Where’s the Outrage?

Dana Priest from WaPo has another great investigative piece this morning. Many of vets are still not getting the care that need. Red tape, government mismanagement and the VA system have all combine to frustrate our returning Vets.

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From WaPo:

… At a low point, he went to the local Department of Veterans Affairs medical center for help. One VA psychologist diagnosed Cruz with post-traumatic stress disorder. His condition was labeled “severe and chronic.” In a letter supporting his request for PTSD-related disability pay, the psychologist wrote that Cruz was “in need of major help” and that he had provided “more than enough evidence” to back up his PTSD claim. His combat experiences, the letter said, “have been well documented.”

None of that seemed to matter when his case reached VA disability evaluators. They turned him down flat, ruling that he deserved no compensation because his psychological problems existed before he joined the Army. They also said that Cruz had not proved he was ever in combat. “The available evidence is insufficient to confirm that you actually engaged in combat,” his rejection letter stated. (more…)

Tags: Bush Administration, Military, Walter Reed by ecthompson
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John “Cougar” Mellencamp invited Joan Baez to perform with him at Walter Reed.  Unfortunately, the Army said no go. 

Tags: Walter Reed by ecthompson
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We have seen literally hundreds of presidential commissions form, meet and pledge action.  Really, they can pledge anything that they want, it will be up to the President and Congress to make it happen.  There are already a ton of committees looking to the Walter Reed problem. So, I’m not sure why another commission was necessary.  It would be different if Congress was ignoring the problem but they aren’t.  The VA has already looked into the problem and found a ton of problems. 

So often, I criticize the President for doing what I believe is the wrong thing.  I guess I shouldn’t be too harsh on this commission.  At least, there is the appearance of trying to the right thing.  Now, if all of these inquiries turn into better care of our soldiers then I’ll give President Bush a shout out.  Until then I’m just watchin’.

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From CNN.com:

Injured soldiers returning home for medical treatment face an unacceptable maze of paperwork and bureaucracy, leaders of a presidential commission on veterans’ health care said Saturday.

At their first public hearing, members pledged to work quickly to find solutions rather than assign blame.

(snip)

Donna Shalala, health and human services secretary under President Clinton, said the commission planned a report by late July that would be pragmatic and “solution-driven.”

“Our timeline for action is very short,” she said. As a result, she said commissioners may not be able to visit every military hospital and Veterans Affairs Department clinic to examine conditions.  (more…)

Tags: Congress, Walter Reed by ecthompson
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6 weeks after the Walter Reed scandal broke our President went over to Walter Reed to check things out for himself.  I’m sure that he will be getting around to the US Attorney problem sometime in the month or so.

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From WaPo:

“I was disturbed by their accounts of what went wrong,” he said in a speech to hospital staff members after the tour. “It is not right to have someone volunteer to wear our uniform and not get the best possible care. I apologize for what they went through, and we’re going to fix the problem.”  (more…)

 

 Prez at Walter Reed [3:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Bush Administration, Walter Reed by ecthompson
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As I said (Here and here) that the VA system is not set up to care for trauma patients. The VA system is set up to care for older patients with chronic diseases. This isn’t a surprise since most vets are older and suffer from chronic diseases - heart disease, prostate cancer, lung disease, etc.

Let’s not forget that the Bush administration has tried to cut the budget for the VA every year that they have been in office.

The Washington Post is reporting that VA’s across the country have problems.

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A review by the Department of Veterans Affairs of 1,400 hospitals and other veterans care facilities released yesterday has turned up more than 1,000 reports of substandard conditions — from leaky roofs and peeling paint to bug and bat infestations — as well as a smaller number of potential threats to patient safety, such as suicide risks in psychiatric wards.

The investigation, ordered March 7 by VA Secretary Jim Nicholson, found problems such as rugs loaded with bacteria from patient “accidents,” ceiling and floor tiles with asbestos that needs to be removed, as well as exposed pipes and other fixtures from which mental patients could hang themselves. [Read more →]

Tags: Bush Administration, Walter Reed by ecthompson
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The opening segment is getting better.  I’m figuring out how to talk and work the computer at the same time.  It is kind of like patting your head and rubbing your stomach at the same time.

Scooter Libby verdict is in.   Libby was guilty of 4 or 5 counts of fraud.  Bush is personally sad but respects the conviction.  Almost before the verdict comes out some on the right began to argue for a presidential pardon.  I review where this all started.

My first guest is a medical scholar and ethicist Timothy Quill, MD.  Dr. Quill is a professor of Medicine, Psychiatry and Medical Humanities at the University of Rochester.  We discuss the development of medical ethics in the United States.  The problem isn’t that medicine is prolonging life but instead medicine has the technology to prolong death.  We discuss Karen Quinlan, Nancy Crusan and, of course, Terri Schiavo.  Great discussion.

In the 3rd segment, I discuss the Walter Reed scandal.  VA/Military hospitals.  I mention that VA hospitals are not set up take care of acute trauma patients.  I then end the segment with the conclusion of my interview with Douglas Johnston of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy.

I end the show by talking about the US Attorneys that got fired.  The problem isn’t that they got fired.  The problem is that they were fired for political issues.  Also, and more importantly, the DOJ spoke to Congress and said something a little different.  Albert Gonzales is swimming in hot water.

Remember I’m on iTunes and several other podcasting services.

