Gen. Admits Flaws In Soldier Care Units

In The Wake Of Walter Reed Scandal, Wounded Warriers Program Not Working As Planned

(CBS)  The government came under fire last year over the treatment of America's wounded warriors, when shoddy conditions were exposed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Since then, the Army has overhauled its outpatient program.

But, as CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports, many soldiers still aren't getting the medical treatment they were promised.

In the wake of the Walter Reed scandal, 35 so-called "Warrior Transition Units" were set up at bases around the world. They were supposed to be places where soldiers could be cared for until they either returned to duty or were discharged.

But the general in charge of the program admits it hasn't been working the way it was supposed to. Here's why.

"How many soldiers in these units were actually wounded in combat?" Martin asked.

"About 12 percent were wounded in either Iraq or Afghanistan," Brig. Gen. Gary Cheek said.

"Only 12 percent?" Martin said.

"Only 12 percent," Cheek said.

If you include those whose injuries could be called combat-related - a stressed-out soldier in a car accident after returning from Iraq, for instance - the percentage goes up to 48 percent.

The rest have injuries or illnesses which have nothing to do with combat. As a result, the number of soldiers in Warrior Transition Units exploded from 6,000 to 12,000 - even as casualties in Iraq were going down.

"We were putting soldiers into the Warrior Transition Unit that really didn't need that complex, managed care," Cheek said.

"So did somebody say, 'Hey, this isn't how it was supposed to work?'" Martin asked.

"I would say yes," Cheek said.

With the number of soldiers in transition units increasing by about 600 a month, the Army can't hire health care workers fast enough.

"By the time we got the ratio up to where it needed to be, we were probably 30-to-60 days behind what the population had already grown to," Cheek said.

Last week the Army tightened the medical conditions that qualify a solider for a Warrior Transition Unit. And a new order requires all units to be fully staffed by Monday, but some aren't going to make it.

[sweetlucy110]

Bush opened his blog at a free interracial dating club intimatemingle.com .there are many pics of him ,such as when he was 8 years old with a girl

[liberalme]

Flaws???

If you include those whose injuries could be called combat-related - a stressed-out soldier in a car accident after returning from Iraq, for instance - the percentage goes up to 48 percent.

12% wounded in Iraq or Afganistan---and "If you include those whose injuries could be called combat-related"----What the heII is that? What is the diagnosis of "combat wounded"?

These guys think we''re all stupid! They twist our troops injuries to match up with the numbers that make them "look good".

This government and military leaders are a disgusting bunch of poor excused for anything near human.

[deacon20081]

When our economy totally collapses thanks to Bush and those Veterans with PTSD are on the streets without adequate medical care, the Bush administration will become a target.
Just a thought.

[barbaraf4]

So Cheney, who had his annual checkup today, has a relatively clean bill of health. The list of procedures he has received goes on and on. If it were you or me, we would have been dead long ago from the very heart problems they keep fixing or patching for him.

I find it amazing that we cannot furnish similar medical care to our men and women serving in Iraq.

[randynason]

So, what is the Pentagon going to do about it? More smoke up our proverbial but*s is not the answer, at this point of the game. How about a little transparency and honesty for all the soldiers who have risked life and limb to carry out the administration''s war for oil profit! -Talk about PATRIOTISM-

[riptide213]

A classic, standard, first class US military, one each, pick your personal favorite to describe.

FUBAR. F*cked Up Beyond All Repair/Recognition
FUBB. F*cked Up Beyond Belief
FUMTU. F*cked Up More Than Usual
TARFU. Things Are Really F*cked Up
SNAFU. Situation Normal: All F*cked Up
SNAFUBAR. Situation Normal: All F*cked Up Beyond All Repair/Recognition
FUBAB. F*cked Up Beyond All Belief

Now infamous CINC speech alluding to so called Mission Accomplished.

Lessons learned from Southeast Asia conflict era veteran treatment; none.

Lessons learned from Southwest Asia conflict veteran treatment; none.

Shamefully, great US of Aid is so quick to toss away billons on top of billions of dollars of our hard earned, must give up by law US tax money every year to subsidize world endeavors in far flung corners for political agenda feel good or corporate bolstering boondoggles yet we still enough arrogance left to boldface, in your face neglect our own nation, our own citizens, our own warriors.

Continued saga of disappointing DOD and VA warrior care disconnects, appalling Hurricane Katrina aftermath disaster no relief mess (FEMA fiasco), failing US national infrastructure, insecure US borders, rampant crime and corruption on US streets.

Fix the home front, defend ourselves, take of our defenders.

Sorry its time, US tax money charity funding should begin and stay at home. No more SNAFU.

[mcvet]

So, you %u201CCode Pink%u201D commies out there continue to waste your energy and waste your votes. You will likely accomplish nothing but wasted effort%u2026

Posted by poopus123 at 06:53 AM : Jul 12, 2008

Who say''s Joe McCarthy is dead!! SIEG HEIL Joe!!

[ddaymichael]

Posted by poopus123

Well...I see you''ve learned a new word recently (narcissistic) but certainly nothing else of any value.

Can you really be stupid enough to believe that nonsense you post or are you just doing what you''re being paid to do?

[floydzepp2]

Posted by poopus123 at 06:53 AM : Jul 12, 2008
-------

No it hasn''t. The days of "I say it, it must be true" are way over. You are yesterday''s news poop.

