Senators Vow To Improve Wounded Vets' Care

Bob Dole And Donna Shalala Will Head Hospital Commission Named By President Bush

(CBS/AP)  Senators pledged on Tuesday to consider all options to fix a broken system of caring for wounded troops as President Bush said former Sen. Bob Dole and former health secretary Donna Shalala will lead the administration's investigation into problems at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

"The war in Iraq has divided our nation, but the cause of supporting our troops unites us," said Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. "We will do everything we can possibly do — not as Democrats or Republicans, but as grateful Americans — to care for those who have served our nation with such honor and distinction."

As his committee questioned top Defense Department officials, Levin, D-Mich., also used the revelations of poor conditions and outpatient care at Walter Reed to take a swipe at the president's war polices.

"Today's hearing is about another example of the lack of planning for a war that was premised on the assumption that combat operations would be swift, casualties would be minimal, and that we would be welcomed as liberators, instead of being attacked by the people we liberated," said Levin.

The hearing was Congress' second in two days on Walter Reed. Reports of wounded troops battling excessive red tape and dilapidated living conditions have enraged Republicans and Democrats. They are worried that problems there point to a broader pattern of neglect at military hospitals.

Mr. Bush told the American Legion in a speech that he had chosen bipartisan leaders — Dole and Shalala — to head the White House's probe. "We have a moral obligation to provide the best possible care and treatment to the men and women who served our country," he said. "They deserve it and they're going to get it."

Dole was a longtime Republican senator from Kansas and a presidential nominee in 1996. Shalala headed the Health and Human Services Department during the Clinton administration.

At Tuesday's hearing, the Pentagon's personnel chief promised action.

"I'm deeply chagrined by the events that bring us to this hearing this morning," David Chu said.

Arizona Sen. John McCain said Congress will consider whether legislation or additional resources are needed.

"I am dismayed this ever occurred," said McCain, the committee's top Republican who was captured and wounded during the Vietnam War. "It was a failure in the most basic tenets of command responsibility to take care of our troops."

During a House hearing Monday, two soldiers wounded in combat and a spouse of a wounded soldier recounted nightmarish stories of frustration as they tried to get medical attention and disability compensation.

"I'm afraid this is just the tip of the iceberg, that, when we (get) out into the field, we may find more of this," said Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee that held the hearing.

Army officials said they accept responsibility but denied knowing about most of the problems.

"As we've seen, in the last couple of weeks, we have failed to meet our own standards at Walter Reed. For that, I'm both personally and professionally sorry," said Lt. Gen. Kevin C. Kiley, who was in charge of Walter Reed from 2002 until 2004, when he became Army Surgeon General.

Kiley has said he had been aware of some issues, including an October service assessment citing problems with Walter Reed staffing, medical evaluations and patient handling. But Kiley told senators he was not aware of specific problems, including a backlog of maintenance orders and a lack of staff to conduct room inspections.

At the hearing, Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., read an e-mail from a soldier at Walter Reed who had lost both his legs. The soldier accused Kiley of knowing about the problems and doing nothing to fix them, reports CBS News national security correspondent David Martin.

"We as injured veterans and those family members who depend on medical facilities deserve nothing less than the resignation of Gen. Kiley," McCaskill read.

Dole said the investigation won't be limited to Walter Reed.

"This is going to be nationwide," he said. "The commission is going to have both (Department of Defense) facilities and VA facilities across the country."

But that figures to be a massive undertaking, Martin reports: For the Army alone, some 31,000 soldiers have been evacuated from the battlefield since the war on terror began.

Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an independent, said Congress might need to revisit an earlier decision to close Walter Reed in light of the increasing number of wounded troops from Iraq. Sen. John Warner, R-Va., said lawmakers should examine their own oversight process.

Democrats have pledged to add money to the administration's request for war spending to take care of wounded active-duty troops and improve health care for retired veterans.

[armyvet4]

No one has 100% blamed this on the president, but the ball is now in his court. Think about it. Would they stick him after surgery in a room where there was mold? Would they give him a third rate doctor? I think not.
But you also know one more thing? Though the Veterans are how they are because of the military- they don't share funding. I go to a VA clinic in a military hospital and they cannot use any of their facilities because it is different money.
Always something with our government. And what we write here is just apparently for the fun of it. I am pretty sure no one from the news will read this because to them, well it really does not matter all that much. I am pretty sure they have no idea.



"So, Lets see, the United States has been around for 227 years give or take when you start counting. Walter Reed Hospital has been around for 98 of those years.

GWB has been president for six. Soooooo this is all his fault. Yeh, riiiiight "
Posted by thgdriver at 04:09 PM : Mar 07, 2007

[themosticles]

I find it ironic, that Senators like John McCain are involved in the commentary. I find it even more ironic that Bob Dole is involved. So one said it earlier, this hospital has been around for 98 plus years. We've fought how many wars, and everytime the Vets get shabby treatment in these healthcare facilities. Then everyone acts suprised that its going on. How insulting to every soldier who has been in the service or been wounded. This is the reason why systems like ours are ripe for abuse of power. (Someone, somewhere benefited from this substandard treatment of our troops.) Too much more of this type of thing, and our "Citizen soldiers" either won't fight, and somewhere down the road someone will step in with their support and just "fix" things.

