The Pony Express passes Walter Reed

Whether you are in the field, deployed, or at a Temporary Duty Station the biggest morale booster is always mail call. In basic training, mail call signaled the end of a long and stressful day, and was our only contact with the outside world. The same holds true for deployments and other military duties.

Getting mail from loved ones is always a morale boost.

The Strib has a story today that is disturbing on many levels.

Soldiers at Walter Reed were not receiving their mail.

The Army said Friday that it has opened an investigation into the recent discovery of 4,500 letters and parcels -- some dating to May 2006 -- at Walter Reed that were never delivered to soldiers.

And it fired the contract employee who ran the mailroom.

Recall that it was Donald Rumsfeld who had a fetish to privatize most activities at Walter Reed.

I would hope that the investigation includes whether or not outgoing mail was impacted as well.

Finding out that these problems were because of a privatized mail room are even more disturbing. My old Bradley Driver, Matt Maley, ended up in the mail room while we were in Germany, because of an injury and surgery. I remember the vetting process to get him in there as well as the intimidating stature of those in charge of the mail room.

Accountability was there.

In the Bush Whitehouse, accountability is a 20 point word in Scrabble. Hence, problems with US Attorney's, no-bid contracts, access to Veterans care when VA members are getting $30,000 bonuses...and on and on and on.

2006 marked the time when Americans were sick of political leaders marching carte blanche across the Bill of Rights and our Constitution. Scandals like Walter Reed and the US Attorney dealings may not have come to light without the 2006 Democrat victories and a resurgence of democracy.

2008 looks to be a continuance of the 2006 trends towards holding out elected leaders accountable.

I sure hope Congress doesn't mail subpoena's over to Walter Reed...

Kersten got me goin...

I'm sure it's been said before, but doesn't Katherine Kersten have a striking resemblance to a certain 90's TV sitcom geek?



























Will we see Kersten on Celebrity Fit Club next? With all of the cuts at the Strib, you never know.

Back to my rant...Kersten wrties today about how the late US Senator Paul Wellstone and his efforts in moving the Democratic Party to a more soldier friendly party.

At first, Wellstone didn’t disappoint. Shortly after taking office, he
enraged veterans by staging a media event against the first Gulf War in front of
the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial. Early polls showed Wellstone with one of the
lowest approval rankings ever for a Minnesota senator.

But when he ran six years later, Wellstone was endorsed by – of all
groups — the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Did he go through a “pro-war” conversion?
Hardly. He reinvented the meaning of “I support our troops.”

After his disastrous start, Wellstone retooled. He began championing
assistance for soldiers with “post-traumatic stress disorder,” and advocating a
host of new or expanded government benefits for returning and retired soldiers.
He won reelection in a landslide.

1. Kersten reads from the first paragraph of the GOP playbook. She asserts that just because someone protests a war, they cannot support the soldiers involved.

That assertion is utter nonsense. Senator Wellstone admitted his actions at the Vietnam War Memorial were wrong. But he held to his convictions about the war. How many Republican leaders have come forward to admit they have been wrong on Iraq? Where is Norm Coleman, the man who slandered Wellstone's record on Veterans issues?

More than 220,000 Veterans of the first Gulf War draw VA disability now, more than 28% of those who served in this war. When compared to other wars, this figure is shocking. Roughly 8% of World War II Veterans drew VA disability, 6% of Korean Vets, and about 10% of Vietnam Vets.

But since Kersten politicized aid and care to Veterans, lets turn the question back on GOP leaders. How can you support the troops when GOP leaders cut the VA budget and have proposed closing 10% of the VA's hospitals?

Perhaps Kersten should watch this video. 5 years old now, Senator Wellstone was dead on right!



Kersten continues...

How much greater the risk to our country if we encourage those we turn to in crisis to see themselves as wards of the state? We must offer our soldiers
respect and thanks for their great sacrifice, as well as various tangible forms
of support. But “I support our troops” must always mean more: support for their
mission and warrior spirit.

The soldiers who spoke up at Walter Reed never saw themselves as "wards of the state".

I signed 4 contracts when I was on active duty. I took an oath. I took that oath very seriously. Each time I took that oath, I did so with two assumptions.

