Medical Care for our war wounded.

[skylinefan]

The following article appeared in the Sunday Washington Post regarding the substandard care for the wounded soldiers from the Iraq and Afganistan wars.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...7021701172.html

This article puts a human face on the suffering being endured by our brave men and women fighting in uniform. I had no idea that I could possibly get any madder about this war than I have been. Well this article really makes me sick and I hope the President and Congress are listening. These problems at Walter Reed need to be corrected yesterday. I would like to hear the opinions of others about this sad state of affairs at Walter Reed.

[Snowguy716]

It is really sad how we neglect our soldiers. We ask only them to sacrifice when they go over to fight and the ones that are injured are treated like sh**t when they come back.

Something similar happened to one of my best friends, who was injured by an IED last April. The doctors kept telling him that he just had torn ligaments in his ankles and that it would get better, but his superior officer made him stand for full duty despite doctors orders to be on light duty.

Finally, my friend demanded an Xray and they found several fractures in his ankles, but only after he could barely walk anymore. They did surgery on them, but he will never be able to endure long periods of standing or walking again.

For that, your taxes will get him a check of $600-700/month (plus inflation) for the rest of his life. He's 22. Small pittance for such utter carelessness on the part of his superior officers and doctors.

Luckily he wasn't badly injured and recovered fully from his burn wounds in Iraq. I feel horribly for those who are permanently maimed and will have to suffer a life of limited mobility or horrible physical appearances and will have to come back to a country that supports wars as long as THEY don't have to make a sacrifice.

That is why I have such contempt for these war mongering fools in this country. Nary a person in the Bush administration has served in combat nor have the old war mongering Republican crowd in congress and here they are spouting out the virtues of war and calling the anti-war crowd, many of whom were maimed and injured and tortured in Vietnam or Korea or wherever, unamerican and appeasing the terrorists. Like the Republicans in Georgia that accused the Democratic congressman with no legs and only ONE arm of being unamerican because he didn't support the war in Iraq. The man had 2 legs and an arm amputated from combat injuries!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have no room for such rotten, soulless, wretched beings. You want a war? Go sign up. Until then, shut up.

We need to end this war and bring our soldiers home where they can be safe and sound and carry on with their lives. Many of my veteran friends agree.

[skylinefan]

It is really sad how we neglect our soldiers. We ask only them to sacrifice when they go over to fight and the ones that are injured are treated like sh**t when they come back.

Something similar happened to one of my best friends, who was injured by an IED last April. The doctors kept telling him that he just had torn ligaments in his ankles and that it would get better, but his superior officer made him stand for full duty despite doctors orders to be on light duty.

Finally, my friend demanded an Xray and they found several fractures in his ankles, but only after he could barely walk anymore. They did surgery on them, but he will never be able to endure long periods of standing or walking again.

For that, your taxes will get him a check of $600-700/month (plus inflation) for the rest of his life. He's 22. Small pittance for such utter carelessness on the part of his superior officers and doctors.

Luckily he wasn't badly injured and recovered fully from his burn wounds in Iraq. I feel horribly for those who are permanently maimed and will have to suffer a life of limited mobility or horrible physical appearances and will have to come back to a country that supports wars as long as THEY don't have to make a sacrifice.

That is why I have such contempt for these war mongering fools in this country. Nary a person in the Bush administration has served in combat nor have the old war mongering Republican crowd in congress and here they are spouting out the virtues of war and calling the anti-war crowd, many of whom were maimed and injured and tortured in Vietnam or Korea or wherever, unamerican and appeasing the terrorists. Like the Republicans in Georgia that accused the Democratic congressman with no legs and only ONE arm of being unamerican because he didn't support the war in Iraq. The man had 2 legs and an arm amputated from combat injuries!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have no room for such rotten, soulless, wretched beings. You want a war? Go sign up. Until then, shut up.

We need to end this war and bring our soldiers home where they can be safe and sound and carry on with their lives. Many of my veteran friends agree.

[Gusterfell]

I find it interesting that this outrage has not resonated more loudly with the public.

[bobdreamz]

CNN did a series a while back about a combat hospital set up in Iraq so there has been some exposure but not enough to highlight the huge problems these vets face. As an aside if you want to see how we truly treat our vets just go to where the homeless congegrates in your city and you'll find homeless Vietnam vets with mental & drug problems being ignored.

[skylinefan]

Well here we go again another article about the bad and tragic treatment of another wounded soldier and his family at the hands of the US Army. It makes me wonder with only 4% of wounded soldiers getting disability just how much our politicians and the Army Brass really support our troops. Obviously not very much. I don't really know why there is not more outrage over this treatment than what there is. I guess we spend so much time worrying over Anna Nicole Smith to worry about our brave fighting men and women putting their lives and limb on the line every day.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...7022200891.html

[Gusterfell]

Well, apparently Walter Reed patients are being punished for talking to the media, and are being told to keep quiet.

[skylinefan]

It just gets better and better, the Washington Post ran a story on the Army's history of inattention to wounded soldiers in outpatient care at Walter Reed. Seems like not even congress could get the Army brass off of thier fat a$$es to do something for the wounded. What a travesty!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...7022801954.html

[Captain Worley]

Well, apparently Walter Reed patients are being punished for talking to the media, and are being told to keep quiet.

[skylinefan]

Army Fires Commander of Walter Reed

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...7030100999.html

I wonder if there should be more firings further up the chain. How about taking a long look at the civilian leadership at the Pentagon. The substandard outpatient care at Walter Reed and other VA Hospitals has been a problem for decades.

[Charlotte_native]

Now the secretary of the army has resigned over this. I guess it was easier to quit than deal with and help fix the problem. He actually said "I figured what the heck, if i offer my resignation, that may stop all of this bleeding" and went on to say he hoped this would prevent any staff members from Walter Reed from being fired. If it was so bad there, why try and prevent those who did nothing from being fired??

This is a cop out by this guy (a civilian appointee -- hello Brownie #2). When the going gets tough, I guess the tough really do get going, home.

Support for the troops is great for political speeches or to mock so called "liberals" but we see how much support there is when it really counts.

[skylinefan]

I am astounded at the quick response from the White House and Congress to this distressing situation at Walter Reed and the other VA hospitals the testimony at yesterday's hearing was heart wrenching. Here is the story as reported by the Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...7030500676.html

I really feel that this investigation should go higher up and really investigate the planning that went into taking care of our War Wounded.