Army Story of the Day #1

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070302/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/walter_reed_25



Army secretary resigns in scandal's wake
By ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer 37 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey abruptly stepped down Friday as the Bush administration struggled to cope with the fallout from a scandal over substandard conditions for war-wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Harvey's departure, announced on short notice by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, was the most dramatic move in an escalating removal of officials with responsibilities over one of the military's highest-profile and busiest medical facilities.

( Read more... )

Glad to see someone accepting responsibility.

I would be happier to see someone fix the problem. Part of the problem, of course, is that Walter Reed is on the BRAC list, and no one wants to spend money to fix problems that will eventually go away. We have the same problem in our headquarters, although not on as great a scale. Why spend money when we'll be moving to a new building in two-three years?

DV

Army Story of the Day #2

Well, it's actually from yesterday, but I didn't get around to posting it, so...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17372118/

Top officials knew of neglect at Walter Reed
Complaints about medical center were voiced for years
By Anne Hull and Dana Priest
Updated: 12:29 p.m. ET March 1, 2007

Top officials at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, including the Army's surgeon general, have heard complaints about outpatient neglect from family members, veterans groups and members of Congress for more than three years.

A procession of Pentagon and Walter Reed officials expressed surprise last week about the living conditions and bureaucratic nightmares faced by wounded soldiers staying at the D.C. medical facility. But as far back as 2003, the commander of Walter Reed, Lt. Gen. Kevin C. Kiley, who is now the Army's top medical officer, was told that soldiers who were wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan were languishing and lost on the grounds, according to interviews.

( Read more... )

Cut because it is long, but I strongly urge people to read it. Other than going WTF over calling the sergeant major an 'enlisted officer', it's worth the read. It's a reminder that supporting the troops takes more than an yellow ribbon or two.

DV