Posted on 03/01/2007 11:15:31 AM PST by standingfirm
Keep reading.
I don't know how it was back then. My husband has been in for 13 years, and he has always been told not to speak to the press. At spouses briefings, I have always been told the same. I'm pretty sure there is nothing legally they can do to me, but I wouldn't make my husbands life miserable to find out. I mean no disrespect, but it has always been told to us as long as I can remember.
In the first article 6 vets were mentioned. 4 of them were in their 40s and age was not mentioned for one of them. They are not being treated in sub-standardfacilities. There are 7 ROOMS that qualify as sub-standard in ONE building of 100 rooms.
is negligent in the medical care of its heroes
Where is it said that there is negligence in their medical care?
THanks for your wonderful post, Justa!
I verified the firing on another thread before anyone heard it because I was on the phone with a soldier. He called and was furious!
Others said they want to write letters on behalf of Gen. Weightman, but don't know who to send them to. My suggestion? WaComPo!!! They seem to be running the country.
And if we ever get socialized medicine like Hillarycare, it will be even worse. There are no veterans (or military) hospitals in the UK. Vets and wounded Soldiers are on the National Health or nothing. There have been cases where Muslim hospital employees have been caught spitting in such patients' food, or messing with their IVs.
Do you really want to see that here?
The readiness issues which includes maintenance is still being ignored. Having Walter Reed dysfunctional to the Army Medical Corps is as serious an issue to the Navy as not having two carriers deployable. All were maintenance issues which the C.O. had no say over because congress didn't approve the money for a new roof or the Pentagon gave the money for the new or repaired roof to the cell phone dealer as an off hand example.
Congress has been far too busy with Social Programs and paying for them with money while the military does without. The Pentagon needs an overhaul. First waste needs to be stopped both in the Pentagon and State Dept. Second a comprehensive overview of the status of the military needs to be undertaken and input taken from senior enlisted-Command level officers meaning E-7,8,9,through the 0-4,5,&6 levels. From there will come truth. Meaning the working military leadership who has to deal with issues day in day out.
Those are the ones who's voices ultimately need to be heard and not some detached from reality General or Admiral who warms a chair in the Pentagon. It was the chairwarmers duty to represent the needs of those under him and not plan his next career. Ask them what they need and I bet it differs vastly from what JCOS says they need. Don't ask the ones tied up in politics or kissing up to big name contractors ready to retire into Corporateland. Had Rummy simply did this when he first took office he would have saved himself some major embarrassments. Either the needs of the Commanding Officers are not being heard at high levels of government or they are being purposely ignored or hushed up by the Pentagon on a military and Civilian leadership level.
It is the duty of the Service Secretaries and Sec of Def to know the readiness & status of the military at all times and to know of serious issues. That is what SIT-REPS and CAS-REPS are for. If work isn't getting funded properly or not funded at all they need to speak out. If a contractor isn't doing the job paid to do then fire them. I've not been in favor of the ever increasing contractor dependency. The military needs to start doing some things in house again. Except for cases where contractors have specific skills our military does not maintenance needs to be in house.
The same with the V.A. It has been neglected by congress for decades. Sadly one of the few congressmen who took VA health issues to the people is in federal prison. VA Hospitals need to be shuttered and the VA health care privatized with strict oversight for quick and swift payment to service providers as well as quality of care. There is no reason any disabled VET should not be able to walk into any mainstream hospital in the United States and receive prompt treatment. There is no reason they should not have their choice of a primary care physician in Private Practice.
Our military is headed for serious manpower and equipment troubles. Actually it had already began. Both parties are to blame for it getting there and remaining that way. The GOP takeover of congress should have led to massive corrections. It didn't because they as well had other pet projects besides defense of this nation to push just like Bill Clinton and the DEMs did. Defense is the first responsibility of our government. No Child Left Behind should not be a concern for federal government whatsoever. That should define one from being a DEM or Republican. Sadly it doesn't.
The U.S. military is being downgraded to levels from which due to our loss of defense industry manufacturing capabilities and far too much downsizing it may not recover if issues are not addressed soon. The Reagan Era took us to a military readiness level unseen since WW2. In less than 4 years it was headed towards where it is now. That is not the fault of the enlisted nor junior to Command level Officers who always pay the price for the cause and effect it seems. It is the fault of the civilian appointed service secretaries, The Sec of DEF, Congress, and ultimately POTUS, for purposefully ignoring ongoing nearly two decade long issues. When will enough be enough? Homeland Security My Eye!
YES, I DO CARE ABOUT THE TRUTH.....unlike most of you people posting on these threads who do not give a damn what the truth is.
and I find your defense to be rather suspect, if not downright stupid.
Frankly my dear, I DON'T GIVE A DAMN WHAT YOU THINK!