[thgdriver]

So, Lets see, the United States has been around for 227 years give or take when you start counting. Walter Reed Hospital has been around for 98 of those years.

GWB has been president for six. Soooooo this is all his fault. Yeh, riiiiight

[sclaires]

I have been saying since I heard of Dole and Shalala being appointed to head a panel to investigate the military health care system that what should be done is to have ordinary citizens from across the country who have no ties to politicians and Washington and vicinity to be on the panel. And, the inspections should be surprise visits where there is no chance of cover-up. Unless you have an impartial panel of ordinary citizens, it will be the usual bull s*it. I have seen it happen at Fort Jackson, SC, and it will continue to happen. When inspections are announced in advanced, the organization being inspected has a chance to cover-up deficiencies and then after the inspection, things go back to the same incompentence.

The military health care system absolutely SHOULD NOT be contracted out to a civilian company but be performed by federal employees. What has been going on at Walter Reed is that you have a civilian company who hires people for the lowest wage they can with a constant turnover. When federal employees do the job, they have loyalty to the organization and do the best they can. All of this contracting out started something like 25+ years ago and is continuing to this day. The military should be run by the military and federal employees who know what they are doing.

[pattipace7]

As an older veteran who has been trying to help our young kids/veterans long before this Walter Reed atrocity became public, I have noticed an important fact that has yet to be touched upon. A large majority of soon to be physicians that are working at Veteran's Affairs medical centers have been imported from other countries where they only had two years or so of medical schooling, followed by a two year intern program to become a doctor in their country. By practicing, and doing research on us veterans for a very low salary, they are rewarded in three or four years with a green card and a license to practice medicine in the United States. All of these soon to be professionals are very nice people, most with a family, and are grateful for the chances they are receiving. But as most intelligent medical personnel, when their time is done, they leave the VA hospital for a better paying position. I wonder if the term contracting out, is just a nicer way of saying the same thing. Either way, no existing problems in the VA medical facilities can be corrected without proper funding for patients and staff.

[propellerboy]

Does anyone out there for one minute think that Bush would be doing his investigation if the story hadn't been leaked????? This is just fluff. Does anyone out there think for one minute that Cheney would be at the hospital for his blood clot. Dream on. It is obvious that the clowns in control could care less about the wounded soldiers. These brave soldiers who are coming back wounded should stay in the white house. Send the clowns to the hospital for the next couple of years.

[frankly6]

bellaL

Privatization of Walter Reed is a large part of what contributed to this particular mess. IAP, a company responsible for not delivering ice to Katrina victims was given a no-bid contract to run Walter Reed. The head of IAP, a former executive with Halliburton, came in and slashed the staff to less than one third it's former #'s in an effort to cut costs and improve profits for his company. Just another shining example of Republicon privitization.

[bellal-2009]

ANOTHER COMMISSION??? For the love of Pete - just fix the hospitals - get the guys out of rat-roach-infested falling down mold filled buildings and into REAL hospitals and rehabilitation centers.Posted by nyckate at 05:17 PM : Mar 06, 2007

No kidding kate, stop spending money studying everything to death and fix the d@mn problem.

This should not have reached this point.

These servicemen volunteered to serve their country and they have been let down by the system.

The Gov should have been looking after these brave people from the moment they were wounded - not days, months or years later.

[joanpz]

You can promise our U.S. wounded veterans any thing - but YOU CAN NOT MAKE THEM WHOLE AGAIN - STOP ALL WARS - DIPLOMACY or POSSIBLY ISOLATIONISM is the ONLY ANSWER! Got grant them mercy!

[Renegade.Rivers]

On a more recent note, I just went through a two day nightmare over my meds. You see I was severally injured, not once, not twice but 3 times during my military service. All line of duty injuries I might add. I have went through more surgeries than I have finger (over 10) in the years since 1983. I have 7 herniated disc, a reconstructed knee, 21" of my colon missing, I have had a stroke, staph infection twice, foot surgery, and back surgery twice, and I am still in line for at least 2 more surgeries, and also have what is known as chronic pain syndrome.

At any rate, I have to fight almost every month to get my meds on time, because of all the bureaucratic BS I have to go through. I am on methadone, and hydrocodone for pain, which are physically addicting, but the only way my pain can be controlled. Last month my methadone was 5 days late, fortunately I did have some extras from times before, yet in order to make it through those 5 days, I was forced to go through partial withdrawals in order to make it through until every one got off their ***, and sent me the methadone.

That is what the VA gives me, for 13 years of military service.

[Renegade.Rivers]

armyvet4:

I have been through many of the things that you went through. I was discharged from the service in 1983, rifted due to physical conditions, not fit for duty, after 13 years. Yet, when I became a civilian, it took me 15 years, I say again, 15 years to get the 100% disability, from the VA that I had deserved from the time of my discharge. I went through 5 appeals, and 4 returns for testing incomplete.

