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Category: Walter Reed

  • Free Republic’s “Last Stand” at Walter Reed

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    We got an email last night from Trooprally, the Free Republic’s main instigator of the more than 6 years-long rally outside of Walter Reed on Friday nights when the wounded arrive from the Was Against Terror. They began their vigil when Code pink and the union thugs started protesting the wars at Walter Reed front gate. According to Phil, the hippies still show up in anemic numbers, but halfway down the street after our buddy, Concrete Bob, scooped up their corner when they let their permit expire briefly.

    But here’s the email about their “Last Stand” on July 29th;

    The DC Chapter of FReeRepublic invites all patriots to stand together with us at Walter Reed for one last big gathering on JULY 29,2011, at the main gate at Georgia Avenue and Elder Street, NW. We will stand in support from 6:30PM to around 9:20PM when the dinner bus returns, cheering the wounded and their families through the gate.

    You have been an integral part in our support of the wounded at Walter Reed. This will be the last big gathering at Walter Reed before it closes down in August. Also, we do not know when the Friday night dinner buses will stop taking the wounded and their families out to dinner, but rest assured, the DC Chapter will continue the Friday nights until the last bus returns.

    If you cannot make it on July 29, email me to see if we will be there so you can join us. We expect the dinner bus to keep running several weeks into August.

    This will also be the 328th CONSECUTIVE Friday night that patriots have stood at Walter Reed. We have stood there on Christmas Day 2009, Christmas Eve and New Years Eve,2010, on 9/11/2009, Good Fridays, tropical storms, snow storms, rain storms, 12 degree temperature when the bus finally returned, and each Friday in between. We are on our 3rd generation MOAB.

    The DC Chapter will have banners, signs, patriotic music, drinks and plenty of pizza.

    Hope to see some familiar patriots that night.

    This invite is being sent to some patriots who I know cannot make it, but I wanted to keep you apprised of an end of one of the greatest troop support rallies in history. It is only surpassed by years of support families gave their loved during WWII while they fought for our freedom. In WWII, soldiers were away from home for years at a time.

    The DC Chapter says Thank You for your support at Walter Reed.

    Coincidentally, I have an appointment at Walter Reed that afternoon, so I’ll be there. TAH has some history with the Walter Reed Freep, they even invited me and my wife to their Christmas party one year. but here are some links to some of our coverage;

    Tea Party WRAMC 041

    Barbecue and Patriotism at Walter Reed

    Friday night drunkblogging Silver Spring (featuring Uncle Jimbo, Parachutecutie and Concrete Bob)

    Memorial Day Weekend at Walter Reed

    3d Anniversary Freep at Walter Reed

  • WRAMC CSM busted for stolen valor *Bumped*

    According to CNN, a Sergeant Major has been busted at Walter Reed. CNN calls Stoney Crump THE Command Sergeant Major of WRAMC, but that’s not true – he’s one of the CSMs.

    Among the courses he is alleged to have attended were Reconnaissance School, Sniper School,; Drill Sergeant Course,; U.S. Army Ranger School and several Special Forces schools and courses, the Army charge sheet says.

    Crump is also charged with falsely stating in a biography he was a registered nurse. Other charges say he knowingly wore up to fifteen service ribbons and awards he was not entitled to wear, including a Marine Corps Combat Action ribbon and a Presidential Unit Citation, which is awarded for a extremely meritorious or heroic act, usually in the face of an armed enemy.

    CNN got the Presidential Unit Citation wrong, too – it’s awarded to an entire unit that performs in an operation at a level that would warrant a Distinguished Service Cross for everyone in the whole unit, not a single act.

    Will you tell me why a Sergeant Major would feel a need to make shit up?

    I found an interview he did last year in which he said “Never forget that you’re a member of a time-honored corps and a legacy. I tell Soldiers when they look in a mirror they should see a whole line of faces behind them.” That quote may prove prophetic for former Sergeant Major Crump.

    When he looks in the mirror at Leavenworth, I’m pretty sure he’ll clearly see a whole line of faces behind him.

    What? Too soon?

    Thanks to stingerwooten for dropping off the link in another post.