I find your parroting reporters brief visits there like they are the only ones that know what the "truth" is to be pathetic.
Have you ever been to Walter Reed?
Do you know any of the troops they used to promote their hit piece?
Have you ever spent nights in any of the buildings?
Do you have relationships with those at Walter Reed?
Unless you have personal knowledge of any of the above, I find YOUR fawning over the ENEMEDIA stupid!
What I find suspect is that you DID NOT ADDRESS what I posted in response to UNINFORMED ASSERTIONS! Let's review, shall we?
YOU: the way these young veterans are being treated in these sub-standard facilities makes me very angry.
ME: In the first article 6 vets were mentioned. 4 of them were in their 40s and age was not mentioned for one of them. They are not being treated in sub-standard facilities. There are 7 ROOMS that qualify as sub-standard in ONE building of 100 rooms.
What about it? Are those in their 40s now young?
Do you consider 7 rooms within a huge complex a "sub-standard" facility?
YOU: is negligent in the medical care of its heroes
ME: Where is it said that there is negligence in their medical care?
I readily admit I have not read most of the tripe that has been posted on this issue. My question remains; Where is the negligent medical care of which you speak?
Also, try reading my post #20. The items in "quotes" are directly from troops or spouses that LIVE AT WALTER REED, some for as long as 18 months, from conversations in the past 10 days.
The quickest way for VETs to get prompt treatment in the private sector would be for VA to be made to process and pay the bills on time and for congress to by law forbid VA coverage from being placed under HMO's or the funding managed by a private middleman. The VA should remain administrator of funding but not the service provider if you understand what I am saying. Simply make VA the admin check cutter directly to the private care service provider be it doctor or hospital and pay them promptly and fairly.
I worked in a nursing home open to the public. We had several VA contract patients. They received the care and respect they deserved. There is no reason a VET who is VA certified as eligible for medical benefits should have to drive several hours for their care. One disable VET who used to be a member here and post elsewhere nearly died getting to a VA hospital. He knew if he went to a local hospital VA would likely not pay. His condition demanded immediate attention.
"Not only did many of them go outside the chain of command, they NEVER went to the chain"
Sources please.
The first (or second) in the chain of command!
meaning?
Okay, this is not rocket science. It means what it says...
It came from one of those in the chain of command to whom the "complaint" should have been registered.
A complaint was never made. When asked why, the soldier replied; "nobody will do anything about it anyway"
Oh please! Is THAT your proof?? Of course the upper chain of command is going to pull that nonsense. Its the only half hearted defense that they can reasonably muster. How about some corroborating evidence beyond statements from those responsible for the deplorable conditions our troops had to endure?
Thanks for showing up. Looks like Dana is going to get another Pulitzer. The treason has taken hold, even on FR.
Clearly, you have no idea what you are talking about.
You take the words of a known enemy of our country, as gospel truth. I have just been perusing your posts and have found that it would be an exercise in futility to continue discussing anything with you.
I KNOW THE SOLDIERS involved. I KNOW their personal agendas. I KNOW how they live.
Many of the "deplorable" conditions the HANDFUL of troops "had to endure" were brought on by themselves. When you live like a pig; littering your room with food containers, dirty underwear, dirty clothes and assorted junk all over the floor to the point it cannot be seen, the sheets on your bed are black from filth etc. you are going to have roaches and rats.
When you refuse to move from a room that is in need of repairs, once it was discovered with no help from you, because it would mean you would have to share a room, why is that the Army's fault?
There are rarely charges or punishments for this kind of crap anymore. It is the "kinder softer" Army, donchaknow.
I love and honor our troops, but the fact of the matter is, there are bad apples in every segmnet of society. 95% of a Sgt. or SSGT.'s time is spent on 5% of his troops.
Read my post 120 and 130. If you don't get it yet, it is because you choose not to. You would rather use the issue to continue bashing this administration. Either way, I'm finished with you.
So I've noticed. Time to clean house.
Your posts in this thread are the most credible of any.
Look, folks: nobody is condoning our soldiers' having to live with mold, rats and roaches. Some of us are trying to say it is not the widespread problem some seem to think it is. Yes, Building 18 is below standards; but to my knowledge, no actual medical care is performed there. That's done across the street at the actual medical facilities. Building 18 is an ex-hotel in a seedy part of D.C. that comprises living spaces for ambulatory out-patients who need to stay close to the hospital for continued treatment/therapy.
Apparently, there have been complaints about the living conditions for quite a long time; that's a breakdown in the chain of command. The fault may lie anywhere from Congress down through the lowliest soldier quartered there; I don't know.
As somebody said earlier, Dana Priest now has a general's scalp to brag about. And I suspect millions will be dumped into this soon-to-be-torn down motel. OK. If there's one thing we (the DoD and indeed the whole government) knows how to do, it's over-react.
TC
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