Is this how how you believe that your veterans should be treated? For 15 years I was physically unable to work, yet I had to try and work as I could, in order to feed my family and keep my home. The first rating I got was 20%, then 30%, then cut to 20%, then 50%, then 80%, and finally in 1989, I was awarded 100% disability, with pay backdated for that 15 year period, of course there was no interest, and in the mean time my family and I nearly starved to death.

[armyvet4]

This is a sad, sad situation that the government has once again put the Americans in. Walter Reed was once on the BRAC base closure list, so in all it is not totally the General's fault, but on the other hand- he is a general. He could himself have gone in front of the congress and senate and asked for money and showed proof. But it alone is not the living conditions. It seems that the doctors that the military (Army) have are just not as good as the ones in the civ world. I know first hand as well as my husband.

He was hurt in Iraq and when he got out of the army because we lost one of our children, they gave him NOTHING, not even 5%. I am a vet as well, and I messed up my arms, and I have appealed my claim three times because they kicked me out medically because of my arms but will not help me.
While my husband was on active duty, we lost our child because of bad care at the Army hospital at Fort Gordon Georgia. They just would not help us, and by the time we got to some good care it was at the medical college of georgia. I hope alot of people come out of the wood work and write who ever they need to write. I know I plan to.
They want us to fight and give our lives for our country, but do not want to take care of us after ward. We are nothing to them after we serve. Just a file in the filing cabinet.
I am sick of it, I am sick of our WONDERFUL Soldiers getting killed. Just sick.

[valendug]

Thought old Bob Dole died from that incessant hardon that clotted his blood from all that viagra.

[roach9703]

The politicans got caught( period ).
It is ridiculous to believe that the congress did not know about conditions at Walter Reed. The hospital is almost within walking distance of the Capitol. Memembers of Congress visit the place all the time. These self-centered cowards did not stand up to George Clinton. Both Bill Clinton and George Bush have a basically contemptous attitude towards soldiers. Both of these men in varying degrees obsconded their military obligations.
Then we have Bob Dole. He is a World War II veteran will considerable distinction. But, what really has he done as a politican? How effective has he been in dealing with public issues?
Shalala, what does she know about military matters? She was the head of Health and Human Services under the Clinton administration, but what did she accomplish?
This folks, is a BIG cover up for self centered political imcompetance. THROW THEM ALL OUT!

[dowjones20k]

I concur renrivers .....

It is my belief that this dilemna is systemic ... I still beleive that all of these Pols (so called lawmakers) should stop thinking they are some kind of GOD and get the same medical treatment as any other federal employee (Military) ..... If folks would vote these professional bull@hi**ers out of office and into retirement for good ... We might make some progress ...

Thank you and all the other brave military members for your service to our nation.

[Renegade.Rivers]

Not until we stop being Democrats and Republicans, and black, and white, and all of those other divisions, and begin realizing that we are 400,000,000 Americans, will there ever be a chance for us to ever get America, home of the brave, and land of the free back on its feet.

Welcome home to all my Brothers ans Sisters, no matter what war you fought in!!!

[Renegade.Rivers]

I am a 100% disabled veteran, have been for over 20 years. You can never imagine the nightmares I have went through, the hundreds, no thousands of dollars in phone calls I have had to spend since I got out of the military in 1983 with 13 years of active military service to get the care I deserved. I can tell you of time, and time again where I had to fight with medical staff members to get the test, and treatment that was both deserved, and needed. If fact for any member of congress to be shocked at what happened is a lie. Because I have mailed and e-mailed over 1000 letters to senators representatives, and those in charge of veteran care for them to say they didn't know about it is a lie. In fact, I to was at Walter Reed, in 1982, and the problems they are describing now, were the same problems 35 years ago.

Wake up America, this is not a Republican or Democrat problem, this is an American problem. Its not about colors, and races. Its about Americans. All of those who have served with me, are my brothers. In Vietnam, when the lead was flying, there was no color no politics, we were all Americans. For anyone to try to divide us, must be seen to be as it is, being done, in an effort to weaken us.

[j-whitman]

The clean up went to a Haliburton Sub Contractor, didn't it??? -- Anyone notice they only painted over the mold ??? ---
- Privatization, folks, it's hurt our Military as well, just as bad.

[bennerdjr]

This is from a retired Army veteran. There are 536 individuals to blame for the mess military and Veterans Affairs medicine is in. The current membership of the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate and the President of the United States. I do not care what party they represent.
The problems that area faced by those in the military and VA to provide medical care existed during the 20 years I was in the service and the 17 1/2 years that I have been retired. It is called the budget process. No one complaining about the quality of care now can take refuge in saying, I didn't know about it. People such as Sen. McClain, Liebermann, and Rep. Tom Davis have been in office much to long to plead ignorance of the matter.
LTG Kiley, the Army Surgeon General, should have been the one fired instead of the commander of Walter Reed. After all LTG Kiley was the previous commander of Walter Reed. With only six months in his post the commander that was fired probably hadn't figured out where things were yet.
I want the 536 individuals I mentioned to stand up and take responsiblity for their disregard for military and veterans medical care. More than take responsibility they need to immediately correct the total situation, not just throw some money at Walter Reed. Of course, those 536 individuals don't have the intestinal fortitude to do that.