1. Our President and my the officers appointed over me would never put my soldiers and I in harms way for political gain and without a sound strategy on how we would conduct the operations.

2. If I ever was hurt, I would have access to the care and aid required. I made these vows to my infantrymen, I'd never put them in harms way over bullshit and I would make sure they are taken care of. I've been out of the Army nearly 6 years now and I still point Veterans and soldiers in the right direction for care.

"Wards of the state?" We took significantly less pay than our civilian counterparts, spent longer amounts of time away from loved ones, and made other sacrifices to safeguard this nation. The least we can do for our Veterans is ensure that they have access to quality health care. Respect and thanks go a long way as well, but having seen so many Veterans and friends of mine struggle for access to their benefits, something is wrong.

Republican Presidential Candidates talk about abortion, immigration and same sex marriage. Issues beyond the periphery of mainstream America.

Iraq is mainstream America. It's also mainstreet America.

It's mainstreet Cokato.

Mainstreet Annandale.

It's young men and women from small towns all across this state raising their right hand, taking a solemn oath, and busting their asses in far away places.

Kersten's right hand extends to a keyboard where her rants are becoming increasingly irrelevant. If Kersten wants to go to Iraq and live the life of a soldier, I know a recruiter who will hook her right up! Or better yet, maybe she should take a walk down a hallway at Walter Reed and ask a solider how it feels to be a "ward of the state".

Army of Dude

I have spent a bit of time this weekend reading this blog.

I plug this blog because he does provide a pretty comical view of what's going on in Iraq and the bureaucratic bullshit many of these lower enlisted soldiers have to endure. As a former Platoon Sergeant, I was pretty much anti-bullshit and did everything I could to stop the flow of it from my level.

Secondly, he's a Fort Lewis guy! I was a 1st Bn 23rd Infantry Tomahawk for almost 5 years. Fort Lewis was by far the best military post I have ever served at.

From Army of Dude

this is not a blog to sing the high praises of my chosen profession, but rather
a tool of expression for my disdain for the day in and day out mountains of bullshit and mundanity that I climb every day of the week dear reader, and it is a shame I didn't begin this along with my career. There is an endless amount of moments that could have been recorded that would make the average Joe Taxpayer shake his head in shocked disbelief.

Indeed! I am sure AoD has spent many times shooting off ammo the last month of the fiscal year, ensuring that his unit would receive the same allocation the coming years. We used to call these bullet, missile and mine-a-poloza range days "mad minutes". For about a minute, you just fire everything you have at targets.

He highlights the wisdom behind not allowing our soldiers to purchase their own body armor for protection. He even details the threats that life insurance policies will not be paid if a soldier is wearing "illegal armor".

Under the new banned armor directive, we cannot wear the vests I have praised
because it qualifies as third party armor, though it is merely a shell and still
holds the actual armor we'd be wearing anyway. We were told if we were killed
wearing the new vests, our families wouldn't get the $400,000 life insurance
policy because we weren't wearing Army issue equipment. A most subtle blackmail
I'd say. And people like Colonel Spoehr sit back in comfort, far removed from
the patrols in the streets of Ramadi, Mosul and Baghdad, and decide I am too
irresponsible to choose how to protect my own life, that it's out of my hands.
This is where the bar has been set, to a new level of shame and reckless
abandon.

We used to call people like Colonel Spoehr REMF's.

AoD opines on the realities of war in Iraq as well as Naval Officers priorities.

But even a good deal of people here dwell 24/7 within the safety of 'the wire,'
the perimeter of walls and fences around the base, rarely venturing out in the
dangerous city, if at all. I was waiting for a bus back to our tent yesterday
after a souvenir binge, and I overheard a conversation a lady was having on her
cellphone (which is outlawed where I'm from, but I digress). She was explaining
to her friend back home how she felt about Iraq. Her words were "This place is
hell on earth. We walk with the devil." I couldn't help but notice her M-16 was
in flawless, pristine condition and her uniform, clean as the day it was made. I
can only imagine her idea of hell was discovering the Baskin Robbins here serves
only six ice cream flavors instead of the expected 31.

A friends dad who is a Vietnam Vet chided how coddled many of these soldiers are as well. He'd go out on two week long ambushes and come back to warm beer and no way to talk to anyone back home. Slept in varmint infested bunkers.