    *Bumped* There’s more about this peckerhead so I bumped the article up. Updates below the jump;
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  • Short memories

    A diarist at VetVoices who calls himself HalDonahue is on a tear about Walter Reed’s upcoming move to two new facilities at Bethesda, MD and Fort Belvoir, VA. HalDonahue claims that the move denies world class care to the troops at a crucial timein the war against terror;

    The Base Realignment And Closure (BRAC) is now causing DoD planners to deprive wounded military personal and indeed the entire military family of the very best medical care. The above quote confirms that the Department of Defense (DoD) directed that wounded soldiers be routed away from Walter Reed, the only world-class institution of its kind in the world. By DoD admission, the the New Walter Reed National Military Medical Center will not be world class.

    I happen to agree with Ol’ Hal that this is a mistimed move. But unlike Hal, I remember that the Army tried to speed up construction at Bethesda over two years ago and the Democrat Congress, namely Chris VanHollen, Maryland Democrat Congressman, blocked them over concerns that the SUV-driving yuppies on Wisconsin Avenue would find the traffic disconcerting. I wrote about it then.

    HalDonahue asks “Where are the Veterans Service Organizations?” Where was VoteVets when VanHollen was more worried about his rich yuppie constituents’ drive time than the troops? Where was HalDonahue? And what the F are they doing about it now, besides paying lip service?

  • The Real Deal

    The milblog community just exposed and destroyed another phony. Jonn, TSO, and everybody else involved should be proud and definitely deserve more credit (which was pretty much none) than they got in the local Houston media.

    I think its appropriate that after spending a lot of time talking about a phony hero that some time is spent talking about a real hero who legitimately earned a stack of medals and ribbons and someone who is disrespected and dishonored by fake pieces of crap like Michael Patrick McManus.

    When I was a boot PFC just out of security forces school, I had to spend eight months at Marine Barracks Washington (aka 8th and I) in order to obtain a security and weapons clearance so I could serve as part of the Marine detachment at Camp David. I was part of the guard force at the barracks and it was easily my most miserable time in the Marine Corps. The duty consisted of standing post for 12 hours on your feet with 12 hours off for sometimes weeks at a time because of a poorly-crafted security plan for the barracks. What made things particularly bad was that most (but not all) of the officers and SNCOs who served at the barracks while I was there were there for one thing only: to advance their careers. 8th and I is the home of the commandant and several other general officers and if you look at the bios of many Marine Corps general officers you will find that they spent time 8th and I. For this reason, the place attracts alot of ladder-climbers who put their own personal careers over the well-being of their Marines. Many combat decorated NCOs and Staff NCOs got thrown under the bus at 8th and I by these careerists. For these reasons, there wasn’t a lot of trust in and respect for the officers and senior enlisted leadership at Marine Barracks Washington while I was there. I was very happy to get out of that place and move on to Camp David.

    However there were a few exceptions and the most universally respected officer was Capt. Joshua Glover. When I was at 8th and I, Capt. Glover was the platoon commander of the Silent Drill Platoon. Capt Glover took care of not only his Marines in the SDP, but also Marines in other sections of the barracks. The guard force was always happy when Capt Glover was Officer of the Day. He would make a point of touring every post and spending time at each one to talk to the Marine sentries, sometimes for up to an hour. For a young PFC standing a 12 hour post by himself, this meant the world and made that miserable and lonely duty go by a lot quicker.

    Captain Glover was also a highly decorated infantry officer. He served three tours in Iraq with 1st battalion, 5th Marines, including the invasion, the first battle of Fallujah, and a tour in Ramadi. For actions during the first battle of Fallujah, Capt Glover earned the Silver Star. You can read about it here or pick up a copy of Bing West’s  No True Glory, in which Capt Glover’s actions are discussed in great detail. Capt Glover also received two purple hearts, a Navy Commendation with a V, and a Navy Achievement Medal with a V. It should also be pointed out that is likely that Capt Glover didn’t have to go back for a third tour to Iraq. In the Marine Corps, in most circumstances, after two deployments you rotate from a fleet unit to a non-deployable unit like 8th and I, the drill field, or some instructor billet (sometimes you don’t have a choice in the matter). This is done for a very good reason and helps insure that Marines get a break from the stresses of the fleet and that Marines just back from combat can train the next generation. However, Capt Glover knew that 1/5 was going back into the meat-grinder and wanted to be there with them.