 

 The Errington Thompson Show 3-10-07 [51:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Podcasts, Valerie Plame, Walter Reed by ecthompson
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Remember that General Kiley was in charge of Walter Reed until 2004.  He was the General who downplayed the seriousness of the situation.  I have spliced his comments to the end of this clip.  Original clips are here and here.

From CNN.com:

Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley has lost his job as Army surgeon general, another casualty of the care scandal at Walter Reed Medical Center.

Acting Army Secretary Pete Geren asked for Kiley’s resignation, and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates approved the action, a senior Pentagon official said.

In its official announcement, the Army said Kiley had requested retirement. [Read more →]

 

 General Kiley is out [1:54m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Walter Reed by ecthompson
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When you think about it, the White House has had nearly an unprecedented run of bad news.  Then again, after 9/11, they had an unprecedented run of legislative victories.  Almost all of their victories were unopposed.  The Patriot Act.  Tax Cuts.  More Tax Cuts.  The authorization for the Iraq war.  No Child left behind.  Almost everything that the Bush administration proposed from September 2001 through August of 2005 was rammed through Congress almost completely and totally unopposed.  Then, Katrina happened.  I should back up, just a half a second, and note that Cindy Sheehan happened in the summer of 2004.  Cindy Sheehan was an interesting phenomenon.  No matter how much she was vilified by the right, the American public didn’t buy it.  She was the beginning of the awakening of the American public to the disaster that is the Bush Administration.

The American public has seen one disaster after another.  The Iraq war.  Hurricane Katrina.  Wage stagnation.  CEO pay inflation.  Walter Reed.  Now the Scooter Libby trial.

 

 CNN - Libby trail impact [1:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Iraq, Katrina, Valerie Plame, Walter Reed by ecthompson
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Bob Woodruff interviewed Jim Nicholson (here and here) and it sure seemed that he said yes when the answer should have been no.   

From ABC News: 

A proposal to keep seriously wounded vets from falling through the cracks of the bureaucracy was shelved in 2005 when Jim Nicholson took over as the secretary of the Veterans Affairs Department, according to the former VA employee who was responsible for tracking war casualties.

As a result, seriously wounded veterans continued to face long delays for health care and benefit payments after being discharged from the military, says former VA project manager Paul Sullivan. [Read more →]

Tags: Iraq, Military, Walter Reed by ecthompson
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Howard Dean makes some excellent points about the Libby case.  He ties the obsession with the Libby case and smearing Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame to the lack of attention to what are soldiers are returning here at home. 

 

 Dean comments on Libby case [2:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Iraq, Valerie Plame, Walter Reed by ecthompson
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2 years ago. Yep, 2 years ago, Salon reported on the conditions at Walter Reed. I missed this article. Excellent article.

Crooks and Liars has an excellent comment from Old Pa Cafferty.

Tonight Countdown had a good segment on Walter Reed.  Richard Wolfe does a good job on his commentary.

 

 Countdown - More on Reed fallout [6:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Countdown, Domestic Issues, Military, Walter Reed by ecthompson
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I don’t tend to like hearings. They are too emotional. They are too much focused on individual experience and not the overall data. On the other hand, personal testimony moves people. A flowchart showing the percentage of soldiers languishing in building 18 is one thing, emotional words from a wife fighting for her husband, gets things done.

 

 Walter Reed - Hearings [6:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Iraq, Military, Walter Reed by ecthompson
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Could privatizing of the Army in general and Walter Reed is specific be part of the problem?

Ah, the good news is that everything circles back to Halliburton.

 

 Walter Reed - Privatization could have been a problem [2:17m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Bush Administration, Military, Walter Reed by ecthompson
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Does the Army Secretary take the fall for the Bush Administration?

Update: More video added.

From CNN.com:

Secretary of the Army Francis Harvey resigned Friday in the wake of recent reports of substandard conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, a key facility treating troops wounded in Iraq.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Harvey’s resignation at the Pentagon, just a day after Harvey removed the hospital’s commander, Maj. Gen. George Weightman, from his post.

Gates said Undersecretary of the Army Peter Geren will temporarily take Harvey’s place. Harvey will leave on March 9.

“I thanked Dr. Harvey for his distinguished service to the department and to the nation,” Gates said. “This flagship institution must have its new leadership in place as quickly as possible.” (more…)

 

 Obama speaks out on Walter Reed [4:33m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Domestic Issues, Iraq, Military, Walter Reed by ecthompson
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I have gotten a lot of traffic when I posted the Walter Reed Story. Folks were looking for somewhere to voice their concerns. Well, I appreciate the posts but it may be time for us to show more than concern. It is time for Outrage!

The Military seems to be shutting up the soldiers and moving them out of the watchful eyes of reporters.

 

 Walter Reed fights back: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Military, Walter Reed by ecthompson
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Here’s my problem with the whole Walter Reed thing. Everyone knows about the famous Army bureaucracy. One would figure, if you’re going to start a war, that you might want to fix something like this. Five years later… FIVE years later! This isn’t fixed. As a matter of fact, there appears to be evidence to show that there is no attempt at fixing it.

The one thing that I think is very interesting is that Secretary of Defense Gates really focused on the fixing the bureaucracy. If he is able to do this, it will be a huge boost to the soldiers.

Daily Kos has a nice post on Walter Reed.

 

 Walter Reed clean up, Army clean up [2:34m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Domestic Issues, Media, Military, Walter Reed by ecthompson
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