He opines on Walter Reed...

The money is there, obviously. It's just not being well spent. At this very
moment, I'm up late at night in a heated bay in Taji, Iraq with an internet line
hooked right up next to my bed. Tomorrow I have the option of either going to a
well stocked chow hall or to one of several fast food joints, like Subway or
Taco Bell. Down the street, KBR employees are getting paid very little to do our
laundry as Dick Cheney, former CEO of KBR's parent company Halliburton, gets
paid a six figure severance per year. Round and round the tax money goes, where
it stops, nobody knows. Especially not Walter Reed.

And the impact of a tour of duty extension...

I promise you all, there's no method to the madness. I put my life on hold
for another four months for nothing. Can you imagine? I know soldiers fighting
in previous wars had it a lot tougher. Kurt Vonnegut had it tougher in World War
II. But at the very least, they had a goal, a promise of a bright new world free
of Nazism. Brave men literally fought for freedom, because if they didn't, the
world was going to be in the hands of Germany and Japan. That was the light at
the end of their tunnel. Do you know what the light at the end of the tunnel is
for us?

Food.

Yeah, food. When we're on patrols and house clearing missions, what's
keeping us going is not the promise of freedom and democracy in Iraq. It's the
vision of hamburgers, fries and ice cream. I can live without a market based
economy in the Middle East, but I can't live without a toasted ham sandwich.
Several times we have raced back to the base to get to the dining hall as it
closed. Something to eat is the high point of the day. Imagine the low
points.

As Kurt Vonnegut suggested, our morale is shot to pieces. The few tattered
remains left were eviscerated when they extended us four months. The most
devious trick the media and the government has pulled in the last ten years is
suggesting to the public that the soldiers believe in the mission and the war
itself. In my unit that is definitely not the case. We just fight for food and
friends, and the hope of getting home. I know a few people who still believe in
the cause. I would know one more, but he died when I was on leave.


Earlier editions of this blog have mentioned the date in which I separate
from the military, November 24, 2007.That is merely symbolic now. After coming
home, you must stay for three months so they determine you're not crazy and all
that. Our return home date is October 15. So that means I'll be held against my
will again, until January 2008 it seems.

So Lauren, my sweetheart, I won't get to go on summer walks and picnics
with you. I hope Pike's Market is nice in the winter. Mom, I won't be there for
your birthday. Yours either Dad. Can't forget Andrew's. And Albert's. Won't be
making your wedding either, Albert. To the students of my high school, I won't
get to thank you in person for the letters and packages you sent until November
at least.Readers, fear not! Despite the caustic undertone of this entry, I am
glimmering with hope. The dining hall opens in ten minutes for breakfast, and
they make some killer omelettes.

I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody
tell you different. -Kurt Vonnegut

Thanks again to deadissue for pointing this blog out! I have no idea who Alex H. from Frisco Texas is. Despite not knowing Alex, reading his blog brings me back to my times in the Army as a Bradley Master Gunner. I chewed a lot of the same turf Alex chewed out in Yakima, Fort Lewis, and other fun filled sandy places. I wore the same 2ID Indianhead on my sleeve for more than 5 years.

I don't know Alex...but I do.

VA report in 2004: Walter Reed was a clusterf@ck then too!

So, while the Bush Administration claims ignorance towards the care of our Vets prior to the Walter Reed Scandal, a damning VA report indicates otherwise.

Mark Benjamin at Salon has been following the Walter Reed Scandal since it broke.

In August 2004, VA researchers conducted focus group interviews with WalterReed patients and their families. The report based on those interviews, and
obtained by Salon, says that the patients -- seriously wounded veterans of Iraq
and Afghanistan -- told the VA that they were "frustrated, confused, sometimes
angry" about their experiences at the hospital. Documents provided to Salon show
the focus group report was delivered to top VA officials in November 2004.

"I was in a wheelchair and they expected me to push myself all the way
over to Building 11," says an anonymous soldier in the report. "One hand was in
a bandage and one leg I couldn't use and they wanted me to push myself around
the post ... It just became more of a hassle and my mom did it."