    Capt. Glover receiving his Silver Star from General Hagee

    Captain Glover rotated back to a deployable unit around the same time I left Camp David for 2/1. I didn’t hear anything about him after that. Today, when I logged on to Facebook I saw a post by a Marine I served with (Dave who was with 3/8 in Afghanistan) mentioning that Capt Glover had been wounded back in November in Afghanistan and tonight he would be ringside at the UFC fight thanks to UFC fighter Brian Stann (I couldn’t embed the video but Stann talks about Glover in the fourth video from the left here). Capt Glover was wounded while participating in a rescue operation for two paratroopers from the 82nd (who unfortunately drowned in a river). There is a possibility he may lose one leg. More details about what happened can be found here at Glock Talk. This was Capt. Glover’s either third or fourth time being wounded and his fourth combat deployment.

    Captain Glover is the real deal. I hope McManus serves a long time in a deep dark hole for disrespecting men like Capt Glover.

    (Thanks to Dave and other Marines from the Yankee White community for the heads-up on what happened to Capt. Glover)

    UPDATE 02/06/2010: I received more information from a friend an fellow Marine who was in my platoon at Camp David (Steve, another Marine who is the real deal) about Captain Glover. I was wrong about some of the details about his injuries and circumstances behind his injuries. I have updated the post accordingly. Steve says Captain Glover is at Walter Reed is doing pretty well. If I get more information, I will update this post. Again, I would not have known about any of this without Marines from the Yankee White community.

  • At Walter Reed next Friday

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    Some of you live here in Metro DC area and I know some of you plan to be here for next week’s doin’s (Concretebob estimates the crowd arriving by bus at about a 1/4 million folks).

    I hear that Bev Perlson of Band of Mothers will be outside of the Congressional offices (Cannon Building, last I heard) with her crowd on the 9th and 10th at about 9 am each day.

    I just got word that Concretebob will be barbecuing at the Malone House at Walter Reed. He says;

    I’m cooking–Menu Italian sausage (hot and medium) with peppers and onions; (they won’t be marked I like surprises) fried squash; BBQ chicken; (I’ll have a fresh batch of BBQ sauce) and whatever/whoever else shows up. I’m going to try some potato skins with bacon and cheddar on the grill.

    He mentioned cigars and Crown Royal, but I’m guessin’ you better bring your own. Bob claims chow will be ready at noon on the 11th. I ain’t missin’ Bob’s Italian sausage.

    The Free Republic folks are also doing some cooking near the main gate in the evening. I know everyone who’ll be in town won’t want to miss the premiere pro-troop event at Walter Reed – hope to see you there.

  • Barbecuein’ and cigar smoking at WRAMC

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    Concretebob and Gunn Nutt put together a great barbeque for the troops at Walter Reed Army Medical Center yesterday. I was lucky enough to get an invitation – but I was so lazy, that my designated driver took the pictures for me.

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    There was a live band and tons of chow. Thanks for inviting us, guys – it was an honor in more ways than one.

  • AP perpetuates lies about Walter Reed

    Yeah, this is getting very tiring. TSO called me this morning to tell me that Associated Press is still clinging to the lie that Walter Reed Army Medical Center was at the center of controversy over the way they treated soldiers. I wrote about it back in July and nothing has changed. They have an article in the Washington Times this morning about Walter Reed celebration it’s 100th year (which I also wrote about back in March).

    Kamala Lane writes;

    But many of these new features were made after published reports revealed in 2007 that Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans at the site were receiving substandard treatment.

    Kamala, it was NEVER about treatment – if you did even rudimentary research, you’d know the only real complaint was about TWO ROOMS in the OUTPATIENT TRANSIENT BARRACKS. There have never been complaints about the medical treatment that soldiers received at Walter Reed.

    Of course, this is just more Bush-bashing, the AP’s favorite sport – especially now that the Bush Administration is gone.

