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nonothing

Well-known member
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Problems over treatment of wounded soldiers that created a scandal at the top U.S. military veterans' hospital are prevalent throughout the Army's health care system, lawmakers said on monday.

One Democrat speaking at a U.S. House of Representatives hearing also suggested that the crisis at Walter Reed hospital may have been a consequence of what he called the "terrible planning" surrounding the U.S. military operation Iraq.

Rep. John Tierney (news, bio, voting record), a Massachusetts Democrat who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee's national security subcommittee, said the problems did not stop with the Washington, D.C. hospital.

"I also, unfortunately, feel that these problems go well beyond the walls of Walter Reed, and that they are problems systemic throughout the military health care system," he said.

"Is this just another horrific consequence of the terrible planning that went into our invasion of Iraq?" Tierney asked. Democrats and some Republicans accuse the Bush administration of bungling the military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The outcry over conditions at the hospital followed a report in The Washington Post that some recuperating soldiers at Walter Reed were living in rodent-infested quarters and trapped in a bureaucratic limbo.

Army Secretary Francis Harvey resigned and the general in charge of the facility, Maj. Gen. George Weightman, was replaced.

"These problems are not unique to Walter Reed," said Rep. Tom Davis, a Virginia Republican. "The crushing complexity and glacial pace of outpatient procedures in medical evaluation boards are Army-wide problems."

"All the plaster and paint in the world won't cure a system that seems institutionally predisposed to treat wounded soldiers like inconveniences rather than heroes," Davis added.

During Monday's hearing, Weightman publicly apologized to wounded soldiers and their families who testified about substandard conditions and bureaucratic neglect.

"I promise you we'll do better," said Weightman, who led Walter Reed from last August until he was fired last week.

One of those who testified, Annette McLeod, laid the blame on Weightman's predecessor, Ret. Maj. Gen. Kenneth Farmer, who commanded Walter Reed for two years until last August.

She said Farmer refused to see her when she tried to complain about delays in tests and treatment for her husband, Cpl. Wendell McLeod, who suffered head injuries in Iraq. "They told me he did not have time to talk to me," she said.

President George W. Bush has ordered a wide-ranging review of all U.S. veterans facilities in the wake of the scandal.

The Post revelations were particularly embarrassing because Bush, senior defense officials and lawmakers have repeatedly visited those in the hospital who served in battle in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Army said last week that Maj. Gen. Eric Schoomaker would take over command at the hospital. He is the brother of the Army's top military official, Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker, who told the hearing Monday he "couldn't be madder" about the "things that have turned up" at Walter Reed.
 

Steve

Well-known member
While I hope that something actually gets fixed, I did notice how it is getting dumped back on "The Army"...

which is sad....the Military has taken great strides in military health over the last 20 + years...soldiers that once would have died were they fell, are now being saved....but this and much more work is being forgotten so politicians can get press time.

I am a disabled vet..so I understand the rules...now..
it is not any different since I retired..no progress,...
why?,... because of congress and it's pile of rules....



The Military does all it can....The VA is exceptional.

so what is wrong.....politics.

every one keeps ignoring facts. (especially the media)

the cumbersome paperwork...was created by congress

the outsourced jobs...congress again....

the condition at Walter Reed..gee, didn't they create the base closure process.....to save a few bucks.....yep congress again

why don't we "fire" every one of them?

show me a problem in the Military and I will show you a rule that congress made that the Military faithfully followed..only to be blamed....
 

CattleArmy

Well-known member
I cannot believe we as Americans are not more outraged by this. These men and women were defending our freedom and keeping us safe and this comes out and the Anna Nicole Smith crap gains more coverage..........
 

Steve

Well-known member
I cannot believe we as Americans are not more outraged by this. These men and women were defending our freedom and keeping us safe and this comes out

But it wasn't needed by the dems to win their elections.(sarcasm)

unfortunately it was brought up back in 05 when Walter Reed was slated for closure...and many politicians fought that decision based on politics and emotion....and discounted the claims then....now only to act like they are surprised by the now embarrassing appalling conditions. they all knew it was bad...I knew it was bad in 94..so the only thing that changed was their need for a political spotlight....

the war is going better....so find some other bad thing to focus on....

politics as usual,..all so the politicians can drive by for a photo-op on their way to the campaign trail..*


the fact remains it is an old facility, not the "premier" hospital the media continues to claim, and was in need of major upgrades then... upgrades that would cost much more then building a new Hospital....

now the money allocated for wounded vet care will be "pumped" into a facility that will close in less then 2 years....so again the wounded vets will suffer more.......


politics as usual,..all so the politicians can drive by for a photo-op on their way to the campaign trail..*
 

mrj

Well-known member
Did any of you happen to see the stufff about this on C-SPAN this morning? I saw parts of it. A Rep. Virginia Foxx, R. NC, had what is probably the most honest and accurate take on this.

