GAO Report: Walter Reed Problems Have Not Been Fixed
Remember Walter Reed? After the huge scandal last spring, President Bush and the members of Congress promised to improve troops' care. They promised to take action and get our wounded veterans the care they were waiting for. They promised to make things right. Well, that promise has been broken.
This week, we got definitive proof that our nation's wounded veterans are still waiting for government leaders to deliver much needed resources. According to a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the response to shoddy outpatient treatment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center has been woefully inadequate.
This latest report joins the increasing chorus of bipartisan commissions, independent review groups, and task forces which all confirm that the DoD and the VA are ill-prepared to meet the needs of returning servicemembers. Among its findings, the GAO concluded that there has been little progress in rectifying staffing shortfalls, facilitating VA/DoD data sharing, and streamlining disability evaluation systems. Processing disability payments still takes an average of 177 days. Furthermore, efforts to improve the care provided to servicemembers with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have also been largely unsuccessful: only 6 of the Army's 32 Warrior Transition Units had completed training for all staff. (You can read the complete report here.)
The bottom line: the problems of Walter Reed have not been fixed. Not even close. More than seven months have passed since the major problems were revealed by the Washington Post-- and after seven months, our veterans continue to wait. While Congress and the President went on vacation this summer, people like my courageous friend Annette McLeod and her wounded husband Wendell were paying the price for our governments negligence. Our nation's heroes and their families deserve better.
Americans were outraged when they first saw the images from Walter Reed. It is time for them to be outraged again.
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I appreciate all the comments--and all the support. Pass this blog on to your friends. The mainstream media has still not covered this important issue. Call your local station, write a letter to your local paper and make them cover it! If you need facts, check out www.iava.o
I was on KMOX with Paul Harris yesterday to discuss this issue. You can listen now here:
http://pau
Thanks again.
THANKS FOR THE LINKpaulha
Thanks for your vigilance. Talked with my son in Baghdad recently. One of the latest orders from the Commander of Multinational Forces in Iraq--- "No profanity. It may offend. " As if the continued mess at Walter Reed isn't offensive, as if dead, maimed, brain injured young men and women aren't offensive. As if 15 month TDYs aren't offensive. As if missing pregnancy/birth of my son's child isn't offensive. But we mustn't utter profanities.
Asked my son if they get any US news--- "Yeah--- Fox News."
The Darth Bush maladministration is carrrying out
Grand Theft Treasury
while the MSM sidetracks you with red herrings.
I WONDER IF BUSH HAS SET UP AN ACCOUNT IN PARAGUAY WHERE IT IS RUMORED HE HAS BOUGHT PROPERTY?? THERE'S A LOT OF DOUGH OUT THERE THAT IS NOT GETTING TO WHERE IT BELONGS = IN IRAQ AND IN OUR HOSPITALS FOR OUR VETERANS.
In the Bush Administration
Deficits don't matter.
Health care is too expensive.
Troops are cannon fodder, unless you are a compliant General.
Do we want War or Health care ?
BTW Hillary is a neocon Republican and Obama is turning into a Hawk.
firstly, imagine what could have been done for america, if the $ spent on the iraq war were channeled into american issues. quite possibly, health care for every citizen, cure for diseases, infrastructure modernization, more teachers and law enforcers, feed the needy, homes for the homeless, etc. instead, what america is dealing with is an endless supply of soldiers being wounded and killed, soldiers who have to be hospitalized, perhaps for the rest of there lives. these soldiers are treated like dirt, living conditions and medical care like 3rd world countries. disabled veterans are treated like criminals as they try to recieve compensation or assistance for their wounds or syndroms. bush is a traitor, a traitor to his country and to the soldiers, his heroes, who have fought and died for his folley.
never has america witnessed such a leader as bush, actually calling bush a leader is a highly inaccurate statement. bush is a con man, a carney, a snake oil salesman, he suckered america into the biggest international catastrophe in history, a disaster with no end in sight. bush can be credited with charging america into near bankrupcy, his fools obsession with iraq will have repercussions for decades. bush has created more terrorists than al queda ever will have, the people of iraq, whoe's loved ones were slaughtered and raped, will vow vengence on america, forever.
Spot On!!! Thank you Mr.Rieckho
BUSH IS THE WORST OF THE WORSE....M
It makes me sad to know the soldiers so gravely injured in the war Bush made but what makes me angry is that the money to fix those so damaged seems to be in the same bucket of money Bush still has Congress throwing at his war. The wounded and those who will be homeless added to our streets from yet another war when those injured are not taken care of. The mental illness alone is going cost us a long time so who will care for those at Walter Reed now is just the begining.
It doesn't surprise me that the veterans' injuries haven't been dealt with. Bush just asked for billions more to keep this war going well into the next president's term--so there will be tons more injuries that aren't dealt with. Stop the insanity!!! What we need is another revolution.
The BUSH Adminstration has a man in place with the V.A. to challenge all Disabled Veterans about their Disabilities and make every attempt to stop them from receiving a Disability Rateing.
Bush know the payments to those Disabled Veterans will decrease the funds the military has to waste in Iraq on Contractors.
Bush support of the troops ends when your disabled then Bush is your enemy.
Bottom line;nobody cares. "Support the troops" is all you hear from these waste of flesh politicians. Before he was taken off the air, Don Imus contacted Walter Reed Hospital and asked for a list of the number of times Dick Cheney had visited the troops. He was told that information was private. Why? One can only assume it's because the VEEP had never been there. All of these kids with their shattered bodies and broken dreams have made Cheney and his Halliburton cronies rich men, and this is how they are "supported. Is it any wonder that people are coming to hate the GOP. A massacre is coming in this country and the weapon is a ballot box.