    Lane makes it sound like somehow the media is responsible for the outstanding care that the troops get at Walter Reed – nothing could be further from the truth. Many of the journalists who write about Walter Reed have never set foot on the campus, they’ve never talked to soldiers who won’t complain to them and they don’t want to hear success stories.

    One mother of a wounded soldier told the Washington Post that no one at the hospital could help her find her way around the city or tell her the condition of her son because she didn’t speak English. She claims she had to use a taxi driver as a translator.

    First of all, there are no Spanish-speaking taxi drivers in DC. Pakistani? Somali? Sure – but no Spanish. Secondly, her son was in my wife’s ward – my Panamanian wife who helped the woman even when my wife was off duty. But did the Washington Post check her story? Nope.

    Now the Associated Press uses the Walter Reed fantasy as a foregone conclusion. That’s what passes for journalism these days – legends and faerie tales.

  • My Walter Reed vacation

    Some of you may have noticed I’ve been a bit slack in posting the past week or so. Well, I hadn’t planned on explaining it, but a good post grew out of it, so here goes.

    I had some abdominal pain a few weeks ago and went to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center to have it checked out. Even though, as a compensable disabled vet, I’m eligible to use the VA, I’ll tell you why I prefer WRAMC; they kept Strom Thurmond alive for 100 years and the year after he moved back to South Carolina, he died. So I figure the WRAMC staff knows stuff.

    The staff at Walter Reed had me take a series of tests and scans trying to locate the problem, the last one being a CT scan last Thursday night. I was headed out the door Friday night to watch Aisha Tyler at the Improv here in DC when I got a call from the staff at Walter Reed who told me I needed to go the emergency room. Naturally, the first thing I thought of was 100-year-old Strom Thurmond, so I complied.

    The first person I saw when I went in the hospital was a greeter. No shit – a real greeter in a maroon blazer and a smile (she was wearing pants, too, guys) who said “Hello, welcome to Walter Reed Army Medical Center”. I like that shit – honestly. I reported in to the Emergency Room, since it was after regular hospital hours and they started wheeling me around to get X-rays and stuff and whisked me away to Ward 65.

    Let me tell you about Ward 65 – it’s like Hooters opened a hospital. Maybe it’s my age, but all of the nurses and doctors were gorgeous (well, except the few male doctors and nurses). They were friendly, yet professional – not something I would have expected after my time in the Army when all of the nurses looked like Frau Blucher and acted like Nurse Ratched. I was almost sorry to leave.

    I had a flat screen TV (with Fox News Channel) and this remarkable bed that would automatically adjust to my bloated body every time I shifted to support my considerable weight. There was a guy who went room-to-room and took my meal order from a menu three times every day and personally brought my meal within 30 minutes of the time I posted my order. In the Army? Really?

    Every medical person I had contact with from the X-Ray techs to the lowliest private vampire who came in the middle of the night to suck my blood out was professional and courteous. They did their job with a smile and a joke – more than what they “had” to do. Every. Single. One. It’s a sign of a professional staff and excellent leadership.

    Yes, Walter Reed has suffered some public relations set backs recently on their out patient transient barracks which still gets mileage in the press and recently from “some people” on this blog. But I want to emphasize that there have NEVER been complaints about inpatient care – and, despite that, Walter Reed has gone the extra mile to improve the day-to-day conditions for the troops.

    Personally, I’d like to commend, not only the staff in the emergency room and Ward 65, but also the commander, Major General Carla G. Hawley-Bowland and her sergeant major Command Sergeant Major James E. Diggs for making this an exceptional unplanned stay in their excellent facility. They’ve created a hospital that our troops deserve at the time the troops most need it.

    I’m sure there’s room for improvement and I won’t argue with anyone who says so based on their recent experiences, but this post is based on a comparison of my stays this weekend and five years ago for another surgery.

    Now, I know this post will generate a lot of “I hope you feel better”, and “Sorry to hear” comments. Thank you, but it’s really not necessary – that’s not why I wrote this post. I’ve been reading comments on here from “some people” on how poor military health care is, on the assembly line treatment for soldiers. I hope this post puts some of that to rest. I’ve never been treated better any where in any hospital – including some exclusive hospitals where I’ve had stays.