She said this is the work of entrenched bureaucracy, not the fault of the military. She pointed out that the decades of liberal/Democrat control firmly established the bureaucracy and that it is nearly impossible to fire anyone in that hierarchy, so there is no accountability.

She said the military people say the money is available, but the bureaucrats are not putting it where needed the most.

Seems to me, if the needs are greater than the money (and aren't they always???) there should be priorities set to provide for those worst hurt first, and those who never saw active duty under hostile fire who need medical care, whether from accident, illness, or mental problems......should be the ones who have to wait, if their condition is not a genuine emergency.

Rep. Foxx had a lot of useful suggestions for places for Vets (or their families) needing help to check out, including calling your Congress person, indicating many of them place highest priority on providing such help.

Quite the contrast to the Dem who followed her. I wasn't able to watch him as much, but basically, from what I heard, it seemed he was making the most of the opportunity to blame all ills on President GWB. Not much new there!

MRJ
 

Work Hard and Study Hard

Well-known member
A republican president is in power, a republican president called for this war and and republican controlled congress voted for it. It's time for both sides to anty up. The republicans got us into this crap it's time for someone on the Democrat side to take one. An 88 year old Battle of the Bulge WWII vet that I am very close to is getting very sick about Bush and his war. This is a disgrace to the USA.
 

passin thru

Well-known member
In addition to previosly stated problems,I say a big portion of the problem is socialized medicine and that is what VA care is. Oh and if you were ever in a VA facility over eight years ago.............there were problems.
 

Econ101

Well-known member
One thing they could do for vets--shut down or sell all the VA hospitals (they use them as teaching hospitals in many areas for young doctors), and give the military men health care/insurance to go to any hospital/doctor.

Members of Congress should be hard pressed not to give soldiers the same quality care they receive.

If you don't close them down, keep reed open and make congress use that hospital.
 

Steve

Well-known member
ECon101:
and give the military men health care/insurance to go to any hospital/doctor.

okey time for another dose of facts...

any disabled vet can have as many choices as thier disablity warrents.

a 100% service disabled vet can get
Tricare for life
ChampVA....
Medicare...(if they are social security elgible which most 100% vets are)

and can go to any Military medical facility on a space available basis......and a Va hospital or clinic...

I believe at about 50% the the options limit, depending on if the person "retired" from the military or just got out at the end of their tour.


So in many if not most of the cases a disabled Vet can go get any health care they wish.

I personnally use the Hospital for my semi-annual pain management,...and go to my local doctor for most every thing else in between....and use the local Coast Gaurd clinic for Meds.

if all vets did the same it would releave a great burden on the VA hospitals


what most fail to see is that the problem lies in how the Vet goes from the Military care to the VA care.....the Military care is excellent.....and VA Care is ecellent....it is the transition that seems not to care.
 

passin thru

Well-known member
Here if you are a 100% you still have to go first to the VA clinic, which is in joint with Medicaid patients. How disgusting that some of these welfare moms with a welfare baby with sniffles gets the same priority as a Veteran.
Oh and this started in the Clinton Administration.
 

aplusmnt

Well-known member
Econ101 said:
One thing they could do for vets--shut down or sell all the VA hospitals (they use them as teaching hospitals in many areas for young doctors), and give the military men health care/insurance to go to any hospital/doctor.

Members of Congress should be hard pressed not to give soldiers the same quality care they receive.

If you don't close them down, keep reed open and make congress use that hospital.

I agree 100% we outsource everything why are we not outsourcing this?

If you are a veteran you get the same insurance policy that congress gets, problem solved!
 

Steve

Well-known member
Passing Thru:
Here if you are a 100% you still have to go first to the VA clinic, which is in joint with Medicaid patients.

why would they do something so stupid?

the groups need specialized care that is completely different.

I had never heard of that...thank goodness it is not a national trend.


if the person is in the system at 100% why do they still have to use the clinic?
 

Steve

Well-known member
Aplusmnt:
If you are a veteran you get the same insurance policy that congress gets, problem solved!

ironically while I was at Bethasda, many of the outpatients were senators and congressmen...so service couldn't have been that bad..

But your plan would work well...
 

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