One of Bush's biggest fundraisers. Jim Nicholson took over the VA shortly after this report.

Did Nicholson ever see this report or did he simply ignore it? With the state of the VA at this point, it's clearly obvious that both Nicholson and President Bush have ignored our Veterans while continuing to use them as photo-op props.

Paul Sullivan at Veterans for Common Sense has worked at Walter Reed in the past.

Paul Sullivan, who until March 2006 was a project manager at the VA in
charge of data on returning veterans, told Salon that Kussman's role troubles
him. "Kussman knew in 2004 that Walter Reed was a disaster," fumed Sullivan,
"and thousands and thousands of veterans have needlessly suffered long delays."

Sullivan questioned why the military and the VA apparently
did not address these problems two and a half years ago. "The VA had clear and
unambiguous warning that Walter Reed was a fiasco in 2004," Sullivan said.
"There is no way they can say they did not know ... The question is, did they
share this with the Department of Defense [which runs Walter Reed] in 2004?"

Scandals are abundant in the Bush Administration right now.

Whether it's a group of US Attorney's that were terminated because they were not loyal enough, Iraq War funding and veto threats, Walter Reed / Veterans health care issues, Scotter Libby and the Vice President's dealings with exposing a CIA operative, or the Abrhamoff scandal, this is a dark time in the Bush Administration.

I'm fired up over the lip service that the Bush Administration continues to give the American people.

The 2008 elections will be a referendum on the treasonous acts of the Bush White House and those Republicans who support this deceit.

Walter Reed photo op?

Think Progress has a story up called "Anatomy of a Photo-Op."

“Journalists were allowed to take pictures and watch for only a few minutes before being ushered out, though not before Bush told photographers to take pictures of Sgt. Mark Ecker’s tattoo of a naked woman. Reporters were not allowed to interview patients in Abrams Hall, hospital officials said, citing logistics. The hospital instead made available two doctors, who spoke glowingly about the president’s visit and had
no information to provide about the facility’s problems.”

The comments are high quality as well. I am just growing more and more tired of watching this President screw over soldiers and Veterans alike only to use them for political gain later.

Jesus Camp

I just saw this movie this morning.

Wow, a disturbingly powerful movie about how the religious right is targeting our children.

This is definately the kool aid that the Bachmann wannabes are drinking.

The Ted Haggard appearance and discussion was fitting. He was outspoken in the movie about GLBT issues, obviously before he was discovered having a same sex relationship and an addiciton to Meth.

While their Pastor Becky Fischer states that her teachings are apolitical, her claims are easily dismissed when she brings out a life sized cut out of President Bush.

The looks on these kids faces was haunting. It's a must see, that's for sure!

The movie adds some text to explain where the footage is being taken and to provide additional info on an area.

One line that caught my interest was that Ted Haggard has a one hour phone conference with President Bush every Monday.

Not that I care what the President does with his time, but after hearing the White House comments yesterday on the timing of Bush's visit to Walter Reed, I do have to quesiton the President's sincerity on this issue.

"Walter Reed is not a photo-op," Muller said. "Walter Reed is still broken. The DOD health care system is still broken. ... Our troops need their commander in chief to start working harder for them."

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino called it "an unfortunate characterization" to say Bush was using Walter Reed as merely a picture-taking opportunity. She said it took some time to clear enough room on the president's schedule to spend an afternoon with patients and staff at Walter Reed.

He has time for his weekly religious right meetings but, as the Commander in Chief, has to wait weeks on end to meet with the brave men and women he put in harms way.

Ah, real family values.

I suggest renting this movie, it is a powerful movie and shows the true nature of the religious right and their indoctrination of our nations youth.

A must see!

I knew this was a bad idea, 10 years ago

Glad I copied my medical records, including the record of the 6 anthrax shots I received on Active Duty.

Raw Story has a piece on the Anthrax vaccine.

4 words.

Son of a bitch.

4 more.

I frickin knew it.

Anthrax shots were the worst. The reactions for soldiers differed. Some just got the standard arm/muscle pain. Some got nice "little" golf ball sized welts on their tricep. I, like many others, simply felt a lot of pain for a few hours after the shot. Imagine someone holding a lighter to your tricep for 3 hours.