Use 'em and throw 'em away.It works for business and If there's one thing Bush and supporters campaigned on it was bringing business practices to
government
"Support the Troops" is the battle cry (as long as you don't get wounded)
No, "Support the Troops" is a club those butt holes use to keep getting their way.
footsore
The Bush Administration would do a TERRIBLE job as a real business. I work at one of the former employers of a Bush Administration member [I won't say which one only to maintain anonymity] and one of the core tenents of operation is to have a plan B, usually plans C, D, E, F, etc. We are also obsessed with safety.
But back in 2000, most of us knew that what Bush did to everything he ever ran would happen to the United States. I wonder when shit will hit the fan and the dollar's real value is exposed. I hope I can ride out the storm.
Give the government a week and they can pass legislation condemning a group exercising their First Amendment right. Give them 6 years and they can't control one country although we managed to secure most of the world in less time than that during WWII.
Give them years of hiding the conditions at Walter Reed and 7 months after media scrutiny and nothing changes. They can find millions for the bridge to nowhere and other earmarks but fund veterans care is beyond reach for some.
Anyone surprised?
Not me hootie. Not one bit. Point is that this country has NEVER cared for it's veterans. Not since the founding of this nation have it's veterans been cared for in the manner which they deserve.
And! It's NOT going to change. To many personal agendas out there. To many groups saying ME, ME, ME, and to HELL with you. It makes not one wit of difference whether Demopublican or Republicrat.
BTW, anybody see where Hillary (it's her destiny) say's we'll be in Iraq until at least 2013? Samey same for Barak (all kneel and genuflect) Obama and unfortunately Edwards who would not give a straight answer to the question. My man Bill R said we'd be out in the FIRST year of a Richardson administration.
Have a nice day folks.
Tanker: Remember that the VA system was set up when the requirement was a troop needed to serve several years to be eligible for qualification. Unbelieveably, that requirement is now at 180 fucking days, in effect, six months get a vet lifetime care. Another example of how our lifetime appointmentees to Congress manipulate the citizens, i.e., pretend there are no consequences to something "free." Look around this site and you'll see responders damning President Bush when it is the weasle Congress' direct fault. Why a decent man like Bush or Obama would want to be a leader of this "give me, give me" country baffles me.
I only want to say one thing here in support of the VA. The hospital in Saginaw Mi. ADel B Lutz, has been wonderful to my husband. But he does not have war injuries. He is 56 and they pay for his medicine and physicals etc. My brother in law who was a medic in vietnam, is also getting services there and he is very impressed. We were very leary about going there because of all the stories you hear about the VA. After having been there with my husband, I never seen a more caring , efficient group of health professionals in my life. There is no waiting for anything. I cant say enough good about the THe care he has gotten there. It is much much better than in the private medical profession. Now it may be a different story if you are severely injured. Also everything is means tested so he pays a small co-pay for his prescriptions, not like with the private insurance companies. I just had to put my 2 cents in because we have had nothing but good experiences with the VA.
Thank you for the courage to add "your 2-cents." Endorsements like your's are much needed to counter the usual sniping by those making a living by sniping.
the "health care at VA is excellent" make a claim for "compensation" and you will encounter the ugly side of the VA UI give the healthcare people an A+ in Augusta GA, and the Regional Claims Office in Columbia SC an F in claims processing
There's a primo VA Hospital in Fayetteville, Ark, too. Had a nephew ('Nam Vet) who was treated for throat cancer there and he was well pleased with treatment and outcome.
I have been in the VA system for 17 years each VA medical facility is different it depends on their location. If they are located near a University of medicine then the VA has financial agreements with these Universities that they can use the VA medical facility as a teaching Hospital. That means they are very closely monitered by the University Medical Staff and professors. Which makes the care very good. ON the reverse if you live in an area that has no University Hospital then you are at the mercy of whoever the VA can get to work there for the least amount of money( 95% of the time it is foreigners usually from the middle east or India). This makes the care bad because most of these foreigners have diffuculty comprehending English, and have no experience treating combat soldiers. They are not licensed in the US or are they trained by the VA. So be thankful that you live in an area close to a University Hospital and can get such excellant care but there are a lot of us that are not as lucky. And I do not make my living sniping I am a retired US Marine!
I blogged this yesterday at Daily Kos when the news first broke, it appears this story is not going to get the same coverage as the initial story did back in February.
I think the President needs to realize the Buck does stop on his desk and the American public is mad about this, if they aren't they should be, it's the famous "PROMISE"
http://www
What gets me is that after every war we have the same. When the Walter Reed Story broke I knew beforehand it was a hot item for a day or two and then it will be forgotten and nothing will be changed. We have seen the VETS after WW2, after the Korean War, after the Vietnam War, after the Desert Storm and the soldiers who came away seriously hurt/injured, were denied what was due to them. And you think the government is stupid? I said 50 years ago that Patriotism is only for the dumb and poor and this is proof!
Mr. Rieckhoff, thank you for bring this important matter up again.
I am not in a position to know, so I ask you, how can the problems you have highlighted be fixed? Is there an obstruction that needs to be removed, or perhaps just a lack of something that should not be lacking? Whatever the solution is, please, let's hear about it.
Hi,
It is disheartening to read this.
The Pres & the Administration are quick to go on TV and decry the conditions at Walter Reed but then seem to go away and forget about it!!
Perhaps they think that since we have an all volunteer military, if one of the military is wounded, that is their problem!
That attitude is disgusting to me. The Administration can come up with a request for another $200 billion to continue the war in Iraq but cannot (or will not) fix the problems at Walter Reed and the other VA hospitals. Perhaps they really don't want to.
What do U think??
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