Panel Fears Problems Go Beyond Walter Reed

(CBS/AP)  Substandard living conditions found at the Army's flagship veterans hospital likely exist throughout the military health care system, the head of a House panel investigating Walter Reed Army Medical Center said Monday.

"We need a sustained focus here, and much more needs to be done," Rep. John Tierney said of a scandal enveloping Walter Reed. Charges of bureaucratic delays and poor treatment there have produced calls in Congress for quick reform.

Tierney said he is afraid "these problems go well beyond the walls of Walter Reed," adding that "as we send more and more troops into Iraq and Afghanistan, these problems are only going to get worse, not better."

A House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee hearing Monday at the hospital brought a wide range of apologies from top-level Army officers and the Army's No. civilian. "We have let some soldiers down," said Peter Geren, the undersecretary of the Army.

Tierney, D-Mass., chairman of the panel, questioned whether problems at the facility are "just another horrific consequence" of inadequate planning that went into war in Iraq; a problem created by contracting out work there to private business, or some other cause.

"This is absolutely the wrong way to treat our troops, and serious reforms need to happen ... immediately," he said.

Geren, who will become acting Army secretary later this week, told the panel that the revelations of poor conditions at Walter Reed had hurt the Army. Defense Secretary Robert Gates forced Army Secretary Francis Harvey to resign last week and he leaves his post on Friday.

Two former commanders at the facility said they accepted responsibility for the failures.

Maj. Gen George W. Weightman, head of Walter Reed from August until he was fired last week said: "You can't fail one of these soldiers ... not one. And we did."

Lt. Gen. Kevin C. Kiley, Army surgeon general and head of Walter Reed until 2004, apologized for what he called housing conditions that did "not meet our standards." He said renovations were under way.

He also said a team had been sent to some 11 other installations around the country to make sure there are not similar housing problems.

Lawmakers listened closely as several patients came to the hearing with stories of lax or poor treatment at Walter Reed.

The most riveting testimony came from the wife of a National Guard soldier injured in Iraq, reports CBS News national security correspondent David Martin.

"My life was ripped apart the day my husband was injured, and having to live through the mess that we lived through at Walter Reed has been worse than anything I've ever sacrificed in my life," said Annette McLeod.

McLeod told the panel of battling a system that wanted to blame her husband's mental problems not on his head injury but on a preexisting condition.

And she captured exactly why shoddy conditions at Walter Reed have touched such a public nerve, adds Martin.

"This is how we treat our soldiers," said McLeod. "We give them nothing, but they're good enough to go and sacrifice their lives. And we give them nothing."

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[homespunlady]

It's BOTH a lack of funding AND lack of a medical priority for most of the military and vets. Out of sight, out of mind. Previously the military member or the family could not sue anyone because of even the most horrendous treatment. The result was doctors working for the military because they'd be strung up anywhere else. The rare good doctor would be shipped out to handle someone special or they'd quit from frustration.
It's been more important to spend the budget on overpriced machinery than take care of relatively inexpensive and replaceable assets like humans. Besides after they're useless for corporate profits - injured and disabled, why waste money on them? Isn't that the credo of "free market" capitalism? The problem is pesky things like people pointing out how IMMORAL that attitude is.

[sclaires]

The break down of the military health care system goes beyond Walter Reed. One of the first places that needs to be investigated is Moncrief Army Hospital at Fort Jackson, SC. They don't even have an emergency room. The one that was there was closed and turned into something else with the result that they can't even take care of injured basic trainees or the cadre. The injured have to go to civilian hospitals for care with the result it costs a lot more for the government.

[atpay1]

I live in NH and our Veteran's hospital is very old and in need of repair, my father was a patient there in 1954 when it was new. I gave out cell phone cards to the patient's at Christmas and it was so depressing I cried all the way home! There is no way that NH's VA hospital could ever care for severely injured soldiers and they have no physical therapy there either. If you needed an MRI you have to go to Brockton Mass outside of Boston and there's a 10 month waiting list !!

[bm6005]

Is it the military that is at fault OR is it the lack of funding that our govrnment provides. All of the fat-cat politicians will be able to get their names in the paper on this issue. It will be a witch hunt trying to pin the problem on some GI that is doing the best he can with what he has to work with.
Posted by larryjm1941

Absolutely correct and this man wins the cigar!! You, sir have ID'd the truth. For years now Congress has been cutting the VA budget and in today's news They're "aghast" at the results. String them up!! In addition to cutting the budget they've given the proceeds to the richest 1% of Americans who 99.999999% of have not served in their countries military!!!

[larryjm1941]

Is it the military that is at fault OR is it the lack of funding that our govrnment provides. All of the fat-cat politicians will be able to get their names in the paper on this issue. It will be a witch hunt trying to pin the problem on some GI that is doing the best he can with what he has to work with.

[springfever0]

Mission Accomplished. Not exactly.

[bluestardad]

REPUBLICANS THANK YOU FOR IRAQ!
America Does not buy the sound bite that Iraq is the war on Terror or that if we do not fight in Iraq we will fight the Terrorist over in America. Unless you have been on your knees with your eyes shut in front of some Stalwart Republican like Mark Foley or Tedd Haggert you would have seen that Iraq did not attack America on 9/11 and that Iraq is in a Religious Civil War. The Hypocritical Abortion hating, Pedophile, Gay Bashing, Sausage Smoken Evangelicals who steals millions of dollars from widow women promising them Salvation while all the time seeing male Prostitutes behind their wife%u2019s back are not good Republican character references. While Pedophile Republican Congressmen are still at large. Congress and its Rubber Stamp Oversight of the Neo-Con, Chicken Hawk, Draft Dodgers who are sending others to war without ever serving themselves in the Military. The Republicans SUPPORT THE TROOPS rhetoric but can not even care for our Military wounded who live with Rats and Cockroaches at Walter Reed Hospital. The Sunni are funded by Saudi Arabia the Bush Family friends. Bin Laden is still active while Bush is secretly funding Sunni al Qaeda in Lebanon in an Iran Contra style under the table financing scheme outside Congressional approval.

If you think Americas sacrifice is worth it contact your Republican Congress person and tell them http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

Here is the House Speakers email address: [e-mail]

[dowjones20k]

This is just another terrible news story that the LAWMAKERS will make hay over ... sad thing is it has been going on for DECADES !!

I guarantee if all of the CONGRESS & all the other politicos were forced to use the same hospitals and services as the veteran's ... can someone please explain to me why we treat these public servant idiots like gods?

I doubt whether this would be happening at all if the care was mutual ...

SHAMEFUL !!!

[justice4him]

It is very sad! You do not have to go to walter reed to have terrible neglect in army hospitals! As a millitary wife for almost 10 year's Last year at this time my husband was told he had a ear infection. After 3 weeks ,6 times in the e.r. ear specialist,and pa my husband in the matter of 4 days he pass away!He was only 33 thinking all of it was a simple ear infection. Well he died of bacterial meningitas at the age of 33. He gave them 13 year's of service.The army could not be at his buriel the could not fin the adresse! Go figure!That is the thanx we got from the army!

[searingtruth]

"It's been a gamble as to who gets good care and who doesn't. ..."
homespunlady

It's not "You have nothing to fear unless you're doing something wrong".
It's "You have nothing to fear unless the government is doing something wrong."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com