That's what each of the 6 anthrax shots felt like for me. They frickin hurt.

I knew several soldiers who faced Field Grade Article 15's for refusing to take these shots. They were also non-deployable and subsequently kicked out of the Army. One of my soldiers refused to take these shots. His wife being a nurse, advised him to not do this. I spoke to his wife numerous times, regardless, this young Sergeant refused to take a shot. I agreed with them as well, especially after a few discussions with his wife. I was one of the last in my unit to get the first round of shots. Yeah, I came up with excuse after excuse, appointment after appointment, trying to find a way where they might just forget about me.

They didn't.

Seems like doctors at Walter Reed want to study the impact of these shots.

While the Defense Department maintains that the anthrax vaccine is safe and poses no long-term risks to recipients, a little-known program at Walter Reed – the National Vaccine Healthcare Center – seems to contradict the military’s assertions.

Documents obtained by RAW STORY, including a participant’s agreement, case history and government documents, show that military medical personnel have known since at least 1998 that there are genetic triggers between illnesses and some required immunizations, including the anthrax vaccine. They also reveal the military knew and did not implement routine pre-screening which could help reduce vaccine-related illnesses.

A flyer posted by the Vaccine Healthcare Center shows that Walter Reed is soliciting servicemembers who have suffered as a result of the vaccine. The flyer asserts that “adverse effects may include redness or swelling where the shot was given (larger than the bottom of a soda can) and/or more than 24 hours of headaches, muscle/joint pains, and/or fatigue (tiredness) that interfered with your daily activities.”

It turns out, the FDA has never approved this vaccination for our soldiers.

In 2004, a federal judge ruled that the military’s mandatory administration of the vaccine was illegal because the Food and Drug Administration had not approved its use for inhalation anthrax, only for anthrax contracted through the skin. After FDA
approval, the judge allowed voluntary injections. The Defense Department resumed
mandatory shots this month. The Pentagon continues to defend the efficacy and safety of the vaccine.

Kind of like all the crap my friends had to take during the first Iraq War, PB pills and all that crap.

Why do we have to be the proverbial guinea pig? I knew this was a bad idea at the time...and now, time will tell.

I'm glad I got my copy of my shot records!

Walter Reed maintenance woes

As you may recall, Ann Coulter came out recently and laid blame directly at the feet of Democrats, for the horrific conditions at Walter Reed.

Seems a Republican controlled Congress and the Pentagon are actually to blame.

From Raw Story

An Army contract to privatize maintenance at Walter Reed Medical Center was
delayed more than three years amid bureaucratic bickering and legal squabbles
that led to staff shortages and a hospital in disarray just as the number of severely wounded soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan was rising rapidly.

Documents from the investigative and auditing arm of Congress map a trail of bid, rebid, protests and appeals between 2003, when Walter Reed was first selected for outsourcing, and 2006, when a five-year, $120 million contract was finally awarded.

The disputes involved hospital management, the Pentagon, Congress and IAP Worldwide Services Inc., a company with powerful political connections and the only private bidder to handle maintenance, security, public works and management of military personnel.

While medical care was not directly affected, needed repairs went undone as the staff shrank from almost 300 to less than 50 in the last year and hospital officials were unable to find enough skilled replacements.

So, either Ann Coulter:

A. Chose to not discuss the GOP antics behind the conditions at Walter Reed.
B. Is not skilled enough in her research abilities to find out about privatization at Walter Reed.
C. Right wing hack.
D. All of the above.

The answer is D ladies and gentlemen, one notch above the Bush Administrations grade after 4 years of the Iraq debacle.

Walter Reed testimony

CSPAN is covering some testimony from Walter Reed Army Hospital. It's absolutely gut wrenching.

A young Scout just spoke about his two tours in Iraq and being wounded. He spoke of lots of out of pocket expenses, being sent back to Iraq when he was injured and other abuses at the hospital.

More and more soldiers are speaking out about the Ward 54 at the hospial. Ward 54 is the psychatric ward at the hospital, more and more soldiers are speaking out about the care and over-medication of persons here.

The testimony just tugs at my heart...

Ann Coulter really pissed me off today...

I usually don't let the wench get under my skin, but today...she hit a nerve...big time.