[fixhist]

Great article, always convinced that CBS is by far the best media to bring forward the plight of serving men & women in Uniform.
I give my full solute with Pinky-Folded (Daa! its Boy Scout style).

talking about the plight of bodily & emotionally injured solders,which have contact phone numbers and addressed to be able to receive mail are blessed individuals.
Homeless or Shelter less warriors don''t count.

And we are talking about the Great Country & Nation of America.

I wonder, How many Statesmen it takes to represent One State in America?
Question might appear Silly, but just think about it.
You are welcome to participate in POLL,

ask500people (dot) com/questions/how-many-statesmen-it-needs-to-represent-one-state-in-united-states#votes

[poopus123]

Message to the %u201CDummy Liberal%u201D%u2026

The USA has almost single handedly defeated Al-Qada in Iraq. It%u2019s not even debatable. But, you won%u2019t hear the NY Times and other left wing news sources mention it.

Your wish for Iraq to become a %u201CVietnam%u201D type quagmire was a pipe dream. Your retransmitted message and counterfeit concern about 4000 troops that died for nothing channeled to you by the dummy democratic left, is now but a whisper in the wind.

The last semblance of hope that you have to feed your narcissistic anti-Bush thought processes are the continued Taliban attacks in Afghanistan which will likely continue because Pakistan shelters them.

One would have to think that if the Taliban operated only from within Afghanistan and had no safe haven to run to, they would have been defeated along time ago.

But, as the Afghan Army continues to build and soon be able to defend itself, your left wing narcissism, as demonstrated by you during the Iraq conflict, will soon fade away as well.

So, you %u201CCode Pink%u201D commies out there continue to waste your energy and waste your votes. You will likely accomplish nothing but wasted effort%u2026

[fedupwarmy]

Another aspect of this story should be how the soldiers are treated once they are in the WTB''s
(Warriors Treated Badly). Many of them have been stuck in the units for more than a year after medical treatments are completed because the paperwork process is bogged down. Then the chains of command accuse the soldiers of malingering or make up other charges and bust them.
Our soldiers deserve better!

[sgtrds10-4]

I support John Murtha for House Speaker.

Posted by BajaJohn1 at 11:06 PM : Jul 11, 2008

I support him for Secretary of Defense. Either him or Max Cleland.

[randynason]

These unreported statistics are most likely the reason the military chose to REDEFINE what constitutes post-traumatic stress syndrone. The "cook the books" ideology is what this administration is best at doing and why it will forever be remembered as the most vile and corrupt administration in our nation''s history.

[soshljustic]

Dem watcher-read my comment again-the public is at fault- politicians are only figureheads-this government is a government of the people and does nothing without the silent agreement or apathy of the republic for which it stands! Whether neocon or neolib does not matter if the public leaves all responsibility and caring for their fellow at the voting booth. When that happens, they have not casted a ballot, they have casted responsibility from self! When the citizenry wants better for soldiers and their families, they will have it--if they pursue it through asking and calling for it! Phone,write and email to demand nothing less--if you do not, expect the same for self in national health care. After all, it is what the public has "asked for" for deserving others.The rules are written by the people--the VA can and does use private health industry providers. Amp it up!!!Useless democratic Government can only operate in a vaccum of public apathy,its most favoured supporter.

[sgtrds10-4]

Get an education. Congress is the LEGISLATIVE branch. They are the ones that make the laws and perform oversight. President Bush can only work with what Congress provides.

Posted by DemWatcher at 10:35 PM : Jul 11, 2008

Bullsh*it. The White House sends Bills to Congress all of the time. They''re submitted via members of their own party who are Congressmen and Senators. To say they only work with what Congress offer is a load of cr*ap.

[demwatcher]

"Posted by soshljustic at 10:31 PM : Jul 11, 2008"

Get an education. Congress is the LEGISLATIVE branch. They are the ones that make the laws and perform oversight. President Bush can only work with what Congress provides.

Point you finger where it belongs, at Nancy Pelosi.

[demwatcher]

"What does the Commander In Chief have to say about this, and what is HE going to DO?????

Posted by cav_03 at 09:52 PM : Jul 11, 2008"

He needs to tell the Democrat Congress to DO THEIR JOB!

Where is the oversight that Congress promised after Walter Reed? Hmmm?

The DO NOTHING Congress strikes again. They are more concerned about their dog-and-pony shows (steroids, Rove, Big Oil, etc) than actually performing their responsibilities.

[soshljustic]

"To fail our warriors like this as this administration has, is to me, their biggest war crime. Neocons beware, we don''''t want accountability, we want retribution for your crimes. Sucks to be you, heh?"...says woggerwabbit-I say it is not a group of politicians that has failed the soldiers---it is the people of the republic for which the politicians stand that has failed the soldiers and their families by not bearing responsibility for the failure---politicians are only figureheads and backed by an apathetic public having given up any responsibility at the voting booth,if not previous to the voting booth. How many have called their representatives and demanded better care for soldiers and their families? How many petitions signed to insist upon it?

[mrs_b1]

I was responding to the subject of the article, which was WTU''s and soldier health care. Not the state of the war or the Bush Administration. You think I don''t hate war? It directly touches my family every day of our lives.