public will make conditions better for our wounded troops. And frankly, I don't care if the devil himself is writing these articles if it gets the Army brass to do the right thing.
So it's not really about the inadequate care some of our soldiers receive? Sad...but thanks for being my example!
;-)
No kidding. He should be ashamed. He had the means to get things changed, but not the will. I bet he thinks he supports the troops, too.
DANA PRIEST
That is as far as I read.
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And you sound proud of it.
I stopped listening to loopy Laura long ago...:((
And you're an example of your name and what it stands for.
What do you personally know about "inadequate care" given to our soldiers? I'm asking for firsthand information. Please be specfic.
I respect your service and whatever firsthand knowledge YOU may have. But I need to point out that, in my view, we are here at Free Republic to not only discuss issues but also to counter and critique the enemy traitor media.
While there may be valid points to be raised regarding vetrans' healthcare, benefits, etc., I seriously doubt that Anne Hull, Dana Priest and the WaPo have good intentions in doing so.
He's probably following the FR model. You know, people who think that the best way to support the troops is to not talk about any problems they face, or or claim that those problems are merely partisan media inventions.
Walter Reed patients are getting less then stellar treatment and by God I don't care who's bringing it to our attention. I want it fixed!
BTW, LE, some of my previous posts on this thread were in sarcasm.
Then clearly you don't support the troops.
If you did, you wouldn't call atteniton to their problems. Those problems embarass the Adminis- ahem, I mean, give aid and comfort to the Democ- ahem, terrorists! Yeah, if we talk about problems, then the terrorists win. Don't let them win by making government bean counters look bad.
Remember, you can support the troops better in your head than you can by your actions. Actions merely get things done, but thoughts? That's real support.
;-)
I know Dana Priest, et al, have an agenda. Their plan is to make the Bush administration look bad and reduce support for the Iraq war. I clearly see their intentions and have pointed them out in previous posts on other threads on this subject.
But the journalists' intentions are beside the point if gets the situation rectified, because the issue is one of morality, not politics. When the story first broke, many Freepers dismissed it out of hand simply because it came from WaPo. I argued the point; because of my personal experience it had the ring of truth to me. Well, now we've seen the pictures and the Army has admitted to the conditions, and those who denied the message because of the messenger look silly.
And, another good thing may come of these articles. They are, as an unintended consequence for Ms. Preist and others of the liberal persuasion, making a very strong case against socialized medicine.
Regardless of their intentions they have brought this shameful treatment to our attention.
Firsthand knowledge: Agent Orange certified, cancer certified, 10 months later still waiting on VA to determine if I'm eligible for disability.
Yet VA has a representative at every DHS meeting telling the masses of how they're capable of handling mass casualties.
Ding Ding Ding! We have a winner!
Is the story line of the movie "Coming Home" in effect?
I can't wait till Dana Priest does a story on why and how these young Soldiers got there in the first place. Not a word about Iranian or Al Quaeda IED's targeting not only our Troops but innocent Iraqis trying to get on with their lives. The story of building 18 at WR is a sad one but at least it is now being addressed. The really sad story is the internal war that has to be fought against the democrats and their media.
What did they think was going to happen to the buildings on a base that's due to close?
If you don't budget money for upkeep or improvements, the facility will start to get run down. Yes, at least minimum upkeep should be done regularly since these buildings are still in use. Of course, someone would have to come up with the money.
I have to use the VA care facilities for my health care.
The Mountain Home VA care facilities in Johnson City Tn. is one of the best in health care. I could never express how good they have been to me in treating my health concerns, which are many.
That being said, I am sorry to read about the Walter Reed problems.
My experience with other VA facilities, is in the management of each hospital. I have been in other VA hospitals and, they were not a good experience for me.
If you visit a VA hospital, candidly look for cleanliness, this will tell you of the daily operations in each one. I have seen house care people leaning on mops for twenty to thirty minutes. Too many people walking around with clip boards in their hands. One employee I know on a personal basis told me, just Cary a clip board around with you and, no-one will ask anything of you.
The VA system is in great need of oversight, too much waste as in all forms of government.
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