She has an incoherent rant about how Democrats are responsible for the horrific care at Walter Reed.

Noticeably, the problems at Walter Reed are not with the doctors or medical care. The problems are with basic maintenance at the facility.

It seems Ann has missed the point, imagine that.

It was never about mice and mold. It was, and still is, about soldiers and Veterans who served proudly, having to fight a bureaucracy at every turn, with no help in sight. The mold and mice simply helped break the story.

She says that, because Democrats staunchly defend the rights of workers, that the Generals in charge could not fire workers who were, well, inept. She blames the maintenance problems on these under appreciated workers.

For the sake of argument, lets follow Coulter's premise that the workers, protected by Democrats, are the reason for Walter Reed's horrific conditions.

I would argue that the horrific conditions came after Halliburton spin-off IAP Worldwide Services, took control of facilities management.

Since I am sure Ms. Coulter does not understand what I just wrote, so to be clear, facilities management includes those that clean and fix stuff.

Of course Coulter would not blame a Cheney wannabe spin off company.

The Army Times has an interesting report on the issue.

The letter said the Defense Department “systemically” tried to replace federal workers at Walter Reed with private companies for facilities management, patient care and guard duty – a process that began in 2000.

“But the push to privatize support services there accelerated under President Bush’s ‘competitive sourcing’ initiative, which was launched in 2002,” the letter states.

During the year between awarding the contract to IAP and when the company started, “skilled government workers apparently began leaving Walter Reed in droves,” the letter states. “The memorandum also indicates that officials at the highest levels of Walter Reed and the U.S. Army Medical Command were informed about the dangers of privatization, but appeared to do little to prevent them.”

Blame the Democrats!

Coulter has attempted to unleash the Mother Of All Smoke Screens (MOASS). Unfortunately for her, the facts dissipate her feeble attempts.

Military hospitals are evaluating soldiers and providing disability benefits to fewer and fewer soldiers, placing the burden on VA institutions.

In 2001, 10 percent of soldiers going through the medical retirement process received permanent disability benefits. In 2005, with two wars raging, that percentage dropped to 3 percent, according to the Government Accountability Office. Reservists dropped from 16 percent to 5 percent.

This decrease during a time in which more than 20,000 have been wounded in combat.

Since the burden is falling upon the VA to handle more and more soldiers, lack of funding from the Bush administration has put Veterans and the excellent workers at the VA, in a precarious position.

The following numbers are estimates of the consequences of enacting President Bush's Fiscal Year 2006 budget proposal. [Sources: VFW Press Release, Department of Veterans Affairs, President's Fiscal Year 2006 Budget]

Veterans who would stop receiving hospital treatment for their disabilities: 220,000
Veterans losing out on long-term nursing home care: 28,000
VA health care workers eliminated: over 3,000
Veterans benefits staff positions cut: over 700
Priority 8 Veterans denied VA enrollment between Jan. 14, 2003 and the end of Fiscal Year 2006: 522,000
Medical research projects terminated: 173
Increase in out-of-pocket payments by veterans: $424 million

Yet, Coulter wants to blame Democrats and their passion for protecting the worker.

It's clear to most Americans. The woes of the Iraq war and the problems surrounding the care of our soldiers and Veterans is not the fault of Democrats. These woes can be shared by both parties over decades and decades of neglect and finger pointing.

In the case of the Iraq war, significant blame can be assigned to the Republican administration that has botched every turn in this war.

Coulter was dead wrong...and I feel a lot better now!

Soldiers speak out on the Walter Reed Scandal

From the Army Times

Col. Cloyd B. Gatrell (ret.), Carlisle, Pa. says:

What is disappointing is the knee-jerk reaction of the secretary of defense and the Army leadership to the media frenzy before ascertaining the facts and events that led to the current situation.

He is a staunch defender of General Kiley.

Lt. Col. Charles W. Treese (ret.), Colorado Springs, Colo. says:

I was not surprised by the defensive “It is all the media’s fault” attitude.
Further, the actions taken against those responsible parties were much too little, much too late and much too shallow. All of those who were even remotely connected with this fiasco must be relieved of their duties.

Sgt. Maj. Don Purvis (ret.), Everett, Wash. says:

Why didn’t these leaders see the problems long before reporters? Why weren’t
these leaders aware of all the problems the patients were having?

Commanders are being held responsible for the problems, and well they should be. However, the command sergeants major in the Medical Hold Unit at Walter Reed Army Medical Center must take a share of that responsibility.

Indeed SGM, no word on Senior enlisted soldiers being relieved.

There were more letters as well, some shifted the blame to House Democrats in the 1970's 80's and 90's for what is happening at Walter Reed in 2007. Nice...

More on Jim Nicholson, head of the VA

Senator Claire McCaskill stated that Nicholson's appointment by Bush was a "Brownie situation", in full reference to another Bush scandal, the mis-handling of the Hurricane Katrina matters.

From Think Progress

Nicholson is the Michael Brown of veterans affairs. His primary qualification for the job was serving as chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1997 to 2000, “raising close to $380 million for the 2000 cycle.” During Bush’s first term, Nicholson was rewarded with the plush ambassadorship to the Vatican; after being selected to run the VA, he promptly ranked #4 in The New Republic’s list of “the
15 biggest Bush administration hacks.”

In the wake of the Walter Reed revelations, President Bush appointed Nicholson to lead a special panel to “cut through red tape” affecting veterans. But veterans advocates say it was Nicholson’s “inept management of the VA [that] has lead to the red tape.” ABC News revealed last week that Nicholson shelved a program that could have avoided many of the bureaucratic delays plaguing injured vets because of its cost — less than $1 million.

If you support our troops, how can you support our President?

Think Progress work on the Walter Reed Scandal

MN Publius had a post up about the high quality work Think Progress is doing on the Department of Justice/Attorney General Scandal.

Think Progress is also kicking a lot of ass on Veterans issues and the Walter Reed Scandal.

Case in point.

General Kiley's replacement opines on the Walter Reed Scandal.

Maj. Gen. Gale S. Pollock retains the same swagger of denial that Kiley possessed.

Pollock, in an e-mail sent to colleagues and staff in the Army Medical Command on Friday, had also sought to minimize reports about conditions at Walter Reed and attacked the media’s handling of the issue.

“I know everyone is extremely pained and angry about the media assaults on Walter Reed and our senior leaders,” Pollock wrote in an e-mail obtained by The Washington Post. She added that she “articulated our displeasure at the misinformation about the quality of care” to a Post reporter after a congressional hearing last week but also acknowledged that she believes the stories could create momentum for changes that would better serve the Army.

She also wrote: “I know that your families and loved ones are affected by this event as well — please reassure them that the media makes money on negative stories not by articulating the positive in life — though that is something I will never understand.”

I can't wait til Bush comes out with his, "You're doin a heckuva job Pollockie". Sometimes, I just wish people could do their jobs and shut the hell up.

Had the Washington Post not written a negative story about Walter Reed, would we know anything about it now?

Kline needs to go too! Great post at mnpACT!

With Bachmann stealing so much attention for her antics in Washington, Congressman Kline has fallen off the radar for some. Once again, Christopher Truscott has "our 6 covered" and writes about the Kline follies as well.

Remember the time when the GOPers would rail Democrats with the whole, "You can't support the troops if you don't support the war".

Well...its clear now that you cannot support the troops if you support this President.

Pace's commentary on homosexuality

As we all know, General Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that homosexuality is "immoral".

While I do not subscribe to that sort of thought, he can think what he wants on a personal level.

However, as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he is to uphold the rules and regulations of the military and answers to the President.

Gen. John Shalikashvili (Ret.), recently called for the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, writing, "We must welcome the service of any American who is willing and able to do the job."

Exactly. Soldiers in the GLBT community have died in Iraq. They get wounded just the same. Do you think a soldier considers another soldiers sexual preference when an IED needs to be safely exploded, or a life saving tourniquet is placed on a missing limb? Of course not.

I see Pace's comments as shifting the discussion from Walter Reed and the care of our Veterans and soldiers, to another issue to obfuscate the public.

Regardless of the comments made by General Pace, I wish he had came out in such a strong and vulgar manner when dealing with the Walter Reed Scandal.

The treatment of our Veterans and soldiers has been immoral on many fronts.

General Kiley now wants to retire

As reported at Raw Story and MSNBC.

General Kiley gets bombarded with questions

The Army Times reports on a heated line of questioning on the lack of patient and Veteran planning.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., had the Army’s surgeon general, Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley, in her sights, but the Navy and Air Force medical chiefs were hit by collateral damage as Mikulski demanded to know about the government’s “50-year plan” for caring for today’s wounded service members. She never received an answer.

“Do you have a plan for Tricare for them? Do you have a plan for assisted living? Do you have a plan for long-term care? Do you have a plan for family assistance?” Mikulski asked. “Do you have a plan to pay for the divorce lawyers? Do you have any plan at all for any of this?

“No, ma’am. I do not,” Kiley said.

“I find this shocking. This is a war that we have been fighting for five years,” Mikulski said. “Five years, longer than World War II, where these men fought and bear the permanent wounds of war. That’s why they’re so passionate about this.”

Indeed. It shows a complete lack of planning on the part of the Bush Administration and its cronies. They have failed to plan at every crossroads of this war.

Why would it change now?

Fort Knox General in new Walter Reed Command group

The Army Times is reporting that Brig. Gen. Michael S. Tucker, deputy commanding general at Fort Knox, will be part of a new group of leaders — all combat veterans — for the medical center, which has been under scrutiny for poor conditions.

I am pleased that change is occurring at Walter Reed. However we all know that this issue is not merely confined to the hallowed grounds of Walter Reed, that in fact, it is a nationwide military hospital and Veterans Administration pandemic.

I also want to know if these are the right leaders to bring forth this change at Walter Reed. Many of the problems at Walter Reed existed at Fort Knox as well.

"I arrived here and was placed in the World War II barracks," one soldier wrote in an internal Fort Knox survey of the conditions. "On the 28th of August we moved out. On 30 Aug. the roof collapsed. Had we not moved, someone would be dead," that soldier wrote.

Shaffery said all of the soldiers have moved out of those barracks. "As soon as we were able to, we moved them out," Shaffery said. The barracks now stand empty and have been condemned.

Also like Fort Stewart, soldiers at Fort Knox claimed they are getting substandard treatment because they are in the National Guard or Army Reserve as opposed to regular Army. The Army has denied any discrepancies in treatment or housing.

We know that Senator Bond launched an investigation into these issues and found fault with numerous cases regarding the mistreatment of our Veterans, specificaly those having served in the National Guard and the Reserves.

It is my sincere hope that the Department of Defense and the Department of the Army have selected leaders who will put the health and welfare of their subordinates before their own.

Time will tell...but this Fort Knox connection is disturbing to me.

They (GOP) knew about Walter Reed

From Raw Story

The top Republican who previously chaired the committee that wrote Defense
Department budget bills admitted yesterday that he was aware of many problems at
the Walter Reed Army Medical Center but feared that more aggressive oversight
would "give the Army a black eye."

Republican Congressman Young from Florida knew of the problems but did not want to "give the Army a black eye."

So, he gave a few to our Veterans.

All this under the guise of "Support our Troops".

One soldier's testimony

Staff Sergeant John Shannon testified before Congress Monday.

Shannon was shot in the head during a firefight near Ramadi, Iraq, in November 2004 and has languished at Walter Reed ever since, awaiting plastic surgery so he can be fitted with a prosthetic eye. Paperwork for his retirement from the Army has been on hold.

But his ire yesterday was less about his own treatment than about the sense of betrayal he feels for younger soldiers he has tried to shepherd through the bureaucracy at Walter Reed.

"I will not see young men and women who have had their lives shattered in service to their country receive anything less than dignity and respect," said Shannon, who at times said he is having difficulty controlling his anger.

He said some injured troops encounter so much bureaucracy that they give up and forgo benefits to which they are entitled. "I have seen so many soldiers get so frustrated with the process that they will sign anything presented to them, just so they can get on with their lives," he said.

Shannon, who wore a patch over his missing left eye, also said the cost of treating thousands of service members wounded in Iraq should be dealt with honestly. "The system can't be trusted," he said. "And soldiers get less than they deserve from a system seemingly designed and run to cut the costs associated with fighting this war."

Perfect!